Wichita eagle., 1888-02-01
TN THE HOSPITAL.
A SICK STRANGER SPENDS THE
NIGHT ON A COT.
Taken Sick ON the Street, He Goes to a
New York Hospital-His Reception
Patients

New York Hospital-His Reception
and What He saw-Talks With the
Patients.
The strangers name, age and business, to
gether with family history and the names Of
relatives and friends, were recorded in big
book. DIR. Richards was sent for. After as
suring the patient that he would not die be-
fore morning, the man was escorted to ward
Fl and placed under the care Of a motherly
head nurse, Miss Booth
"Our private rooms are all engaged said
she; "but we will take good care of you here.
Ward Il has high ceiling and is well ven
tilated. The hoor is tiled. 1t is a cheerful
hall, containing twenty five cots. From the
snowy sheets protruded twenty-four heads of
all sizes, colors and shapes. These heads be-
longed to in7alids in various stages of sickness,
who, like the stranger, was seeking relief The
tall windows were ornamHnted at the top
with colored glass, but there were no decora-
tions on the wall
"Take off your clothing said Miss Booth.
"What, right here, before all these young
Iadiesi"
"Well, no. The orderly is placing a'screen
around your bed and you undress behind it. y
A clean night shirt was passed in and the
stranger stretched his limbs on hospital cot
for the first time in his life.
The screen was removed and curiosity made
him forget his aches He asked questions of
bis neighbors and Of every attendant who
came near. He hegansto feel on friendly terms
with everybody, when he was brought to his
senses by having thermometer thrust into
his mouth.
ave are ordered to register your tempera-
ture hourly" said the nurse.
Suddenly the attention of everybody was
centered on the large doors. Something un-
usual was apparently about to happen. The
convalescents, who had been Strengthening
out bandages and rolling them up, and anus
ing themselves in various ways, now became
silent, and assumed sort of military bear
ing. The poor fellows who had their knees
curled up on the cots for comfort straight
ened them out. Silence reigned supreme. 1t
was the inspection, or rather consultation,
hour of the physicians.
DR.. Peabody, the visiting physician; DR..
Richards, the house physician; DR.. Locke and
an assistant br!Skly marched into the room,
and the great doors Of the ward were closed
behind them, not to be opened for even the
president until they retired. They marched
over to cot No. l, followed by the nurses and
orderlies. They encircled its occupant, and
the orderly took from the wall document
and handed it to the head physician. 1t was
full report of the case before them, the
medicine he had received and the notes of the
attending nurses. A short consultation was
held, and the orders OF the physician were
booked by the head nurse A similar consul
t,t, hal o$ tha hoIc ID - oh,
tient until they reached the last one. Then
they marched out of the room, and the ward
was left in charge OF the nurses.
The corps of nurses were neatly attired in
light blue gingham dresses, spotless white
aprons, and white muslin caps. They had
white kerchiefs over their shoulders, on which
were pinned few flowers. A bronze OF sill
yer medal of the Nurses guild was worn at
the throat Each nurse was armed with
pair of scissors. pair Of tweezers and hang
ing pin cushion filed with all styles and sizes
of pins. A sneeze Or a groan would bring
one. OF these young ladies to your bedstead in
an Instant, day or night.
Itwas now the strangers turn to receive at
tention. The Thermometer scented with car
bolic acid was again put in his mouth His
pulse was timed by small eight day alarm
clock. The nurses had no watches. He was
plastered and poulticed until he was red in
the face They then left him. Curiosity led
few of the convaIescents to his side. They
read his bedside notes and chatted in n SYM
pathetic tone To them the reading of the
bulletins and chat with new patient were
eventful episodes in their hospital lives.
at is all nonsense" said one, "to engage q
private room in a hospital when you become
very lonesome and are likely to die of ennui.
In the wards there is always something going
on to make you forget your sickness, and
when you are not going to die yourself there
is something exciting in seeing others die l
know it is the general impression among
those inexperienced i'll hospital life that pri-
vate rooms are necessity, but once they
leave them and spend day in ward they
will not retnrn to them"
Six O'Clock p. N. was supper hour to some,
but aggravation to many Dietetic instruc-
tions are rigidly carried out. If patient
required it there was no limit to the food he
might obtain, but there is no guess work
about his requirements. The fever patient
might yell, as one did yell, "For Gods sake
give me something to eat or !, shall eat the
bedclothes" but he only received just what
Milk was given in abundance, and sur
prisingly good milk it was, but it was served
ice cold and patient might quaf it at one
gulp if be wanted TO. They say one gets
hardened TO the scenes of suffering about
him, and the strargerbelieves it. A man at
one end of the hall suffered terribly. He
spoke so that the solid building fairly vi
brated. Opposite him sat portly dropsical
patient serenely eating oyster soup, roast
chicken and rice pudding as calmly as though
at a banquet.
Supper over the backs and limbs Of the in
valids were bathed in alcohol by the hands
of female nurses Male nurses would waste
too much alcohol and their rough hands
would irritate bed sores.
Ten O'Clock, and all was quiet save an oc-
casional sigh or moan from some sleepless
invalid.
It was midnight. Through the row of tall,
crimson capped windows flooded the electric
light, casting upon the walls and ceiling long,
even streams of pale, quivering light. The
form of the faithful nurse was dimly outlined
in the dIkened room.
Streaks Of daylight finally CLEANED through
the eastern windows. Betlcioines were tossed
here and there, and limbs Of disease laden
bodies in every conceivable direction ana
shape were seen. Ths nurses soon put the
ward in order Their pleasant "Good morn
ing" and earnest and sympathetic inquiries
af ter your health put every one In good humor.
Th. ORDERLY distributed soap and water TO
thoss able to wash themselves, and otIers had
their toilet made for them. A barber came
in and with a very dull razor pulled out in
stead cf cutting the beard. A peculiar ting
lin, sensation was fe,t when tie feet touched
- -. .l> cansa of rrnerrinsur