The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-30 00:00:00

HOSPITAL NURSING.

iparting inttittgencs.

Goodwood Cup, the pencils were induddously plied. It soon
became apparent that Black Prince was about to be made a hot
favourite, and this anticipation was speedily realised when one
eommleeloner took £1,500 to £OOO about the hone, and other
Isveaticormis were made amounting In the segregate to upwards
of 1.1,000. This had the effect of Inatelling him first favo=
viol The Special. degraded to the mooed rank. The lad-
animal maintained that tendency to owes and go which has by
this time grown into a chronic disease. At one moment 100 to
SO was taken, at the next 100 to 40 was offered, and so on bock-
wards and forwards until it beams hopostibki to devise
whether the prevalent desire was to lay'ice to back ; ul
he settled down at Sto 1, taken, and thus left off. 111=Z
after some little standing out for price on the part of the backers.
waspeasorted at 4 to 1 for some &SOO or £4OO, and his position
to be moderately firm. With the exception of an offer
VlO to 1 against Bradamante no other horses were mentioned.
Tor the Goodwood Cup Tonrmalln and the Duke monopolies&
speculation, the former being supported at 7 to 7, sad the latter
at 4to 1; all the others friendices. Mrs. Stratton was backed at
10 to 1 for the Stewards' Cup, and £2,000 to £B5 was taken about
Hermit for the Derby. These transactions represent the day's
proceedings, and subjoined are the closi prices:
STEWARDS' CUP.ng
10 to 1 eget Mrs. Stratton (t)
GOOD WOOD SWILL
_ .

THE GOODWOOD MEETING.

sbr 2 apt Black Prtn;eT r to 1 spt Dank pelt (t)
3to The Spaniel (5 60 to 1 Brsdanasate (t)
Even money on two opt the field (0)
to 4 op three apt the Meld (o)
GOODWOOD CUP.
7to apt Tonrmalin (1) I 4to 1 apt The Duke (o)

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, JULY 30, 1866.

A eial 'general meeting, or court, of the
govarna of the Middlesex Hospital was held on Friday,
in the board-room of the hospital, Mr. MITCIIIr. HINZ;
the treasurer, in the chair, for the purpose of considering
the report of a oommittee appointed on the 6th of Febrnag
lest to inquire into the subject of nursing in the hospital. ,
The report states that, according to the testimony of all
the medical officers but one, the present system of nursing,
which was introduced into the hospital about 18 years
ago, has failed to secure efficiency. It is worked by nine
asters, or head nurses, and by thirty muses who are paid
by wages, board wages, and some extra allowances, the
meters receiving 261. • year, increased to 251. for length
of service, and the nurses 141., increased to 181. The
total expense of the sisters and nurses is now about
1,6451. per annum. The committee, after enumerating
some of the deficiencies which in the lapse of years have
crept into the system, but at the same time giving due
credit for peat seal to the matron, who has hitherto been
entrusted with its immediate superintendence, and who
has held her appointment for 17 years, as well as to many
of the sisters and nurses who have been in the servioe of
the hospital for periods varying from seventeen to three
years concluded their report with the following !scorn-
menftionsa vie. :-1. That the superintendence of the
nursing of e hospital be separated from the duties of
honeskeeping. 2. That the nursing be conducted by a lady
superintendent, with competent sisters and nurses under
her ,• but they do not propose that the nursing of this how
pital ahouldbe entrusted to any religious community. 3.Thet
the superintendent and aoertain number of the nurseereside
in a separate building, to be designated the Middlesex
Hospital Home for Nursing. 4. That the salaries of the
sisters and nurses be increased. 5. Thalia competent num-
ber of supernumerary nurses be kept. 6. That nurses be
relieved from menial duties, such as 'crabbing the wards.
7. That nurses, as well as the sisters, wear a distinctive
dress. 8. That the nurses in the first place, undergo a de-
finite training, and be available in the firstinstance for the
nursing of the hospital ; and when not so required may
be used as a supply for private cases. The re-
port having been received • resolution was proposed
and seconded for adopting the first recommendation,
and thereupon a very protracted discussion ensued.
Dr. A. P. Stewart, Mr. Briscoe, Mr. Frewin, the
Rey. Eardley Wilmot, and several other governors, con-
tending that there was no necessity for the change. All
that was needed was a strict supervision on the part of
the medical and weekly boards. Mr. J. W. Hulke, one of
the surgeons, on the other hand, supplied • few details of
the abuses that had prevailed in some of the wards, arising
from the presence of corrupt, intemperate, and negligent
nurses. Formerly the same irregularities could be wit-
' nessed in Ring's College and University College Hospitals,
but the introduction of the " lady " element into the sys-
tern of nursing had worked a complete reform. Nay, in
the case of the latter hospital its softening and humanising
influence had been felt, not alone by the nurses and
patients, its example had changed even the character
of the students, who in past times enjoyed the
. no very enviable reputation of being about the
, roughest of medical pupils. Within the last few days
, even proof of this magic sway had been given at the London
Hospital, where the cholera cases suddenly rising to up-
wards of a hundred had almost scared the nurses away. A
, young lady, hearing of this, went and offered her services,
and her gentle and courageous bearing had brought the de-
-1 serters back to their duty. Mr. G. Lawson cited the tes-
timony of Sir W. Fergusson in support of the change.
, Since the nursing of hie hospital had been presided over
by a lady he had never had a moment's uneasiness about
the attendance on his patients ; whereas before the nurse
were constantly neglecting their work. Dr. Shaw Stewart
remarked that the Crimean war had taught the medical
profession the importance of good nursing ; it very fre-
quently did more than the physician in the way of saving
' the patient's life. He had no doubt whatever of the
necessity for the proposed change, for the scenes of
drunkenness, vice, and indecency that had gone on in one
. of the wards would make the hair stand on end if he
attempted to describe them. On a show of hands the re-
r solution was carried by • majority of 23 to 18. It was
' then proposed to adept the second recommendation,
j whereupon the Rev. Eardley Wilmot moved, and Mr.
. Frewin seconded, an amendment, which was carried by 28
, to 15, to the effect that there should be • paid resident
superintendent, with sisters and nurses ; and this rendered
the first part of the third recommendation unnecessary.
That part relating to the home as well as the other
. recommendations were agreed to without division, the
; chairman explaining that the object of the 7th clause was
• to restrict the use of crinoline and such like extravagances
of dress, and not to sanction the adoption of any religious
costume. A resolution was passed empowering the
weekly committee to take the necessary steps for making
' the change, and • vote of thanks to the chairman termi-
j nated a three hours' conference on the subject.