The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-09-01
q :NURSEHl1D:SPY:
O<NSGAC The Adventures of Woman in Hos
~ ~ w pitals Camps and Battefelds.

BY S. EMMA E. EDMoNDs.

Surgeon in charge OF that department
would find that certain number of Sur
geons were detailed every morning to
visit those hospitals, and were faithfully
performing their duty; but that the num-
Der OF hospitals and patients were in
creasing so fast that it required all day to
make the tour. Consequently the last
| ones visited were obliged to wait and Suf-
| fer, without any blame attaching TO the
| Surgeons.
Then another great evil was to be RENE
| died. There were thousands OF SICK men
| 10 be taken care of; but for these the Gov
eminent had made no provision as re-
CARDS more delicate kinds of food. Nothing
but hard bread, coffee, and pork for sick
and well alike. The Sanitary Commits
| sion had not yet come into operation, and
/ the consequence was our poor sick SOL
dlcrS suffered unSpcakably from want OF
proper nourShment.
| was speaking upon this subject one
| day TO Chaplain B and his wife-my
| constant companions in hospital labor
when Mrs. b suggested that she and
! | should appeal TO the synpathies OF the
ladies of Washington and Georgetown and
try our hand at begging. | agreed to the
proposal at once, and wondered why /
| had not thought of it myself.
We decided to 90 to Georgetown first, and
| If we succeeded there, to canvass Wash
ington. So we commenced operations by
made inquiry there with regard to our
| prospects OF success, and the sentiments
! of the ladies generally urcn the war qucs-
| ton, and finding that the ma lority were IN
our favor we started again quite hopefully,
| but not until the lady above mentioned
had given us an order on her grocer to the
amount OF SIS. | gaze Sister B the
credit of that, for had introduced her as
the wife OF the Rev. Mr.. b, Chaplain
of the 9Th. Then 1 suggested that we
should separate Tor lew nours-She to
take one street and | another, that
we might sooner get through the city.
CAMP HOSPITALS.
Our mission prospered throughout the
| day and at the close Of il we had "a suf1i-
cient supply of groceries, brandy, ice,
| jellies, etc, to fill our little ambulance,
and oh, what change those little deli
cacics wrought upon our poor sick boys.
We were encouraged by that days work
| to continue cur efforts in that direction
and finally made DIR. VS. store a depot
| for the donations OF those kind friends
who wished to assist us in restoring TO
health the defenders of our beloved
country.
Typhoid fever began to make its ap-
pearance in camp as the burning sun of
June came pouring down upon us, and
the hospitals were soon crowded with its
victims. 1t was then that my labors be-
gan in earnest, and as | went from tent to
tent, ministering TO the wants of those
delirious, helpless men, / wondered if
there ever was missionary field which
promised a richer harvest than the one in
which | was already engaged; and / was
thankful that it was my privilege to take
some small part in SO great a work.
Large tents were furnished for hospital
! purposes, which would accommodate from
/ 20 TO Is men. These tents were usually
put up in the most pleasant and shady
part of the camp. The inside was nicely
leveled and board foorS laid, if boards
could be procured; if not, ubber blankets
were laid down instead.
Sometimes there were straw ticks and
cot bedsteads furnished but not in suf1i-
cient quantity TO supply all the hospitals.