The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-30


need. The thought low OF sickness and
| suffering bears with 1t the comfort or
! intelligent nursing by hands and brains
| trained TO the work. SO much has been
| written upon this subject that there
would seem TO be little untold. and yet
there can be but few who nave exp
| rienced what II means; who have not
| felt that a volume could still be written
| OF the blessing this profession has be-
come to suffering humanity.
OLD NANNY NURSE.
Even with all the light which has been
| thrown upon II, there are comparatively
| few who know just what the life OF a
nurse is. few years ago the good old
colored "mammies" did the sick nursing
| assisted by the friends of the patient.
| who often possessed more zeal than dis
cretion No man'c modcsty could be
outraged by giving him a woman nurse.
| He had 10 be left TO the tender mercies
of a man TO get along as best he could.
| But now all that is changed and Rich
mond can boast Of her trained nurses
whose services are well appreciated, but
still our people have never learned 10 be
| discriminating. The putting on OF a cap
! and assuming the title does not make
trained nurse. The training is n course
| OF hard work, m Entail and physical. TAX
en- in some schools, two. and I'm others
| three years work. which has all been
| new 10 the woman and made her almost
new to herself. Her life has broadened,
her brain has expanded, her judgment
has been developed. and her whole view
Of life has changed
REASONS Differ.
The reasons which turn woman's mind
| 10 this profession arc diverse; few really
know wat they are undertaking. and It
Is the desire to have only those whose
characters are sufficiently moulded 10
i take tho serious view Of 1t 1t demands
and this has placed the entrance age In
most schools. at from tweniy-three 10
| twenty-five.
some girls have the sentimental idea
| of what Il must be TO put on the dainty
| dress and becoming cap and be minis
tering angel In The eyes Of the male pa
| tents and doctors, and what does she
find? That Of all the phases Of life she
| has chosen one of the hardest prose,
where sentiment nnds no place. when to
doctors and patients she IS by no means
an angel, but a nurse. whose duty II IS
10 obey orders and to do for those pa
| tients much that is totally repulsiVe'
| This class usually fall by the wayside.
"usoLt" COULDN'T STAND IT.
An amusing incident is told in hos
initial of one Of these, come In only that
| dav az probaticner dressed in her
rretty bingham and fine apron. and feel
| ing that the admiring eyes OF all were
| urcn her. All probatio1ers are given hard
iohs 10 test them 90 her first order was
TO rub the rheumatic back OF an old col
| cred man. She was a Southern elrl
with all Southern girls feelings, but
having listened that morning 10
q fF L.
~. obedience" she went 20 the
old mans bedside and told him she had
come 10 rub his back. His look OF hor-
ror was said to be comical as he drew
I'D his led-clothes and exclaimed, NO.
| Mist,s thar kyarn no white lady do no
slch ack for ne: fore God, you kyarn DO
H." But she insisted she must obey or
ders. and so the old man finally rolled
over with many groans and she set 10
work with all the dreadful vim and en-
ergv tho novice brings 10 this work. The
old uncle stood the ordeal as long as pos
slble. then said very earnestly. Honey.
II you's got any home and ma, whar you
can 20 TO, II was You I'd 20 10 'em and
stay. for this ere thing you's dom amt
no sort OF rubin and is powerful po'
scratchin'." You are right. Uncle, I'll
go back to-day" And so she went, sat
isied with the experiment.
THE SOCIETY GIRL.
There Is another class who take up this
work and TO which many OF the best
nurses belong. This Is the society girl
who has seen the gaiety Of several sea-
sons: has not met The man she cared
TO marry: is wearied with the sameness
Of entertainments and society talk; has
no home duties 10 occupy her; nothing
10 fill her intellectual needs, and desires
to be Of some use in the world. She
thinks the training is mainly mental, for,
Of course, she argues airy woman can
make a bed and give medicine when or
dered. SO in her ignorance she goes into
a training school 10 find this; that she
does have all the mental work OF in
tereSt she can possibly want, but that
the practical training brings upon her
the hardest, most mental work. Her
pretty hands soon become toughened and
stained, for she has had TO learn how
10 make things clean, I'm which her ideas
Of finger tips are at variance with those
Of her instructor, who only believes in
the whole hand. II she stards the pro
bationer period OF six weeks. as she usu-
ally does. she goes through the term and
is an enthusiastic nurse.
DISCIPLINE RIGID.
The discipline OF training school is
rigid and military in its exactness. The
day begins with the sx-o'clOck rising-beli
and the nurse goes on duty by half-past
seven and stays twelve hOurse. except
two hours off for .est and study. Dur
ing these long hours her work Is inces-
SAINT and any nurse found sitting down
would be rcprimanded. The training is
| not only in Offices about the sick; she has
| various other duties TO perform A
ward IS a whole establichu ent, and up
| on the nurses falls the Entire care OF il.
except the floors ard fire places. They
make the beds. dust the rooms. keep
wardrobes dresseTs. etc, in perfect or
der. serve the meals. give out all med
icines prepare sick diet. have charge Of
the china closets. refrigerators, linen
closets. lava tories. etc. They also pre-
pare ell surgical supplies and sterilize
them, have everything in readiness for
doctors and surgeons, and the whole ward
must be kept by them in a state OF 81 OF
less cleanliness.
DUTIES or NIGHT NURSE
Thus her duties are manifold and
when she has gained her diploma she is
not only thoroughly trained as a sick
nurse but also In all the details of house.
hold management.
The rules for the night nurse are even
more exacting. Before going off duty
in the morning she must give TO her
head nurse a written record OF every pa
tient IN her ward and the me 81 minute
detail of what she has done for each one;
she having received her directions at