The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-02-18
A SOLDIER NURSE.
Miss Grny is Highly Priced by tho
british War Onicc.

Miss ]. a. Gray Is an English woman
with nm unusual record as hospital
nurse and four handsome decorations to
bear witness to some OF her gallant
achievements. AT home, that Is In Lon
don. she occupies the position OF super
intending nurse Of the Coldstrcam
Guards hospital. but when the English
government decided to it up the steam
or Coromandel ns floating hospital. to
cruise along the Gold Cast and receive
SICK soldiers from the regiments fight
ing down I'm Ashanti, Miss Gray was
selected TO Take full charge OF all the
nursing facilities. Her appointment
was decided upon not only because of
her especial clcverness as Il superintend-
ing nurse, but owing to her exceptional
record on various occasions, and DANCE
rouS relief expeditions. In 1879 when
the Hulu war broke out. SHE was. In mill
tnrS form. ordered to the front aud
promptly nbeyed. There she stayed
through the war, and In 1852 sailed again
lor Africa, this time to nurse the men
through the contest In Egypt Four
years in All were spent in this last ex-
pruitioh To Africa. for AT the end sim
was sent UP the Nile in the Gordon ra-
het boats to Wndy Ilalfn at The second
cataract. Twelve months of this pcriod
she llFed under common army tent
ana then. when the plague Of the East
choicra, was pronounced endemic
among the regiments. she settled down
10 nurse her charges through IT, II
was only 10 he expected that wind nr
these plucky duings should reach Eng
llhu ana III the course OF her seven
years of African duty Miss GRAY wns
iorilaliE presented with four uccpr,-
lions.
hese are III" Zulu and Egyptian war
ineGalf, the Egyptian cross and the Row
al itrd cross pretty much nil the houn,s
IN the way or pretty trinkcts n sltillr,I
courageous hospital nurse can rxprrt 1,
gam. With this extraordinary rccr,d Ia
her credit Miss Gray. who is a prc,iy
SplnStrr on the sunny side of forty
wasn't NJ all surprised when her nrtjn,
from The war office arrived. to report on
board the Coromandrl with two sklIIfu
women undcr-nurses. There she was in
stalled In quarters of her own put 4,
absolute control of the admiral bly, fittc,
hospital ward, of the row of pntcn,
padded bcrthS where dclirious patient,
are Ia be placed and in full auihurit,
over Il competent corps OF trained NAL,
nurses. After all this charge is :,bout
me highest she has been required {,
assume, for the men who have becl
lighting the willy Ashantis In the int
rior are moro rapidly stricken down Il,
the seventies of The climate and hard
ships they must endure than bv wca.
lons in the hands of the rapidly capitu
lating African SavnGes. and nrc conse.
quently more difficult To coax back [,
health and lighting trim. But in In,
army hospital ward this able nurse feels
only in her rment. Sha regrets Tho
Government never sent her Afterwards
at the time OF the first Bocr war and
says that in careful. clever nursing
women can do as much to win victories
Tor their country as If they took part II,
y, 4
with genuine endurance ana precious
bravery can he shown in following the
flag from the nursing tents. as I'm should.
dering rife with the fighting CORPS.