, 1873-10-23
NURSES.

70 tho Editor ~ The Chicago Tribune:
SIN: While 60 much attention Is being given
to tho womnn-qucBton, and especially to woman'a
labor and woman's wages, it is about time some-
thing wns said OF hor laborB, duties, and wages
in the field of midwifery and nursing, where she
is without fear Of competition from hor terrible
rival, man.
There ia no class of uneducated and unBkiled
fou,nlo lnbor in thB city 80 vol paid, mud where
tho labor and servicoB rendered are 30 small for
the wages received, 81 this. From SO to s25
per wook constitute about tho ruling prices, in
Guiding board and washing. In addition to thls,
these women demand ono day in each week for
their own peculiar aud especial pleasure, anu
consult their own convenience or notions as to
Just what day or days that shall bo. To this
comes in tho modest request to be sent to their
home, or friends, In q carriage as often as they
deBi1o to perform pilgrimages thithor.
IF there ia any service in this country which
NAV truly be called urBtocratic, BureIy 1t is thlH
But these demands upon our Patience and
purses by no means constitute tue sum total OF
the grievances OF uH who suffer.
Tic pecullarly-dolicate circumstances under
which tGese Women's 8 services arc brought into
roquBiton require efficiency kindness, attontive-
moss, roflnemcut, and promp!tnoss and yot;
am sure that speak from the experience. Of
hundreds oil othcrs,-tley arc, with very fewY
exceptions insolont, Ignorant. inattentive, and
lazy, and, beyond tho absolute requirements OF
iug to ansysor any other demands made upon
! thoir time. have Beeu, in many instances, @
! mother and her infant-chld suffering for noed-
ful attention, while ther higl,-priced nurse WAS
deeply immersed III tho pages OF somo eheap
| novel,
They generally contrivo to mako themselves
disagronblo to tho whole household. and os-
pecally create d kind Of aemi-pandenlon1um
| among their follOw-Beryants OF the kitchen.
They are mora givon to tattling. gonaiping,
/ aud repeating, with thoir own variations and
| colorings, whutevor they may have soon, heard,
or imagned in families whoro they have been
doubtless arlsos from the fact that their terms OF
service are shorter, and tlor opportunities
moro abundant for obtaining IN insight into tho
private affairs OF tho household. At ail oyentB,
It is of tho commonest occurrence TO- hea5 Luz
aud made ridiculous by tho indiscroet anu 1a!se
reports thus circulated. --
The medical profession owe 1t to themselves,
and to that part Of tho suffering community
by efficient help, by the organization and instruc@
tion Of o corps Of Intelligent aud relued women,
whose necessitios compel tlom TO labor and
whose inclinntions load thom III this direction,
and not he forced, rs they now very often are, tc
recommend PERSONS whom they do not know arf
competent for tho positions thoy seek, $. =,
The idea of paying from $40 to ?l4o per month
for lAbor OF this description, Wnllo hunure9h VI
the most intelligent, refined, and cultivated To-
dies OF tue land arc teaching school for the mis-
orable pittanco Of from $40 to 800 per month, il
ridiculous nog1 ;,.a out Of sd tao e s
dental expenses, md, with tho proaont tariff o.
pricep. unless they live in tho very plainest ans
most economical manner, 1t is next to impeoasiol
for tlom to do much more than come out evo
, at tho end OF the month.
Tie lutios Of u,,rHe aro infinitely leas "a
boriouB, o1acting, and exhansting, than th
toaoherfs; while almost eyory dollar q M sIe' 10,
month Of such labor, In ita net reaults, il NOR
J than au equivalent to that Of an entifo year
service by most Of our lay.toaoh,o'rs. A. .ro
mapy really good and competent women who at
o sooking omploymout and need money. It il al
= tonishlng thal moro do not enter this Held an
+ by thoir better social position md culture, on
yate its morale above moro aoryantdon, aud ln
d something like profession. sIh1TAs'
: CHICAGO, Oct. II, 1879.