Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-07

which would not leave enough of me to tell
how stcrnly practical 1t IS. After one day
of 1t am lame all over from being on my
feet without more than enough rest to en-
phasze my WEAKNESS; l am still nauseated
from what l have seen and smelled and
Il ucf ed: and as for the dexterity which l
was secretly inclined to believe did pos
sess before / tried it, Texas steer in a
china shop is fair sample of my deXterity
as / have discovered it.
a EGrse is on duty from m. to 8 PM,
with dinner and supper time off. and, when
hospital necessities permit, two hours eX-
ira for rest and study. One afternoon Off
Guty is allowed In each week, and one-half
of Sunday. except when on special duty.
y vacation Of two weeks is granted each
year.
1 was on hand al o'clock in the morn
rg, and Miss Underhlf took me over to the
nurses home. pretty new building in the
rear OF the hospital, which is not yet COM
plctely furnished. The charm and cheer of
TIKI: abode are delightful at a first glance,
but 1t was not Until L returned thither
later in the day, a perfect pulp of the eff
fects of practical nursing. that l realized
now this. too. has its practical value In
the rest and consolation it affords the over
Eurdened nurse. When l had donned q
cotton frHck and white apron--a proba-
toner does not enjoy the distinction of the
htspital uniform-Miss UnderhiIl turned
me over to the head nurse. Miss Forbes.
who told me that my duty would be to
assist probationer in charge of the ward
OF cello red free patients.
The Realities of Nursing.
Accordingly 1 was taken up on the top
floor and introduced to my associate proba-
tioher. sweet-faced small Quakeress. who
was busy getting her patients in shape for
the day. The probationer works under
the supervision of the youngest nurse.
This small Quakeress had seventeen colored
women to care for. A few were in wrap
Ia inc Int hoy II,
bed, either being made ready for an opera
ton or recovering from the effects of one.
Miss Forbes left me in charge of the pro-
bationer. who told me earnestly she was
so glad another probatfoner had come"
had it. l was extremely sorry had
come. and If had been in truth a women
fixed by holy zeal to become a trained
nurse this initial sight and smell OF the
realities of the undertaking would have
caused Inc to lose little time in beating a
retreat.
The probationer was ready to wash out
the wound of colored woman who had
had cancer removed a week ago, and
asked me if I cared to do it. I said. no
thank you. and she then said I must watch
her. Come lock at it," she said. Unpro-
fessional as 1t appeared. 1 declined, saying
would wait till next day, and the little
girl. so earnest in her work herself, looked
at me in amazement, exclaiming How
funny"
Thee will have to get used to such
things" she continued, and added encour-
agingly, eff thee sets thy heart to- 1t and
goes ahead thee will not mind it. 1 just
love it,
1t was my turn to exclaim, "FIow funny"
But is not your work awfully hard?' 1
asked.
"Well. I'll tell thee this, at the begin
get the blues. Everybody puts on the pro-
bationer. The patients think she doesn't
know anything, the older nurses are sure
of 1t, and she is corrected and complained
nf ftrr,ac aE4 Il.
courage.
Seventeen to Nurse.
But there Is SO much to be done, one
has little time to be melancholy. 1 have
seventeen patients In the morning 1 must
change and make their beds and battle
them 1 also have their bedding and cloth
irg to look after. and 1 want to tell thee
row that thee must get to the linen room
early in the morning or the other nurses
Will make eff with thy Sheets After 1
have my patients in order 1 have to clean
the large bath room where the broths and
milk are heated. Then, before 10 in the
morning and before in the afternoon,
must see that the nourishment for my pa
TENTS is sent up from the kitchen, and all
through the day 1 am hither and thither,
waiting Fha on first one m and then another
here three weeks. and already 1 have
learned so much about making my people
comfortable. and 1t is wonderful practice
in self-control. Next week. probably 1
will go on night duty. and then 1 suppose
thee will take my place. I will show thee
all 1 can. Some find the studying hard,
and 1t is not easy to study after one has
been working steadily for twelve hours
We have two hours in the evening to
study. Our lesson this week is three pages
of definitions of kinds of medicines and
their effects and all the bones. l am just
out of school. so that it is not so hard for
me, and il thee has any trouble, l will help
thee"
l asked her how cid she was, and she
told me quantity that she was eighteen.
adding. however, that she was older than
her body. Il have meant to be a trained
nurse ever since I was nine years old" she
went on. Il can't tell You how much
love the work, and if all my patients are
as good and kind these are, I'm sure
I'll get on all right. Bless you, honey"
she said, tenderly, patting the cheek Of
the colored woman SIZE was washing. Il do
love your blessed old faces, every one of
you. and l wish l could make you every
one WELL
Here, it seemed to me. was an instance
where hospital experience was not neces-
can improve upon saint? And saint
Enthusiastically this small Quakeress was
whose heart of unbounded love was equal
to the law of any science.
A Reluctant, but Helping Hand.
She wanted me to help her make up the
bed Of a negress. whose diseased body
'smelled to heaven" and when 1 again
begged off, she regarded me with gentle
wonder, and 1 was so conscious of ap-
pearing an awkward, selfish brute in her
eyes. that finally l took hoid-gingerly to
be sure, but 1t was a beginning. I helped
move the woman. who groaned, poor thing
but not any louder than 1 wanted to. and
I. who am too squeamish to stay in the
room while my own bed Is being made,
stood by like a soldier, amid the dust and
microbes that flew in changing the sheets.
and adjusting the clothing of this bed of
common, unclean, and colored suffering.
This broom Is used to brush off the dry
skin that peels Off during a fever" my
instructor explained as she vigorously
brushed the same dry skin upon our
selves. 1T isn't good for thee to be found
without this broom, either" she said, and
told me also 1 must be careful to make
the corners Of my beds square and have
the castors turned all on line That
may seem silly she said. ito bother
about the casters. but 1t all helps to make
things orderly"
Miss Forbes now sent for me to make
the morning round with her and the
house physician, DR.. Barton.
AS we walked down the corridor, asked
Miss Forbes what is the first evidence of
advance a probationer receives
She gets the stripes-puts on the uni
form. Gradually she works into service of