The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-05

saaevIues ~ ths wspaaea nt sslrrriue Lee q
the Estsbitshaen nj u Tbts Eauaans sscaety-
ssnse unrorushtIon Ceneerntns nts S1ethoas'

the rs,sb,tsharnt Of This Ruuaans society
ssne unrorushtIon Cencerutns nts s1ethoas.
FVou, tAe cANrcAusan.
The history OF tho Red Gross Society IL but lit
tie known in the United States. Our peace
loving people have been for go many years free
from the terror OF war which has continually
confronted European nations that We became
supremacy indifferent to the emergency that At
some time might arise. whom we should DO called
upon TO tako care OF the sailors and soldiers
wounded In tho defence Of our country.
1t is nearly forty years ainoo M. Honri Dunent,
q native OF the republic OF SwitzorlNnd, witnessed
the battle of s~olforino, and was = horrlhed oh.
wound woSSaeG q tr SaS ls Sa"S q care, Being greatly i%:
pressed by the sight; he pn6lished 2 lIttio pooh
called "sonvenir do sClf rim and id R9,nt of anu. %n.
Eeons and nurses who could work In the cause
Of humanity Regardless Of nationality ana
trelity,. and Re permitted to serve on The
aela Of battle and aid the won m : [ood IhiS
and the outcome was a convention held at
Geneva, Switzerland, in August. 1884, by repre-;
the world, who then signed u compact OF strict
neutrality thrt assured. under certain specined
bers OF the association whom, caring for the
wonnded on the hSld Ct battle; inc nag OF
field sulcs, II cross argent and the society
adopted 4, out o compliment TO US oirth4isSi,,
ooHI he psVGFs term III ti,n nVii'rCr; COMMITTEES Is the rod
cross IN n white nell, ami is the only mill;
,Ary hospital 4 z IN M tror, , Ts o,s,ts Zion w% %ho
work under IL or r. httully wear the emblem
when performing h,ir services. Tho Insignia Is
juaiuusly guarded, aud the brassnrds and arm
lets, that are Sewcd on the sleeve when issue In
time OF war. are marked with private devices, so
that both armies may be protected from splcs.
heinihn"s the WouHiod shah BE- immune.
OF public Utility, was elected and still remains
rresident Of he International oil the
Esne Cross si inS n So na,ios SsS have az, wn sixne are the he
compact. In 1882 MisS CT rn B%,rton. who had
already distins it,ho,i herself by ne5 F ssryiGss bS
the President Of the United. states to represent
her country ct q congress OF the Rcd orosh 0on,i
the internntionNl Bonri of MtnaFcrs when
Tie United states Government signed tho
Baton suggestion that a line q WORK
was a,opled BY tho international Commit
tee. SO that eNch, nation might p9rsn" m occn.
patton in time. OF peace that would az ,lify II TO
hc OF service in an emerScncE. thnioo% EcepinE
state OF organization. IL was determined that
tho study of diseases; methods OF tre,tlnent,
more particularly without the use OF alcoholic
stimuian,s. and the education OF doctors and
nurses s1"uli lie pursued. III the formation of
The constttn,!ono the American National Rcd
activities war adopted. 1t was hoped
tnrt W" shp"if haze NO w SISovs but to G be-
apurehenI,d. and the organization deter
min d 10 .~rrovidc ait for such emergencies.
Other nations, seeing the usefulness of what
has been called the American, amendments"
are following our example and adding the
past seventeen years the American Red Cross
his given aid to sufferers in fifteen disasters or
famlnes, the IusS,hns, Armenlans.. and Cubans
being those who have received aid outside Of
our own countrymen.
advocated starting hospitals during peace, no
such work has been done in America. with the
installed and me Ups in N the city Of New York in
1894. 1t was founded by Miss Bettina Hofker-
now the wife of DIR. a. Monae Lesscr-a gradu-
ate OF the Mount Sinai training school for
nurses. the daughter of a General Of the Prus:
sian Army, and whose mother and aunts had
Prussian war. We may quote from Miss Bar.
tons speech when she opened tho hospital, and
Of, a xiii. Sister Bsttina Hotker. horn under
gmage. but endowed with that love OF humanity
that makes the whole world kin. Pity has been
her inspiration. and patient perseverance in
To-day, when ali hearts are full OF the suffer
ing ana M s sorrow VIII thS co w " may aSd G hons 10 upon she % nSi So
good work that has been done by an alien in our
midst, and be thankful that we can depend upon
the organization that is now ready to como for
ward fully equipped for the emergency and
ready to send aid and trained assistance to those
The life OF a professional nurse is one of con-
slant self-sacrihce, but at least she feels that
when no longer able to continue her work, she
has been able to lay inside a small sum. which
| VIII DC SuIlclcntt 10 SuppOTl ueT lOT the Tebt OIL
her life. But while trained nurses in general
receive a fair compensation for their services.
ever. With the danger of a war before us.
noble professional nurses have come forward by
Cross work. They fully comprehend tho mag
nitude and Importance of the work that they
will be called upon to perform. and undertake
it quite aware that they are giving gratuitous
service.
But what shall be said of the unprofessional
women who. without training or skill. offer
themselves MS assistants to the Red Cross 1t
would seem folly to accept their services. ana
yet tho officers of the society base their opinion
on the experience gained in the Franco russian
var. when the princesses of Prussia and woinen
of I'll degree offered their services to the Red
Cross. and proved Of inestimable assistance.
IN the present emergency, unframed women
those h, " Who bring 5p : diplomas HpHi5a and possibly but Few
will stand the preliminary tests; The trained
but the unframed assistants will have no less
responsibility. for while upon, one, will the care
OF the sick devolyc. on tho other the protection
win un%acciimated persons, the task WI =,
ngsit6sr easy nor hight, 1t is dtGleTlt to
may be, but we may picture one OF the
scenes that may, well lake place. 4 great
called for; bearers begin to carry in the wound:
cd. The country is devastated. smoking ruins
stood; there is no shelter. there are no pro.
visions; tho wounded famish for n sir Of water.
T pdilaicS TO s,Fsa Rn,'G a6o them fn i se' TSa , .STRe6 6hs
and, nurses are bending over the wounded.
rendering professional aid. Tho unprOfes-
siunnl worker is now alert and calls to her mid
her hou sewite's training. and looks after the
com ortS and 11n,I wants ,S5s OF an emergency
been providing themselves with bandaGes, lint,
&C.; tho assistant has been 10 ding a small cart
with bread, boiled water. tea, coffee, &C., and
she hurriedly follows the ambulance corps. A
sheet thrown over the branch of n tree makes
u shelter. fires are lighted. food is prepared. and
the, assistant follows tho nurses and doctors.
feeds the wounded, and gives n woman's gentle
aid 10 the soldier. As nurses and doctors turn
exhausted from their fatiguing tasks, the i'm.
provised tent offers tho shelter ana food pro-
vided by the assistant.
IL is for this kind OF work that the unprofes.
siOnal women are Offering themselves. and no
doubt those of America will be found rs useful
al were the daughters of the German nobility in
the FrRnco-P rusSian war. Among those who
have volunteered are some OF the most promi,
nent women Of this city. the daughter OF the
famous physician, and a weli-known Australian
author and naturalist, who is already accli,
mated TO tropical heats. We may wish them
God speed in their noble work!