Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-07-23

VI "''enuau's OF Vlslt0r8, OF wh0m there
we're 10 all but three or four.
This hospital was 10 our cool NORTH
What must it be, then, 10 the burning. South
where hot nights follow hot days; in Wash.
ington, where the wounded come In by
scores and hundreds; come 10, sick and
sore from long waiting unattended up.
on the battle fields; come from their
their agon'zlng journeys 10 the ambulance
over rough roads; come to overhowing hos.
pituls to be scantily though kindly tended.
by kind but stranger hands; come to the
city already so uncomfortable aud unhealthy
that every paper tells the hot haste to be
away from II; come there to recover health
and strength for further hard service in
their country's behalf.
But the contemplation of suffering is
frutless unless it leads to action; and the
question arises, can anything be done more
than is now doing? The christian Com.
mission is giving it's thousands, and the
Sanitary Commission its ten thousands and
doubtless hosts Of people who would re.
joice to aid are held back by the supposi.
ton their societies occupy the whole field
But hen single man is i'll at home with
|
accident, how many people does be have to
take care of him? Mother. wife, sisters,
10 fact pretty near all the female relatives
are called into requisition, with the whole
neighborbood who take turns In watching
| with him at night and to amuse bis couva-
lescence by day We are told this morn
ing that the convalescents have been re.
turned TO the army, SO that now only six
teen thousand wounded are left in the hos
pitfalls at Washington. Sixteen Thousand |!
How quickly, then, must the delegates Of
the commissions and the government nur.
ses be swallowed up by the instantaneous
necessity, and who is left to sit by the suffer-
er and soo.he aud cheer and sustain through
the lonely hours of homesickness and steady
pain have not been careful TO ascer
| tain whether experienced nurses are still
wanted, but know from my own observa.
tion, & from that of better eyes than mine,
that there is sore need of great many
kind. Christian men and women to visit the
hospitals, not 10 supplant, but to supple.
ment the nurses; not 10 criticise those who
are already worn and nervous with much
serving; not to reform or experiment. or in
any way to lord il; but, with all simplic-
i,y aud humanity, to ask permission and
observe rules, and be if necessary, servant
Of ser wants, with one sole aim, to alleviate
suffering '.a
To every one of these sixteen thousand
the day is twenty-four huu,s long. Every
one of them is full Of longings shrukings.
of hopes and heart-aches, of depression
and aspiration. just as much as if he
were the only sick person in the world;
and slowly the clock ticks away the Suu.
burut hours from morning till uight, back
again from night till morning.
Are there not many men and women who
almost without sacrifice, can go straight TO
one another OF tEese iuvalids who make
no complaint, who endure all like heroes,
but who none the less need and value such
| attentions. Go to them and talk pleasantly
with the lonely, TO keep up their spirits, &c
make them feel that they are cared for, to
divert their thoughts from their surround.
ings, to give them something TO anticipate
aud 10 remember, to soothe in ward impa
tience and while away tedinm, TO put cheer
into the dull hours, aud so help recovery TO
show sympathy by word touch and tone,
to sweeten the bitter draft by smile or sally,
to lay a cool hand on an aching brow, to
run magnetic fingers through The tumbled
hair, to meet the strong desire aud vague
yearning for God {; 10 point to loving
Savior, and not only point, but lead the suf-
ferer TO whisper peace aud joy, forgivness
and salvation, counsel for lie, consolation
10 death. A Thousand little ways to com
fort there are, which c.nuot be told, bu
which ones own heart will prompt nothing
in detail, but to the patient, life
Now know that there are so many peo
pie admirably fitted for such service--love
" gentle, christian women, full OF goot
works and aims deeds, full of grace ant
sense, and all sweet charities. Can they
not be spared for one, two, six weeks Il
the heroes whose homes have spared then
for so many months. and must spare them
for so many more, If not for ever. Some
perhaps, would gladly so. but they are
poor aud unable to meet the expense yet
surely the churches, the communities TO
which they belong, will take that bur.
den upon themselves count it no burden,
but delight. 1t needs ouly little tacl
and sense TO be kindly received by doctors
and nurses, who though undoubtedly an
aoyed by arrogance, ambition and i'll man
ners, are glad to be really helped, and who
know that ministry to tae mind is as potent
AZ ministry TO the body, and tue unuttera-
BILE gratitude and appreciation of the poor
fellows themselves, the gratitude of those
whose smallest due is q nations gratitude.
can only be understood by those who have
seen it. The soldiers do love to be ia
ken care of by woman, says one who
has Just returped from there. OF course
they do, Fighting with men-living with
men, they become satiated with men, and
tending these sick beds. women become
A medicine In themselves
To while the heightened from hnguorous and draw
| The sting from palm. 3a n tH. -4t
The peculiar fitness and preparation o
the professional nurse are not required
Any man or woman with an ordinarily cleal
head aud warm heart can do Ohrist-liAs
work here, and even stupidity can wave a
palm leaf fan to very great purpose.
| B Rnf Lar No an q ga aynaetiu n nj a his