Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-24

70 them, as the top of the new wing of 81.
Thomas's Hospital. This wing is admirably
constructed for all the purposes Of ventila-
tion-7it was originally ward. There Is =
walk down the center, and each little cham.
Der is partitiOned of so as to secure privacy;
while they are all open from about six feet
from the floor to the ceiling; thus avoiding
close atmosphere. The SISTER" who SUI
perintends the little band offifteen, the first
fruits Of Miss Nightingsles system, has ber
two rooms at the entrance; for Miss Night
ipgale considers the isolation of each head
nurse and her assistant nurses as most i'm
portant.
THE NURsBs.
II ls scarcely requisite TO state that none
but women Of unblemished character are
permitted TO enter on the work. All appli-
cations on behalf Of late inmates Of peniten-
tiaries or reformatories of all kinds and de-
scriptions are declined. The FIRST offense Of
dishonesty, aud, at the very farthest, the
third offense OF inebriety, results in irrever.
sible dismissal. The certainty that only
women of character will be trained under
the Nightingale Fund tends, as have said,
to raise the class nurse. All leads to result
every way elevating To the industrious
women Of England.
After very short lapse Of years we shall
no longer dread the coming Of "nurse"
into our home, as the entrance of discomfort
or discOrd, but look forward to her sojourn
as q time, not only of returning health TO
the dear objects of our anxiety, but as also
renewing the healthy atmosphere Of our So
cial life, which depends for its well-doing
and happiness on so many influences-ex.
tending from high TO low. Nay, in time, il
not Just yet, the nurse of the sick room may
be, without humiliation 10 the host, the guest
of the psrlor, where information as to the
progress of the patient will be asked and
given; where discourses will be comforting
or e0nsoliDg; and where consideration and
advice will be for mutual good.
"Miss Nightingsles Nurses" as they are
called, wear brown dress, and their snowy
caps and aprons looked like bits of extra
lights, as they moved chesrfully and noise
lessly from bed to bed, greeting poor suffer-
ers with sympathising word or smile, and
frequently receiving murmured blessing in
return. One Of the so-called--from time im-
memorial" Sisters" of st. Thomas Hospi-
tai, occupies the "two rooms" devoted to
her watchfulness, repose and comfort.
This person receives EGO q year and
need hardly add, tony thinking, how prefer
able such q position is to that Of companion
to lady" or even governess, except under
very peculiar and suDshiny circumstances
l kr ow that Miss Nightingale used to say
there ought to be but one lady in hos
pital, and she should be the mstron; but
do not see that "ladies"--I mean we'll born
intelligent, we'll educated women-would
lose caste by accepting and fulfilling the
duties of 'Sister" in such a hospital as st.
Thomas, while the position might be consid-
cred as still more elevating aud elevated In
private houses. There are few who can not
point out among their acquaintances, even
their companions, some who, depressed by
untoward circumstances, have no choice be.
tween poverty and depsudence-privstion
or degradation. Upon this subject 1 might
'ladies" will ever bear in mind that If they
become nurses, they will only have to do
what Miss Nightingale has done-a lady in
all senses of the word-highly born, richly
| endowed, holding by natural right lofty
station in society. Her example will be an
influence, the value of which it is impossible
| to exaggerate. .r