The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-28

Training school for Nurses.
The privilege of genius is to brand depravity
by converting it into art The mission OF
goodness is to reform it altogether When
Dickens made Mrs. Camp immortal the Anglo
Saxon world realized for the first time the
horrors of incompetent nursing. Though the
Crimean war was worse than crime, being a
blunder, yet out of that crime came the min
istering angel, Florence Nightingale, to whom
England owes the extinction of the malign
race OF Camp, and now, when British royalty
and nobility fall ill, the nurses of public hospi-
tails are called to watch over them. A year ago,
when the Prince of Wales lay at Deaths door,
neither his wife nor sister could take the place
of a favorite nurse Withdrawn from st. Bar
tholomew's Hospital. What American would
voluntarily put his life in the keeping of a
hired nurse in preference to the ministration
of friends or family? We stand to-day where
England stood before the advent of Florence
Nightingale, and American women, ashamed
of this inexcusable stain upon our human
ltyp u6Nc IcSOlfcu W ICuOto AU 4WOAVC
months ago the State Charities Aid
Association, composed of ladies and
gentlemen whose purpose it is to establish
local visiting committees for the almshouses,
hospitals and public charities of New York
State and city, began their work through
local visiting committee for Bellevue Hospital,
sixty ladies visiting all the wards weekly.
Though finding much to interest and admire
in the interior arrangements of the Hospital,
they discovered radical defects, but none 80
glaring as the wretched system of nursing.
Inadequate in number. illiterate. often i'm
moral, and frequently incorporate, nurses
sought for situations simply as a means Of
livelihood, and by their ignorance and in
difference to the welfare of their patients
constantly neutralized the efforts of physicians.
The monthly reports of the association teemed
with tales Of suffering that might have been
alleviated by kindly, intelligent women, and
as the year wore on the committee began to
seek for remedy. In England and on the
Continent of Europe training schools for nurses
are recognized institutions. A member of the
hospital committee voluntarily visited them,
and Miss Nightingale, and after an absence of
three months returned with valuable informa-
ton, the result of which is that the Committee
of the Medical Board of Bellevue Hospital
unanimously approve of the founding of a
training school for nurses in connection with
their hospital, and give up to benevolent
ladies the nursing and control of six wards,
subject to such conditions as will not conflict
with rules already established. In course of
time these ladies propose to benefit not one,
but all public hospitals; to train nurses for the
sick in private houses and for work among the
poor. Eventually they hope to found a col
lege for nurses which will receive charter
from the State. Branches of this college will
be connected with hospitals devoted to partic-
ular diseases, so that nurses of specialties
may be as easily attainable as physicians.
There will also be s.Home' for nurses, where
they will be supplied with employment, and
where provision will be made for them when
i'll or disabled by labor or age. When trained,
nurses will receive diploma or certificate,
renewable at stated periods. Thus the col
lege will control nurses during their
apprenticeship and protect the public
from imposition. This is the dream
of the future for the present aspirations are
more humble. A house is needed for SUPER
intendent and nurses head nurses on whom
will devolve the training of probationers,
must be paid as high wages as they would
obtain in private houses, while probationers
will be paid according to their usefulness.
To begin this noble work twenty thousand dol
lars are required, of which thirteen thousand
dollars have already been subscribed. Surely
the remainder will ere long be forthcoming.
Unsectarian in character, welcoming Catholic
and Protestant with equal cordially, asking
only that applicants shall be earnest and
honest, this charity appeals to the hearts and
heads of all. The safety of every household
demands its speedy establishment, for there is
no legislating away sickness it is the heri-
tage of rich and poor, old and young. The
scourge Of an epidemic may visit us at any
moment. Where are the nurses to strengthen
the hands Of physicians? For the sake of our
common humanity and our common suffering
we appeal in behalf Of our common salvation.
Those generous souls DESTROYS of subscribing
to the Training School for Nurses can address
the Secretary, Mr.. H. G. Stebbins, at No. SO
Exchange place.
WILL THE SENATE ExPEL PATTERsoN?-
The report made by the Morrill, committee
to the Senate, it is satisfactory to learn,
resolution demanding the ex-
pulsion Of Senator Patterson, of New Hamp-
shire, for his share in the corruptions OF the
Credit Mobilier and for his shameful tergiver-
sations in regard to it since the opening of the
inquiry. The House has failed to appreci-
ate its dishonor in its refusal to