Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-04-24

ton for the patients and nurses. The women
under the control of the Nightingale Fund
have suit of rooms entirely devoted to them,
at the top Of the new wing of st. Thomas
Hospital. This wing is admirably constructed
for all the purposes of ventilatiou-it was orig
inally Il ward, There is a walk down the
center, and each little chamber is parttioned
of 50 as to secure privacy while they are all
open from about six feet from the floor to the
ceiling-thus avoiding a close atmosphere.
The "sister" WHO superintends the little band
of fifteen-the first fruits of Miss Nightingaes
system-has her two rooms at the entrance
tor Miss Nightingale considers the isolation OF
each head nurse and her assistant nurses as
most important
THE NURSES.
1t is scarcely requisite to state that none but
women of unblemished character are permit
ted to enter on the work. All applications on
behalf of late inmates of penitenIiares or re-
tormatories of all kinds and descriptions are
declined. The first offence of dishonesty and,
at the very tarthest, the third offence of ine-
briefly, results in "irreversibe dismissal" The
certainty that only women of character will be
trained under the Nightingale tund, tends, as
have said, to raise the class nurse" All
leads to a result every way elevaing 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 for
ward to her soiourn as time, not only OF re-
turning health TO the dear object Of our ankle
ty, but as also renewing the healthy atmos-
phere of our social life, which depends for its
well doing and happiness on SO many infiu-
cnces-extending from high to low. Nay, in
time, If not just yet, the nurse of the sick
room may be, without humiliation to the host
the guest of the parlor, where information as
to the DrOurpss nj tllp will he a1 nnd
given; where discourse will be comforting or
consoling; and where consideration and adj
vice will be for mutual good.
Miss Nightngale's Nurses" as they are
called wear a brown dress, and their snowy
caps and aprons looked like bits of extra light
as they moved cheertully and noiselessly from
bed TO bed, greeting poor sufferers with a
sympathizing word or smile, and frequently
receiving murmured blessing in return. One
of the so called-trom time immemorial--
Sisters of St Thomas Hospital, occupies
the 1.-TWO rooms" devoted to her watchfulness,
repose, and comfort. This person receives
sixty pounds year and l need hardly add,
to my thinking, how preferable such position
is 10 that of companion to a lady," or even
governess, except under very peculiar and sun.
shiny circumstances. | know that Miss
Nightingale used to say there ought to be one
lady i'll an hospital, and she should be the ma.
iron; but do not see that ''ladieS"-I mean
'well born, intelligent, well educated women
would lose caste by accepting and fulfilling the
duties of "Sister" in such an hospital as Sit
Thomas, while the position might be consid-
cred as still more elevating and elevated i'll
private houses. There are few who cannot
point out among their acquaintance, even
their companions, some who, depressed by un.
toward circumstances, have no choice between
poverty and dependence priyation or degrad-
atipn TTnpu / min ,,,i,
and may do so hereafter. Such "lades" will
ever bear in mind, that, il they become nurses,
they will only have to do what Miss Nightin-
gale has done-a lady in all senses of the word,
highly born, richly endowed, holding by nat
ural right lofty station in society. Her ex-
ample will be an Influence, the value OF which
it is impossible to exaggerate