Second ICN Congress, Berlin, Germany 1904

The second Quadrennial Congress was held in 1904 in Berlin. Nine NNAs were represented from Great Britain and Ireland, USA, Germany, Sweden, France, Canada, Denmark, Holland and Australia. The second ICN President (1904-09), Susan Bell McGahey (read more) from Australia, was given the Watchword, ‘Courage’, which outgoing President, Gordon Fenwick, identified with the statement:

“Maybe we shall not be called upon to endure in the future as we have been in the past. Indeed, I am inclined to believe that nurses have won their battle. The right to think and judge for themselves, to help and govern themselves … let us try to leave the world in some slight degree better than we found it.”

Three NNAs from Great Britain and Ireland, Germany and the United States of America were affiliated to ICN membership. The focus remained on funding as the economic situation remained uncertain and ICN was in a precarious state financially as it had little funds apart from its members’ contributions (Breay & Gordon Fenwick 1931). Hospital economics was keenly felt and the comparisons between hospital and private nurses were deplored (Lynaugh 1999). Of interest also was the Financial Report of 1901, presented by Margaret Breay (read more), Honorary Treasurer, which showed a balance in hand on 1 January 1901, of US$14.18, and of donations received by her since that time of US$14.78 (Breay & Gordon Fenwick 1931).

Forsyth, S (2005). McGahey, Susan Bell (1962-191), Australian Dictionary of Biography, national Centre of Biogrpahy, Australian National university. https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcgahey-susan-bell-13064, published first in harcopy 2005, accessed online 9 September 2019.

Breay M. & Gordon Fenwick E (1931). History of the International Council of Nurses (1899-1925) Document in the possession of the ICN Archives in Geneva, Switzerland and accessed by Marie Carney in August 2018.

Lynaugh J. E. (1999) International Nursing Review 46(1) 1-121.

British Journal of Nursing (1940). Margaret Breay, S.R.N., S.C.M., January 1940. https://rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk/data/VOLUME088-1940/page002-volume88-january1940.pdf