New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-27
CARING FOR W RISES.

The time-honored inquiry is heard again,
"Qus custodes custodiet|' It's present form
Is. Who shall take care Of the nurses: ana
earnest and practical efforts are being made to
answer IT, In this form it is n new question.
for the nurses themselves are new feature or
our civilization. The days of Sairey Camp. and
the days wien Saircy Camp and her kind had
practically monopoly Of caring for the SICK.
are well within the memory Of living men: as
are the days when Florence Nightingale marked
n new epoch in the history of humanity. But
the new feature has grown rapidly. Each year
hospitals and training schools send forth their
squads and companies of gentle ministers OF
comfort. In the hospital ward they are now.
of course. Il necessity; and they are scarcely
less in countless private homes where nvadS
require attention either 80 skilled and technical
or so constant that their own relatives are I'M
able TO supply il. When come to measure
the extent 10 which disease has been conquered.
human suffering lesScned, and human longevity
promoted. the skill Of the physician must yield
a eoodly share of the credit to the faithful care
of the trained nurse There are doubtless cases
in which no nursing could have saved the pa
tents without the diagnosis and prescriptions
of the physicians; and there are also. doubtless.
which the work of the physicians would have
been in vain but for the constant ana devoted
abors of the nurses.
Now we have and not unnaturaly come TO
identify the nurses not only with all possible
gentenesS and sympathy, Dnt also with health
and strength They do indeed. rule. look
like modcrn incarnatons Of Hygcia, and Diana.
and AL fresh and blooming goddesseS. And so
a ,..i,. o,tyi,. Po.
get too often that they. too, are mortal and
subject 10 all the ills Of our own mortality.
They are in fact. more subject 10 them than
the average of MS. Consider the exposure 10
contagion The nurse must 90 aS unhestatlns-
ly TO care for fever patient as for one with "A
broken arm. She may have to live day after
dav for weeks In an air laden ana rocking
with mOrbihc germs. And If she escape con-
tracing the disease. at any rate her work Is
arduous and wearing and exhausting 10 NINA
and body beyond almost any other in the world.
No wonder she breaks down. or is compelled
10 abandon her work for fear she VIII do so.
There is scarcely a career more swectly and
nobly bencfcent than that of the trained nurse:
and there IS scarcely one that Is sooner ended
by the literal wearing out OF the worker.
II is therefore most worthy undertake
ing TO care for the nurses themselves in their
ill-bealth or other misfortune. TO found or 10
maintain n home for such Of them need It
Is a noble work. We may thus especially de-
scribe the effort happily successful, to pro-
vide place OF rest and recuperaton for the
nurses who have been Frustrated by their labors
for the welfare of our Army in the war. 1t is
a work OF grateful humanity and OF loyal patri-
otlsm. These nurses went into places OF dan
ger. risklng their lives and spending their
health and strength, 10 save the lives and 10
restore the health and strength Of the soldiers.
and thus 10 aid In winning the victory for the
National arms. They have done their work
truly and we'll and IT is now most gracious
labor Of duty and Of love TO care for those who
have been stricken In caring for others. and Ia
nurse the nurses themselves back 10 a fun
need Of health