The evening times., 1898-09-08
DR.. M'GEE, U. S. a.
She Tells of the Work That Is Done
by Women Patriots.
(From the New Yo.

(From the New York TribuneD
DR. Anita Newcomb MCGEE. acting as
sistant surgeon, L. s. A, with the rank
of first lieutenant. was for short time
in the Army Building yesterday after
noon after she had seen the complement
OF nurses engaged by her start on the
Seneca for Porto Rico. Dr. MCGEE said
that twenty-three nurses had arrived at
the pier ready for the trip. Seven were
too late. They struggled into the Army
Building, having come from Boston.
Washington. and other cities. expecting
that the transport would not sail until
evening. They will be sent out on the
first available transport. The seven were
a disappointed lot of women.
In speaking of her work DR. MCGEE told
of the distinction among the nurses in
the Governments service There are
about seven hundred nurses in the pay
of the Government who have been exam
ined by DR.. McGee and appointed on her
recommendation. Over forty-three hun
dred applicants were examined, and an
eligible list was made up from which to
select nurses as needed. The surgeon
general, DR.. McGee said. had become con-
WINGED of the value of the work done by
the women nurses. and ever since June
had promptly sent them when the medical
officers in charge of the hospitals called
IMAM
were called for when he thought they
could be used. He was anxious, DR.. Nc
Gee said. that every nurse needed should
be supplied, and had ordered her to go to
Montauk to look into the need for more
nurses.
The Government now has a hundred
nurses at Camp Wikoff, besides MANY
volunteer nurses" who. as far as the
doctor knows, simply walk into the hos
pitfalls. and. if the surgeon acquiesces. go
to work as best they can. Dr. MCGEE
will look into the qualifications of these
volunteer nurses, but has no authority 10
dispense with their services. They serve
without pay. and many are at work in
the nearby hospitals. Dr. MCGEE will ex-
anime their quarters and report whether
they are properly housed or tented. as
the case may be.
One of the distinctions between the
nurses in the Government service and the
| volunteers is that the service nurses are
| graduates of training schools and come
| recommended as having the physca
| strength needed for army service while
| many of the volunteers are trained nurses
who cannot bind themselves with the in
definite time contract the Government re
| qures, because of the low salary and fol
| other reasons, but who for a short tins
| give their services. DR.. MCGEE spoke OF
| the patriotism animating her sex, wher
asked how she could get nurses for $50
month, and said that there had been {
rush of applicants.
"You have no idea of the patriotism o
| the women of this country" she said
They leave good positions to serve fo
| $50 month, the same as the men hav,
| done to serve in the ranks for S13
month. Miss Paterson. the head nurse o
the Seney Hospital, Brooklyn, who has ;
reputation as a nurse of executive abil
ity. got years furlough that she Nigh
go to Santiago today, and there are man
others who have absolutely given up goo
positions to work for the Government a
| lower Salaries
Miss Wheeler. the daughter Of the gen