A tool for modernisation? The Boer concentration camps of the South African war 1900-1902

dc.contributor.authorVan Heyningen, Elizabeth
dc.date.accessioned2018-03-16T11:30:05Z
dc.date.available2018-03-16T11:30:05Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.date.updated2016-01-15T07:40:28Z
dc.description.abstractWhile not denying the tragedy of the high mortality of people in the concentration camps in the South African War of 1899–1902, this article suggests that, for Lord Milner and the British Colonial Office, the camps became a means of introducing the rural society of the Boers to the facilities of modern life. To some extent they became, in effect, part of Milner’s project for ‘civilising’ and assimilating the Boers into British colonial society. The high mortality rate was finally contained through the introduction of a modern public health system, including the use of statistics and the employment of qualified doctors and nurses. Young Boer women working in the camp hospitals as nurse aids were trained as ‘probationers’ and classes in infant and child care were offered to the Boer mothers. In addition, the need for adequate water supplies and effective sanitation meant that an infrastructure was established in the camps that familiarised the Boers with modern sanitary routines and left a legacy of more substantial services for the Transvaal and Orange Free State villages.
dc.identifier.apacitationVan Heyningen, E. (2010). A tool for modernisation? The Boer concentration camps of the South African war 1900-1902. <i>South African Journal of Science</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27681en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationVan Heyningen, Elizabeth "A tool for modernisation? The Boer concentration camps of the South African war 1900-1902." <i>South African Journal of Science</i> (2010) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27681en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationVan Heyningen, E. (2010). A tool for modernisation? The Boer concentration camps of the South African War, 1900-1902. South African Journal of Science, 106(5 & 6), 1-10.
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Van Heyningen, Elizabeth AB - While not denying the tragedy of the high mortality of people in the concentration camps in the South African War of 1899–1902, this article suggests that, for Lord Milner and the British Colonial Office, the camps became a means of introducing the rural society of the Boers to the facilities of modern life. To some extent they became, in effect, part of Milner’s project for ‘civilising’ and assimilating the Boers into British colonial society. The high mortality rate was finally contained through the introduction of a modern public health system, including the use of statistics and the employment of qualified doctors and nurses. Young Boer women working in the camp hospitals as nurse aids were trained as ‘probationers’ and classes in infant and child care were offered to the Boer mothers. In addition, the need for adequate water supplies and effective sanitation meant that an infrastructure was established in the camps that familiarised the Boers with modern sanitary routines and left a legacy of more substantial services for the Transvaal and Orange Free State villages. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - South African Journal of Science LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 T1 - A tool for modernisation? The Boer concentration camps of the South African war 1900-1902 TI - A tool for modernisation? The Boer concentration camps of the South African war 1900-1902 UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27681 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/27681
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationVan Heyningen E. A tool for modernisation? The Boer concentration camps of the South African war 1900-1902. South African Journal of Science. 2010; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/27681.en_ZA
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Historical Studiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.sourceSouth African Journal of Science
dc.source.urihttps://www.sajs.co.za
dc.titleA tool for modernisation? The Boer concentration camps of the South African war 1900-1902
dc.typeJournal Article
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
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