Final answer:
The commemorative piece honoring Clara Maas for her sacrifice during the Spanish-American War is a statue. Maas exemplified the dedication of nurses and medical professionals in military conflicts, and her actions reflect the bravery recorded in historical accounts of nurses like Ella Mae Bongard, Clare Gass, and others. The correct option is B.
Step-by-step explanation:
The commemorative piece that honors Clara Maas, a nurse who sacrificed her life while caring for soldiers with yellow fever during the Spanish-American War, is a statue. Clara Maas was a dedicated healthcare professional who chose to receive two bites from a mosquito carrying yellow fever to aid in the understanding and care of the illness which had a significant impact on soldiers during the Spanish-American War era. Her selfless act is a poignant example of the bravery and dedication shown by medical professionals during that period.
Your reference materials do not specifically address the statue of Clara Maas; however, they provide context on the medical challenges faced by soldiers and the valiant efforts of medical professionals like her. The severe impact of diseases such as yellow fever during historical military conflicts is highlighted, and the substantial contributions of nurses during war times, such as those by Ella Mae Bongard and Clare Gass who served in Europe, are illuminated. Additionally, high mortality rates among African American troops due to the assumption of immunity to tropical diseases are mentioned along with the pioneering medical advancements by Dr. Walter Reed in combatting these illnesses.
Clara Maas's courage is emblematic of the collective valor shown by those like Grace MacPherson Livingston, who worked as a Red Cross ambulance driver under harrowing conditions, and doctors and researchers like Carlos Finlay, whose work was seminal in fighting yellow fever during the Panama Canal's construction. Such acts of bravery and progress in medical knowledge about yellow fever are a testament to the dedication of individuals in military medicine during that era.