Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-08-18
WOMEN AND WAR.
The Valuable Services Rendered by
the Gentler Sex on the Field
of Battle.

| What are the preparations for the
care of the sick and wounded of our
army? In answering this question, the
first fact that strikes one is the great
advance that has been made in these
81 years since these questions last were
forced upon our national attention. We
remember that in the early sos we had
not that large and able body of women
the trained nurses. The women who
went 10 the front and acted as nurses
had neither that strength of organiza-
tion nor yet the power of ease of work
ing possessed to-day by our trained and
experienced nurses. There was the
abounding wisdom of heart and the
courage of self-forgetful patriotism and
devotion. But they paid most for the
service they rendered, because their
heroism was not reinforced by prso-
tical preparation.
To-day we have hundreds of trained
nurses, who add to the same womanly
devotion the discipline of nerve and
brain and hand, making a grand sum
total of usefulness.
Another advance is in the wholesale
manufacture of all that pertains to sur
geons, hospital, and sanitary supplies.
To-day we have great factories capable
of indefinite production of the most
scientifically perfect as well as the
most compactly transportable disin-
fectants, wound dressing and general
surgeons supplies. This is an incal-
culable advance. And while we almost
envy our women of the earlier times,
whocould satisfy their jealous instincts
by rolling bandages and picking lint,
still we must conccde the comfort-yield-
ing advantage of the surgical-supply
factory, and seek other fields of activity.
As regards the executive in the sur
geon generals department., one has but
TO know that there is at the head in
the regular army Surgeon General
Sternberg, a man so eminent in ell that
pertains to sanitation and special scien-
tific and medical research. Even regi-
ment troops and battery has its surgical
and nursing staff regularly enlisted.
This is also true of the volunteer troops,
as well as of our naval forces. These
expected, with a discretion and care
very much emphasized my memory of
the cases of inefficiency which came to
light during the civil war in this branch
of the service. They are equipped with |
the most approved outfit for doing their |
work on the field or on board ship. So
much have men done for the care of |
- nd ls1 l.
from the surgeon general that |
women will not be employed at present,
inamating, however, that should the |
war prove serious in point of heavy en-
and should 1t become neces-
sary to form large general hospitals,
women may be needed. And IL is
this possibility that we must
look.
The fact that this bids fair to be large
ly or entirely naval wer diminishes /
the chance that these large hospitals
will be called into being. 1t has been
definitely stated that no women in any
capacity will be employed on the hospi-
tai ships. The suggestion that rich
and patriotic woman might purchase
and equip such an auxiliary provokes
the question why women who should be
chosen in regard to physical
rs well as professional fitness might
not have some part in the personnel of
the ships company. Some of us have
seen quite as much of the class of work
% be expected as the majority of the
Toung male doctors who are being
aiken into service.-Grace n. Kimball,
N. D., in Harper's Bazaar.