The times., 1898-05-08

a training school, along lines somewhat
similar to those followed in the great
English hospital at Net'ey, where for
the past forty-fve years British army
nurses have received their training. This
school should be located in the National
Capital and might be conducted in the
same manner as the Military Academy at
West Point. That is to say the women
appointed to the school could be educat-
Cd at Government expense. on condition
Of giving their services for a term Of
years. After that If they wished to re-
sign they could do 30 and would then
form a reserve force. on which the Gov
ernmcnt could draw in. case Of war.
THE course in such a school would be
divided into hospital and field work-in
the hospitals in preparing and applying
bandages, treating fevers and other dis
eases apt to be prevalent in camps, and
administering anesthetics; that part OF
the course devoted 10 field work TO
teach the nurses first aid on the battle
field, how to put up 2 field hospital etc.
For the benefit Of the Navy a training
snip would be provided on which the
nurses could become familiar with work
on shipboard and with the conditions 10
be met in sea duty.
In such a school as IS here briefly out
lined The nurses must form an integral
part Of the Army and Navy. just as the
surgeons do now. They would be under
military discipline, wear a distinctive
Army uniform. be eligible to promotion
ava decoration, and after certain
+ length Of service. to retirement on part
F pay. After completing their training in
the school they could be assigned TO the
different Army posts and hospitals. in
4 order 20 obtain practical experience
As in the case OF West Point ana An
napoEs. such an institution could not
] but prove Of benefit TO the Army and
/ Navy by giving women the most thor
/ ough training, a training which many
! probably would never be able TO secure
, otherwise The project has been suggest
. ed in military circles more than once
before but nothing ever came Of It, be-
cause the lawmaking branch Of the Gov
! ernment could not see the necessity of
| such provision
Just now, however in the absence Of a
| regularly organized corps of trained
Army nurses. the Government IS relying
!spon the various schools where nurses
/ are instructed.
While much Of the work Of caring for
the sick and wounded in the field will he
| left 10 the Red Cross. the heads Of the
Army are preparing a staff Of nurses to
/ accompany the troops when they move
South. and TO care for the injured in
the military hospitals. The way In which
these nurses have been Obtained is the
same as that in which the surgeons for
the volunteer corps OF the Army and
Navy have been supplied. Through the
different hospitals and schools the sur
geons general secured the names Of a
large number of nurses who have re-
-fl.s 4 ~
Of these enlistment blanks are sent. with
the request that the nurses who felt so
disposed should fill them out, indicat-
ing whether the Government could can
for their services whenever needed
Some Of the agreements We're for imme-
diate service, others for enlistment at
ter three or six months.
A large number of replies, several hun
drcd in all have been sent in. Some OF
the signcrs say that they will go a once,
others that their services can be had
after July l. and so on. These have all
been flied away at Washington, and as
fast as d demand for nurses arises they
viii ne acted upon
The work Of the nurses will begin with
the actual commencement of hostilities.
War under modern conditions is so little
known that II is impossible to tell how
great inroads sickness and wounds will
make in our ranks. But the Governmen,
proposes to be prepared for any emer-
gency. II our Army moves into Cuba il
will be accompanied by a detachment oi
the Red Cross. under Miss Barton. Most
Of the field work will be left to the
members Of the Red Cross, who viii
care for Americans. Cubans or Span,
lards as necessity may require. TIL,
trained nurses who have volunteered
directly under the command of the sur.
gical department of the Army and Navy
will be sent to Key West, Tampa ol
other points where hospitals may be es
tablished.
Every woman who served as nurs