Untitled (girl lying back, nurse dropping medicine into her nose) c. 1940

This photograph by Paul Gittings captures a nurse administering medicine to a girl. The nurse, an emblem of care and authority, holds a small bottle, its contents promising relief. This scene evokes the ancient archetype of healing. Think of the caduceus, Hermes' staff with entwined snakes, a symbol now synonymous with medicine. We see echoes of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing, whose temples were places of medical treatment. The nurse's gentle gesture of administering drops echoes countless depictions of saints healing the sick, a visual language of compassion that transcends centuries. Yet, there's a tension here too. The act of administering medicine carries an element of intrusion, a violation, however necessary, of the body's defenses. The girl's trust, or perhaps resignation, mirrors humanity's complex relationship with those who hold the power to heal. It speaks to our collective memory of vulnerability and our eternal hope for restoration. A visual echo of our deepest fears and desires.