The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-20
SOME HOSPITAL STORIES.
A London Nurse Tells Of Expert
ences in the Sick Room.

"You don't know Miss Ky"
"Sever heard Of her.
"Oh, well, I'm sorry for you. But
if you are interested in hospital life in
big city and the things which happen
to nurses, you couldn't do better than
call on Miss ". I'll give you letter
| of introduction to her. She has de-
voted most of her life to philanthropic
| objects, especially in connection with
the London poor. Miss Y will give
YOU more information in five minutes
than the average nurse could provide
you with in week. Better go and see
her"
took my friends advice, and a letter
of Introduction, and called upon Miss
x at eleven one chilly Novemb Der
morning. Miss Y, having comfort
ed "a poor woman who complained Of
suffering from nervous nobility" sent
her away, and, seeing that | was cold,
proceeded to make me some delicious
coffee over a little spirit lamp in one
corner Of her, pleasant morning-room.
The room itself was gay with many
hsed chrysanthemums, with pretty bits
Of old china and quaint japanese hang
ings. Behind the curtains were lint
bandages, stores of neccssaries, etc;
but only became aware OF these when
something was wanted in hurry and
the curtains were withdrawn. When
Miss X--had disposed OF another Wis
itor whose complaint was Fathers
been took bad agin," she sat down in a
comfortable armchair, and proceeded
to tell me stories just as they came into
her head or were prompted by my desul
tory questioning.
Yes" she said, ''many girls come to
hospitals aAnurses after having had some
momenta1y tiff with the objects of their
affections. One pretty girl brought
matters to crisis in this way. Her
lover had been hanging fire for
a long time. Suddenly, she con-
ceived it to be her duty to give up balls
and costly dresses and to become
nurse. She went away without fare
well to her lover, who became frantic
when he learned that he had probably
lost her forever. At last he was al
lowed to see her-in her nurses cos
tune. Fer eyes wore a look of chast-
ened resignation; her pretty print dress
fitted without a wrinkle; her cuffs and
collar were of the snowiest; he thought
her an angel of goodness. She stayed
fortnight, and asked us all to the we'd
ding, which took place at St. Georges,
Hanover square.
After she went, we had a very high
ly-strung, nervously- exalted girl, who
wanted three months hospital training
before becoming a missionary's wife
and going out to do zenana work in In
dia. But she didn't have much time to
learn nursing. Her relations continual
ly came to weep over her and exhibit
her to friends, who, in their turn. in
sisted on the poor girl showing them
all the interesting cases The friends
and relatives would keep asking heads
of wards if such saints often came
there, and wanted to know why she
wasn't put in a glass case or wrapped
up in cotton wool. / warned the poor
girl that she was not At to go to India;
but she went, and died three months
after of climate and nervous excite
ment.
The next probationer was Our Lady
of the Jonquils' Her popularity was
that she wore jonquils at all seasons,
and was so distractingly pretty that
most of the patients fell in love with
her. When it came to her pinning part
of bunch of jonquils on a cookbook
ing young fellows dressing gown, and
putting the others in her hair, it was
better that she should return
to her people
Cinderella her successor, was an
exceedingly handsome, olive-skinned
girl with picturesque tendencies. She
could not endure cold. and every morn
ing sat with her feet in the hot ashes of
the fireplace when she first came on
duty. In a cotton frocl1. she looked
draggled and pinched with cold and
was not at all effective; but, later in the
day, she had a habit of twisting an
handkerchief in her dark hair
and looking like an eastern queen. A
grateful East End patient once pre-
sented her with new half crown for
looking so like King Solomink's queen
of Sheba, miss She fastened the half
crown to her chain and wore it as long
as She stayed with us
"Of course. nurses are forbidden to
take money from the patients Though
twopence Is large sum TO poor Last
End patients, a child once gave me six
pence Mother says you've saved my
life, and You must have 1t. She turns
a mangle, and when she'd turned that
sixpence she said:
- ''Tha nix the Lord for this: now we
can get her something good Another |
grateful patient once brought me an I
art peacocl1-green on 4 yellow ground /
to put on nv char. | endured that Z
until one of the patients
said il gave him homicidal mania, and /
the ward surgeon had II taken away il /
order to prevent catastrophe.
Il have frequently mum bered police /!
men among my patients. and Ike them /
very much: they are 50 ainena Ole u dis .
,ipline when in hospital One burlv .
fellow was knocked down by wagon (
and lost both his legs He took most (
view - TIE situation.
No more rain dripping down mr. legs
IN winter nights. nurse The govern .
nent's got 10 provide for ne now. II
vas necessary that he should be kept .
-ery quiet; but 50 many Of his friends,
n the force would drop IL at al hours /