Letters From The Crimea. Writing Home, A Dundee Doctor

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In 1854, Dr David Greig, a newly qualified doctor from Dundee, volunteered and set sail on the Vectis to serve as an army surgeon in the Crimean War. He was only 22 years old at the time. His collection of letters a single, leather-bound volume discovered by chance during a house clearance in Dundee tells of his medical and personal experiences in a savage war zone. Much has been written about Florence Nightingale s role with both extremely negative and overwhelmingly positive accounts of her actions in Scutari being depicted in books, film and documentaries alike. Dr Greig details his own, very interesting impressions of the lady with the lamp in several letters, including the following extract: You asked me by the bye about Miss Nightingale when on board the Vectis I did not know who or what she was, but since then we all know her very well. She is a very kind lady and what is more has £8000 a year which we all joke about here...I had a farce with Miss Nightingale today, she was visiting some of my patients who were very bad and was asking one poor fellow who had got his leg shot off and who was complaining of thirst, if he would like rice water or barley water to drink. He thought for a little and then said, he would prefer brandy and water if it was all the same to her! Letters from the Crimea is a unique, first-hand insight of one man s life during an important Victorian war, documenting Dr Greig s progress from a callow youth to respected surgeon, culminating in his career as a leading doctor in his home city of Dundee. On his return from the war he became a leading doctor at Dundee Royal Infirmary with his offspring following in his medical footsteps: his son would go on to become senior surgeon at Dundee Royal Infirmary and, like his father, served abroad as a surgeon, this time during the Boer War. An amazing collection of letters that shines new light on the war, the battles and on Florence Nightingale.