London: The Scientific Press, [1916]. First edition. Scarce first edition of a Red Cross manual designed both for emergency workers and women in the home. Original publisher's cloth binding titled in red on spine and front board. Boards a bit rubbed and soiled, corners bumped. Faint offsetting to the endpapers. Inscribed by Edith Newsome on the front pastedown: "With the Author's Compliments, Edith Newsome. 16.10.23." A scarce book institutionally and in trade, OCLC reports only 11 copies in libraries, this being the only one currently on the market.

Edith Newsome's first major work on nursing, produced after she realized that her Red Cross lecture series could not provide complete enough information to train "those who have so nobly responded to the 'call of duty'; to do all that is in their power to tend and succour the brave men of our nation by proving themselves valuable and intelligent helpers." Indeed, Newsome's work was released two years into World War I -- the first modern war, which brought with it a horrifying number of previously unknown injuries and ailments. In addition to professional nurses, women enrolled to assist as Volunteer Aid Detachments (VADs) because there simply were not enough women with medical educations to serve the nation's need. The present work is a stirring acknowledgement of this. Comprehensive in training VADs and new nurses in field operations, it also contains information for women in the home, who confronted infection, illness, or injury and served as domestic caretakers for men returning from the front. Very Good + (Item #3202)