Martineau's 1859 book is, according to her preface, 'not a work of invention' or a 'fancy-piece'. In a forceful narrative drawing on the experiences of Florence Nightingale, she describes the conditions that soldiers experienced in barracks, in hospitals and on the field, advocating legislative action to improve military hygiene.
Martineau analyses the history of military hygiene and its effect on the health and performance of soldiers in war.