Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-12-20
A PROFESSIONAL NURSE.

That gloomy face: Will it's express
sion ever be forgotten: A professional
scowl, which may look wise, but to the
sick, anything but cheerful.
Is fresh air so potent that having gone
forth to gain strength, the depressing
atmosphere of the sick room, where that
downcast creature presided, will be for
gotten? Impossible, memory must
henceforth contain a dark corner, where
that sighing nurse will abide with all
her groans and suggestions ofsufering
and tragedy. How cheerful 1t was when
fever intensified every thought, to listen
to her thrilling accounts Of skillful sur
gerry performed in the "institution''
where she served her time to become 4
"professional." How her eyes glared,
and her false teeth ratified as she re-
cited. Case after case of saffiieted men
and women who were stretched out on
long tables and carved ND in q scientific
manner, to be afterward pasted or sewed
up with needle and thread. g.
Each fibre of nervous body would
quiver as she waxed eloquent upon
such pleasantries, to beguile the tedium,
and one might bless the lucky stars fol
so experienced n nurse. . -
When you are i'll, loved friend may
offer to attend you, and although she
might ever SO gently, quiet your nerves
with little thoughtful acts, such as, shak-
Ing mp your pillow as often as it be-
comes hard and warm; bathing your
hands and temples !; iclosingthe shutters,
when the light Is too strong, and quick
ly responding when the sick one calls.
1t will not do. You will be too comfor-
table. You must have q professional, y
nurse nurse who has been in an 'tin-
stitution;" an experienced nurse.
Drive all friends from the sick room,
and lock the doors. The efivoyi extraor-
dinary of gloom must preside or there
will be no system. She will systema-
tise the treatment. She will teach you
lessons of patriotic endurance, for
which you cannot be too grateful Any
thing you want she will objeetsto OF
course. She will spend a half hour oi
the day administering directly to your
wants, three hours in rinsing, folding
and laying away washrags, and four
hours in heating water in a gill cup,
over gas,jet, when there is plenty oi
hot croton In the pipes. II you ask her
the philosophy of such. treatment she
will answer that water heated In a gill
cup possesses more healing qualities ol
moisture or some such experienced rea-
son, and what can you do but subside
If that face were not glowing over one
there might be a chance for a courage.
| ous remonstrance or a revolt, but you
| are down. and che is on her feet, look
ing such unuteerably dreadful things
In front, side,, or back view, not an in.
dication of cheerfniness.- can be traced
A fevered fretfulness suggest to the tor.
| mented invalid that 1t would be some
satisfaction to strike her in the back jusl
once, to change her exp pression of couri.
tenance, it nothing more.
| 1t is wicked to hate. You must neyc,
hate such a nurse. But is it wrong te
hope ii she is ever sick she may be at.
tended by a gloomy, professional expe.
rienced nurse out OF an institution?
Hope it not in malice. but only thai
she. too, may learn patience and Ions
endurance.