[Bate's] approach is masterful in the way it pays attention to every facet of his subject. Bate himself describes his book as just the starting point for what he hopes will be further investigations into the ethics of medical photography ... The book certainly demonstrates that the sensitive handling of historical photographs of patients requires closer scrutiny. Nor is it just photographs of people with facial disfigurements who need this care. It is also photographs of people who have experienced any type of physical and emotional trauma.

The Journal of Modern History

Drawing upon fascinating visual documents and testimonies, this book showcases the role of photography as a practical and psychological tool in the treatment and rehabilitation of disfigured ex-servicemen. A timely contribution to discussions on the visibility of medical and military archives, it uncovers the complex networks of actors – past and present - involved in caregiving.

Marjorie Gehrhardt, Associate Professor in 20th-Century French History, University of Reading, UK

Photography in the Great War gives an important, alternative perspective on not only the visual recording of these injuries, but also on the work of other clinicians and some of their patients' stories.

Cultural and Social History