Ellen La Motte

Ellen Newbold LaMotte

Ellen Newbold La Motte (1873–1961) was an American nurse, journalist, and author, known for her contributions to nursing during World War I and her controversial work on drug addiction in the early 20th century. La Motte is perhaps best remembered for her graphic and poignant collection of essays, The Backwash of War, which provided an unflinching look at the realities of wartime nursing.

Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]

Ellen Newbold La Motte was born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1873. She pursued her nursing education at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland, graduating in 1902. La Motte's early career was marked by her dedication to public health issues, particularly in the field of tuberculosis treatment and prevention.

Career[edit | edit source]

After her graduation, La Motte worked as a public health nurse in Baltimore, where she focused on tuberculosis care. Her work during this period highlighted the social determinants of health and the importance of preventive care, themes that would recur throughout her career.

In 1914, with the outbreak of World War I, La Motte traveled to Europe, where she served as a nurse on the Western Front. Her experiences during the war profoundly impacted her, leading her to write The Backwash of War. The book, published in 1916, was initially banned in England and faced censorship in the United States for its candid portrayal of the horrors of war and the suffering of soldiers.

Beyond her wartime service, La Motte was also a vocal advocate for drug control policies. In the 1920s, she published The Opium Monopoly, in which she criticized the international opium trade and the role of colonial powers in perpetuating drug addiction in China. Her work in this area contributed to the early drug control movements and highlighted the complexities of addiction as both a medical and social issue.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Ellen La Motte's contributions to nursing, public health, and literature were significant, yet her work, particularly The Backwash of War, was largely forgotten until its reissue in the late 20th century. Today, she is recognized not only for her service as a wartime nurse but also for her pioneering role in public health nursing and her advocacy for drug policy reform.

Her writings, characterized by their stark realism and social critique, continue to be studied for their historical and literary value, offering insights into the challenges of nursing and healthcare during periods of crisis.