Governing the private scales of families and homes: Visiting nurses and Turkey's mobilization of consumptive care

Abstract

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the visiting nurses of western empires and nation-states performed vital labor in combating tuberculosis (TB). Their hybrid role combined modern nursing and social work, typically benefitting from civil society organizations. In late Ottoman and early republican Turkey, tuberculosis resulted in many fatalities. To overcome this biopolitical challenge, the state prioritized creating a network of dispensaries and visiting nurses. Going into citizens' homes and communities, these nurses were to both educate the public on TB prevention and treatment and report their health and personal data to the state. Envisioned as essential public health agents, visiting nurses bridged gaps in hygiene education and demographic data collection. However, the republic struggled with insufficient resources to recruit, train, and deploy them effectively. Our study explores the evolving vision of leveraging women's labor for public health and geopolitical aims. By analyzing key thinkers' writings, legislative efforts, and the delayed realization of a visiting nurse corps post-1945, we highlight efforts to professionalize women and expand their societal roles. These mobile public health initiatives not only advanced women's status but also marked a significant development in Turkey's public health and medical governance.