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May 1940. "Nurse giving instructions to son of migratory laborer as to how to take medicine. Agua Fria migratory labor camp, Arizona." Acetate negative by Russell Lee. View full size.
And to tell the truth, I don't blame him.
I was a hospital orderly for two summers in the mid-1960s. Most of the nurses still wore crisp white dresses with a cap that indicated where they went to nursing school. Green or blue scrubs are, of course, much more practical -- these days especially. However, I was hospitalized for three days in 2018 and received great care, but I still missed the white dresses and caps.
It appears the young man's careworn mother is standing at his side carefully listening to the nurse's instructions. Let us sincerely hope the poster behind the two of them is not the purpose of this visit!
There was a pretty good chance that boy was barely listening.
She's pretty, he's coming of age and is gazing at her semi-adoringly, Mom is essentially hidden, and there's a sign behind her about stopping the spread of Syphilis. All the local attractions are pretty much on display here.
Russell Lee's assistant accidentally found the best spot in the composition to place the photographer's weapon of choice.
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