Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1885-04-09
Nursing as a Fine Art.

I1ANbi4 lancet
Few facts IN reference to the s.ch and
their welfare are more noticeable than the
development oi the ar, Of nursing ia recent
wears. Twenty wears 40 nursing WAS lax
ury very much moaopo.izei by hospital pa
tents, ana even ~ their case the luxury was
somewhat OF a coarse character. There
were, of course. good. Mind and wise WON
en- IN those days who had quick sympathies
with the sick, aud whose presence and MN
lstratl0ns IN wards we're Ike those OF
mother or a good angel, but they were not
plentiful, and the work done Was often per
formed unsklIiu.iy and uuienderls. Ii IS not
pleasant to recall what must haze been the
sufierings Of the SEX in earlier days 10 poor
er hospitals especially in pootlaw hospitals.
when given over for the night in the care Of
nu:se not considered good enough for the
day duiy, ana who prepared herself for her
noetura work by copiou- potalions Of beer.
The cry for cup Of water Or for a change
Of posture BY thirsty nE restless patient
was often unheedrd, ur needed 70 BE- re
buked. When Kindness was not at fault,
Intelligence MAS O:ien wanting, and super
stitlon and ignorance bad ii all their own
way The best proof that this Is noI an ex-
agg.rati0n is to be found in the prejudice
which still survives against professional
nurses. There are large numbers OF educat-
ed people who would not consent on any
term.io have a 'hospital' nurse. Ii can
scarcely be imag med hat their objection is
to the training received in hospitals. II
must be traceabie to experience OF the old
order of nursing. OF 10 the survival of some
of its bad traditions.
1t would be unreasonable to expect perfec-
ton in nurses. The very training they are
subjected to gives them that little knowledge
and that familiarity with hlg words which
are apt to spoil simplicity and to produce
conceit. But after all this criticism and it
is neither Iii natured nor unjust-truth com
pels US to say that medical men owe very
much Of their greater success III treatment
TO the greater efficiency of nursing, and that
that patient who in acute or prolonged dis
ease refuses the help of good nurse, not
only does an injustice To the members Of his
household, but sensIbly dlmlnishes the chanc-
es and the rate of his recovery; and that
for one nurse who is selfish or ipconsiderate,
or incompetent, there are 10 who are ser
vicea5e and sympathetic, and who add in
fintely TO the comfort of a sck-room and to
and again one meets with a nurse whose art
is in every sense fine art, and in whose
way Of making the bed Of patient. prepar-
ing his foot or dressing his wounds there is
an element of genius that is missing in all
the boasted art Of men. That this is likely
to be more aud more common experience
il is quite reasonable 10 hope. seeing the
number Of capable and refined women who
Al Al.
others for il; and to help which earnest
and distinguished members Of our own pro-
fession afford in the education of nurses.
Nursing must. in truth. be fine art, or it is
nothing. it is a calling in which coarseness
is almost a crime and in which every duty
should be done delicately and lovingly.
The presence Of heavy-headed and heavy
footed people with hard hands and harsh
voices in a sick room is the best illustration
possible Of an error loci.