A Social History of the Little Sisters of the Assumption in New York City, With Emphasis on Their Nursing and Related Services
Abstract
Man’s quest for health and happiness is facilitated or impeded by his natural endowment, life circumstances, social milieu and his capacity to use and to obtain help depending on the resources at his disposal. The human organism is affected by the interaction of social, biological, economic, moral, spiritual, psychological and political forces. When the health of the individual is sustained, he is not only able to function in society but also can enjoy the satisfactions from optimum living in a state of well being. In illness, the person becomes dependent to varying degree upon human institutions into which the hospital, clinic and related social services fall. In primitive society, the struggle was one of self preservation in which the stronger survived the weaker members. During ancient times, the sick and misfits of society suffered cruelty at the hands of despots and were treated with contempt by the masses. Intolerance and apathy borne of ignorance and superstition prevailed in medieval and early modern times thus bringing about their neglect, mistreatment, abandonment and doom to a miserable existence. Through the ages the virus of Christian charity had been kept alive.
Subject Area
Nursing|Social psychology|Social work
Recommended Citation
Gerhardstein, Ann Theresa, "A Social History of the Little Sisters of the Assumption in New York City, With Emphasis on Their Nursing and Related Services" (1950). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI31097006.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI31097006
