The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-28

Desirahilify of EstabIIshiue
Army Hospital scbool H.

Although the Netley Hospital and School
Tor Army Nurses (the greatest I'm the
"orid)' established by the English gov
eminent, mas been in successful opera
ton in London for fifteen years. II 4.
hardly known by the officials of our own
War and Navy departments The subierr
OF the education of women as nurses In
army hospitals apparently has been little
considered by those who are Responsible
Tor the medical department of the militia
ry establishment of the United States.
When Surgeon General Sternberg. of the
army. was asked whether 1t would he
feasible TO establish here a school for
nurses like that at Netley he replied thar
1t was matter 10 which he had never
given the least consideration; that he
knew nothing whatever about Il. and thar
ne had no time to discuss IT.
A similar reply has been given nv al
most every one OF those officials whose
position would be supposed 10 render
their opinion valuable; and vet there ar.
those outside official life who have stud-
led this question with a great deal Of care
who are familiar with the manifold GOOD
which has been accomplished by the Net
ley school, and who believe that the svs-
tenn could be established here with SINH
arly oenehcial results. One of these il
Dr. William A Hammond, who was sur
49, 5NAANA a VI LA4c army during the civil
war, and 10 whose great organizing ca
pacity was due the wonderful develop
ment Of the medical department OF the
army in an almost incredibly short space
OF time. so that II met the vast demand
created by the sudden enlargement Of the
army from paltry force OF I00O0 on a
peace footing TO force of fifty times as
great.
DR.. Hammond. who is now on the re-
tired list, has visited Netley Hospital
and has examined it with great care.
He says there is no reason why a SINH
lar school should not be established in
the United States. and he believes one
would be of great benefit.
During the war" ne said "tbe u-on,-
en- who volunteered their services as army
nurses did magnificent work The sys-
TEN was under the control OF Dorothea
DIX, whose great executive capacity is a
matter Of history. That was a volunteer
service, and it grew into a well-develOped
system through unusual methods. II
would be an advantage now if we could
nave Observation-Disclosures government
al school from which women could ne
graduated ready TO take I'D the work Of
army nursing at a moment's notice
1t has been said that while such an
establishment might be of value IN Eng
land, II would be of little value in the
United States. owing TO the striking Diff
ference between the English and Amerf-
can military systems. British troops are
stationed all over the world. and wars
OF greater or less Importance are matters
or common occurrence Hardly a wear
passes without fighting OF some kind by
British soldiers in India or Africa or
elsewhere. The United States. on the
other hand. is said to be a nation = of
peace Our wars have been few and far
between, and when they have come the
military system has grown I'D aluost
spontaneously TO meet the unusual de-
mands
1T would not be necessary % have
TINS scnool IN Washington. although a
hospital might be established to advau-
tage on the healthfuI heights outside
the city 1t would be possible 10 take
one of the hospitals already in existence
Ior THIS purpose. like that at Fort Mon
roe, and II might be well to have one on
the racine coast as well as on the Al
lantic- There nurses could be educated
IN the care or patients suffering from
the peculiar diseases common TO the
tropics, could be taught the uses OF a
hospital ship and all the intricate de-
talIs OF its equipment, could be educated
IN the treatment of wounds and could be
enrolled IN regular corps attached 10
the medicaI staff. with opportunities for
promotion or decoration according 10
the special merit Of their service.
They could be retained in the Govern
ment service on their missions OF mercy.
tenderly caring for the sick and wounded
until old age entitled them TO an honor
able discharge.
"A corps Of hospital nurses created In
TINS way would be a benediction 10 such
an army as We shall be called on 10
maintain"
Although Surg. Gen Sternberg has not
given this subject any consideration Col
charles n Alden, who is next 10 MIN
said:
Il have visited Netley. I have stu5fe4
the system in vogue thereI am rnucb
impressed with it. With some modifca-
dons winch are necessary in order n
accommodate the system OF our fns-itu-
Hohs ana way of doing things / think
We might probably engraft much OF rba
Netley plan upon our own. Instead Of
having one general hospital where nurses
are taught TO care for the sick and
WOUNDED soldiers II might prove advan-
tAgeous TO US to have a training school
at every large army post hospital As
II now appears probable that W. sbau
nave an outpost in Asiatic waters dis
cusslon Of the. Netley plan is opoortuna
VI course We can do nothing at present
We must first educate the public rbrorsb
the press relative 20 the Advantages Of ne
system This 1 am happy to learn is
ABOUT 70 be done When Congress is
made fully aware of the advantages "a
be gained by the Introduction Of the Nat-
ley system into this country in the man
ner detailed by me l think il will no.
iohS delay IN passing the necessary an
preparation 10 carry the work forward
uesre 10 say, however. in this con-
hecton, that il is not my intention in
anything I have heretofore sai5 =, -
renection upon our own schools for
training army nurses. Our system fs an
excellent one. II must be borne In r,tnI
that we were suddenly called upou tn ex-
tehd our system from force based on a
peace footing Previous to the deciara-
ton OF war with Spain our army num-
oered about 5000 men. We were bv me
eXiSencies OF war suddenly compelled 70
increase our forces TO 100000 men. This
oeing the case, We were also eompeIIe,f
10 scatter our trained nurses over a wide
area trusting by so doing that The raw
recruits would line up under their in
sructlons IN good shape. The raw re-
cruits, IN many cases, have done excel
lent work
ITO demonstrate that our old trained
nurses, under ordinary circumstances
can do work, l need only refer TO the
battle of Wounded Knee fought in 1881
AT the battle named the nurses were on
the field. and as fast as a man fell he
was promptly cared for, and as pronlptIy
taken 10 the rear, where he again re-
ceived the proper medical attendance and
the necessary nursing to bring him out
all right again. Trained men for the
field and trained women in the hospitals