The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-20
rnsl. Of selectlng Nur.es.

| task of making a careful selection proved
to be difficult. The surgeons general was
over-burdened with the various details of
his important Office and in his desire to
| supply the sick with competent nurses he
assigned this duty to DR.. Anita MCGEE of
| Washington, who was commissioned act
! ing assistant surgeon, probably the first
time this honor was conferred upon a wo-
man in this country. The services of DR..
| MCGEE proved of the greatest value in Sc
lecting from the thousands of applicants a
sufficient number of trained, competent fe-
male nurses for duly. in the hospitals al
different points.
Tribute to the Red Cross.
The American Red Cross Society did
excellent work not only In furnishing sup
| piles of all kinds where and when they
were most needed, but also in supplying
nurses when emergencies arose. Miss
| Clara Barton, the Florence Nightingale
of this country, president OF the society,
| has performed her onerous duties during
| the entire war with a devotion and earn
estuess that merit recognition at home and
! abroad. She has been tireless In her eff
forts to bring comfort TO the soldiers at
| time when her services were most urgent
| ~ in demand. The State of Texas and the
| little steamer Red Cross, under her COM
mand, made their appearance at Siboney
| at time when outside help was most re-
| quired. Ice, medicines, dressings and hos
| pital supplies were freely distributed
among the sick and wounded. Miss Bar
ton and Mrs. Porter, wife of the secretary
of the President, went to the front, a dis
| lance of eight miles, over one of the
toughest roads Imaginable in an army
| wagon, and extended the work of the Red
| Cross to the very trenches before Santa
| go. 4 female nurse and number OF male
| helpers ministered to the sick in the di-
vision hospital in charge of Maj. Wood
| | found representatives of the Red Cross
| in Ell Caney, in the vestry Of the old VIII
| lage church. dealing out hard tack and
| flour to the hungry crowds of refugees
| After the surrender of Santiago the State
of Texas was the first vessel TO enter its
/ harbor on its errand of mercy in bring
ing food for the hungry Cubans and medl-
| cines and delicacies for the sick of the VIC
| torlous and vanquished armies. The Red
| Cross Society established supply depots in
| all of the large camps and the good work
| done everywhere will live in the memories
of all who were engaged in the conflict
| l was told by a representative of this So
| ciety that in Montauk alone for a number
of weeks supplies to the amount of $1,000
were distributed daily. Several of the
Red Cross nurses at Siboney were among
the first of the yellow fever victims and
| had to be taken to the fever hospital for
treatmef1tsl After peace was declared Miss
| Clara Barton Immediately sailed for Ha-
vana to bring much needed aid to the
! starving reconcentrados of the long-be-
sieged city, while her numerous helpers
continued their faithful work in the home
| camps.
Advises Extension of Red Cross.
Recent experience has again demonstrate
ed that this society is most important
auxiliary in war as wen as in other ma
| tional disasters in bringing prompt relief
| to the sufferers. 1t seems to me that the
Re1S cross Society is the proper organiza-
| ton from which 10 recruit the nursing
force should we be confronted by another
war This society should be made strong
ed and extend its influence to every part
of the country. Under the supervision of
its representatives, educated, trained
nurses should receive additional training
preparing them for military service and
| other emergency work. A list of names of
nurses who had satisfied the proper au-
thorities OF their special proficiency for
this kind of work should be kept and the
selection made from It should a request
be made by the medical department for
| service in the army.
Suggests Training school for Men
Nurses.
Provision for competent male nurses for
army duty should be made by q more thor
ough training Of the hospital corps Of the
| different states, a much neglected duty
| among the national guard west of the Al
| iegheny mountains. In addition 10 this, II
| would be advisable TO establish training
schools for young men In the principal
cities Of the United States on the same
plan and for the same purpose as the Sa-
| marian organization in Germany. The
training of such men should be Of the most
practical nature, including the transpor-
| tation OF the sick and wounded, first aid
| dress, The art of working and cooking,
| with special references 10 diet for the sick.
An education of this kind would be of the
greatest value and profit TO the pupils, az
| well as to the respective communities, and
would be the means of furnishing desir-
| able material for the hospital corps in case
| Of war and efficient aid in case of acct
denis and national catasuophes necessi-
tating a sudden call for competent nurses.
wonderful Work of sisters of
Charity.
The Sisters of Charity stood in the front
rank of volunteer nurses in the Spanish
| war as well as in nearly all of the great
wars during the last 200 years. 1t is the
| Oldest and best working order IN the Cath
ollie Church. President Mckinley became
| familiar with their efficient and faithful
accepted the offer of the order to furnish
nurses, made soon after the war broke
out. All of the principal hospitals in
charge Of the Sisters of Charity sent
representatives, 10 the front. The first
six sisters were sent to the naval hospi-
tal Portsmouth, Va, July 16. The whole
number of sisters on duty Sept. "a was
232. The annex and surgical wards and
| operating tent at Montauk were exclusive
Isr In oh Of bar 1f fpf dar
Their work in that great camp was a
source of qualification and admiration to
the medical officers and of all Of the VS.
itors and relatives OF the sick. Several
Of these brave sisters have gone to their
final reward in the services Of their coun-
try and others are lying dangerously III
In the different hospitals.
Miss wheeler and Miss ChanIer.
Among the distinguished lay nurses spe-
cial mention must be made Of Miss Chan
Ter OF New York. met Miss Chan.er In
I n. nj