Christian Brothers as Medics

Red cross arm bands from the collection of the Museum of the Christian Brothers of the Midwest.

The Brothers work as medics on the battlefield.

One of the primary activities of the Brothers during the war was tending to the wounded-both the French and the Prussians.  The Brothers transformed their houses into hospitals to receive the wounded and served as medics on the battlefield as well. This engraving shows Christian Brothers searching a battlefield at night for wounded survivors.  A Brother pulls the cart in place of a horse, while a man with a bandaged head slumps in the bed of the cart.

The armbands with red crosses illustrated below were worn by Brothers during the Franco-Prussian War. In the engraving, the brothers wear similar arm bands.