The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-20
NURSES MAKE READY
To Care for the Sick and
Wounded in Cuba,
RED CROSS is ACTIVE
No Romance in 1t; Just Hard
and Dangerous Work
RED CROSS is ACTIVE

|
teal relief work conducted in that hap
less island; and the sister-in-chief of tn
New York order examined the candidate
as to their health and general ftnes fo
the undertaking.
The New York branch Of the Red eros!
Association has had many honorary mem
beers (young women, not trained nurses
but thoroughly in sympathy with the Rec
Cross work., who from time to time have
aided the cause here in New York in one
way and another. Because Of the present
distress in Cuda, and a possible war, the
sister-in-chief, as usual IN such emergen-
cies. issued a call TO these honorary mem
bers, advising them of the fact that
| nurses and matrons, and good, able wom-
| en- workers were needed in the south. A
number of these friends responded; 9th
ers were volunteers, willing to sacrifice
personal ease and convenience for the
sake of alternating suffering. Many of the
| women are graduates Of wel-known hos
pitfalls and of nurses training schools;
others were women of no particular bent,
not wage-earners in any sense, but i'm
PEELED to volunteer in this ardOrous work.
There were inquiries from all as to what
they were to take with them on their
novel journey. Could they take trunk
along? What sort of uniform should they
wear? Would they have to be vaccinated?
! How could disease be guarded against?
! Some of the volunteers were dainty in
dress and appearance.
| If war should break out these women
would go with the Red Cross to Cuba to
attend on the United States soldiery. If
war does not result, they will so to Cuba
to succor the famfshed and suffering ma
tives; but in case Of Americans fighting
on Cuban soil, according to the princi-
pies of the order, the Red Cross must sue
cor it's own countrymen.
The Red Cross training school stipulates
for a. six months schooling in the tenets
| of the order, even for the full fedged
trained nurse; so, now, when the ranks
of active Red Cross workers must needs
! be recruited. Miss Barton has only to
draw on the hospital to set the competent
women workers she needs. Having seen
the conditions in Cuba, however, the Red
Cross officers conclude that these trained
helpers must be supplemented by matrons
and hOusekeepers, women who can make
the sick and wounded and starving peo-
pie comfortable even without a nurses
knowledge of medicine.
Perhaps the gravity of their mission
never came home so plainly to the volun-
teers as when DR.. Lesser at the conclu-
sion of his talk to them, announced that
he would proceed to vaccinate such as had
not been vaccinated within six months.
Smallpox. he told them, was the easiest
disease to guard against of any they
would be exposed to. In that portion of
the country from which he and the field
agent had come, a low. malarial fever,
that is infectious, prevailed; also some
yellow fever. There were, besides. other
diseases, induced by famine and unsani-
tary conditions. There were certain pre-
cautions which, if scrupulously observed
would ward off these maladies. Even at
the hospital for the lepers at Havana the
caretakers were able to avoid conta gion
by observing these rules:
'Never sit down to rest while in an in
fected house; never relax your system so
that it Will absorb disease" the lecturer
said. Change your clothing as often as
possible, the oftener the better, and wash
N'hA 4ie14tN'S Il 4NAE4lLls Luz IAQCl SlItSS
cannot be laid on this cleansing of the
hands, cleansing them as carefully as for
a surgical operation The chairs and tab
les. door handles your own clothing hold
germs that are baneful. You touch these
things and unless rid of the contamina-
ton speedily, your body is in danger In
the Lazarus hospital the boys and girls
also, who wait on the lepers. so about
the building with small canes in their
hands-canes that they use dexterousIy
and make do the duty of hands as much
as possible They push open the doors
with these canes. pick up things with
them, and otherwise make them useful"
The candidates were told there is no
romantic or sentimental attractiveness IN
the stern demands of war. pestnence and
famine; that the emergencies Of the SER
vice are often most trying sometimes in
volving privatious and dangerl. and that
only those women tit and possessing pro-
per qualifications for the work could be
Of real use. At any time should volun-
teer be found unfit for arGuous field SER
vice. changes would be MADE as deemed
eXpedient by the officers. Military tao
tics were used in the Red Cross Coros.
no efficient work could be done unless
obedience and discipline were exacted
The speaker explained the motto OF the
order. Hum aolty and neutrality" and its
various officers, the Right Honorable
tNiss Barto0l Sister-ir-chias the Sister
in-oharEe, the Matrol-Sister. tee. and
described she service % be rendered By /
a sister Of the ranks IN the BACKGROUND
of battlefield. Should this worker see
q soldier wounded ana suffering she
should so 70 his side and do all thar her
sense and skill dictated. signalling ar once
70 have him moved further away from -hs /
scene Men Of the Red Cross would ba /
within call 70 bring q COZ or stret-her 4
for the wounded man and carry him 20 /
the temporary hospital. or whereevr SIC /
directed. Each volunteer who REGISTERED /
was asked in turn by 5he siSter-in-c5Isf /
10 you enlist for War Or for Cube -
some few Disseminated between the two
issues. oGt nearly all answered. For. both !
or either No salary : paid 70 the SIS 4
tefs. ou1 during actual service ths aes,
available provision Is made for their sun
port and requirements The association
mas had 80 applications for enlistment
within a few months.
WAR SCARE SAVED LETTER
Made All the Difference y,etvaa,
Nns = Nb..s.