On All Frontiers: Four Centuries of Canadian Nursing

Ian W. Toal is a registered nurse in Winnipeg.

This coffee-table-style book came about when the Canadian Nurses
Association began to divest itself of archival material it had collected
since 1908. Three national museums accepted the material, but since they
had different mandates it was decided to combine them into the Canadian
Nursing History Collection so as to preserve the collection’s
coherence. On All Frontiers represents a summation of these parts.

The book explores historical aspects of various topics related to
nursing practice, ranging from nursing in the home—which is where
nursing began—to the emergence of nursing unions. Interspersed
throughout the volume are mini-biographies, vignettes, and reminiscences
of nurses of all ages. The book is lavishly illustrated with colour
photos of artifacts, historical photos and drawings, and modern
portraits and artwork. The book’s 17 contributors write clearly and
with authority about their respective topics. This is a excellent work.