The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-06-29
A Trained Nurse in Japan.

The world does move. The little
chry santhemum ladies over in Japan
are attending lectures. They are learn
ing how to disinfect their toy houses,
and instead of sticking little fans
through their architectural hair they
are covering it up with nurses cape.
The first and only successful train
ing school for nurses in japan was the
one established in connection with the
Doshisha hospital in Kioto. AS was
stated in the Sun the ether dsy, the
Doshisha colleges, hospital, and train
ing school were started and kept going
by American money. Two or three
years ago, however, the Japanese
seemed to think that they could run
things themselves. They made such
point of this that all of the American
profe ssors, physicians, and teachers
resigned. At present the japanese
are indeed running things to suit them
selves. At any rate, they are not run
ming them to suit the American Board
of Foreign Missions. The Japs have
concluded to "Kirsuto Kyo no KAN
ban," which, being interpreted, means
that they are going 10 ''take down the
Christian sign" The board has con-
seuuently written to them and demand
ed the return of some large gifts of
money, which were made with the
understanding that "the Christian
sign" was going TO stay up.
Among those who resigned two years
ego was Miss Fraser, Bellevue gradu-
ate, who was in charge of the Kioto
training school for five years. When
she left Japan Miss Fraser returned to
America and is now engaged in hospi-
tai work in this city.
"As rule" said Miss Fraser to a
Sun reporter "the japanese women
make very good nurses. They are
ligh, and quick of foot and very deft
with their fingers. Before our school
was opened, twelve years ago, there
were no trained nurses in Japan.
There were old women, who took care
of sick people, and there were men
nurses, of the same degree of ability,
for the male patients in the hospitals.
I'm the ten years during which we
Americans had charge of the Kioto
school we had seventy graduates. At
first it was not easy to get good class
of women. The Japanese looked up
on nursing as mental form of labor,
and the educated women felt that they
were above such a calling. In time,
however, they found out that nursing
was profession requiring skill and in
telligence and that 1t was regarded by
foreigners as distinctly creditable.
They form their ideas on those of
foreigners nowadays, 30 it wasn't long
before we were able to pick our stu
dents from higher grade of women.
Many of them were graduates of the
Doshisha school for girls. They re-
ceive what seems here to be slight
compensation, but over there, where
living is so cheap, it is very good pay.
They have 40 cents day for any time
during two weeks. There is slight
reduction for a longer time.
"Our graduates have gone into hos
pitfalls in all the principal cities Of ia
pan and have trained the nurses there,
80 that at present the number Of those
trained according to the teaching Of the
Kioto school has increased very con-
siderably. Private nursing was not
popular at FIRST. The people had their
old women nurses, whom they thought
quite as good as anybody else. But
now the trained nurses are in such de-
mand that there are not enough to fill
the supply. The Red Cross has nurses
who were trained by our graduates. l
suppose that, in case of sickness i'll the
imperial household, one of the Red
Cross nurses would be called in, for the
society is under the patronage of the
high nobility, The Countess Ito, be-
lieve, is one of those who are especially
interested in the Red Cross.
"When we first went to Japan, Of
course, their methods were totally I'M
like ours; but many Of their physicians
have studied of recent years in this
country and in Germany, 30 that they
have made great progress. The most
common ailments are skin diseases and
consumption. They have good many
eye troubles, too. You see, their food
is not nourishing, and has not been so
for generations, 80 that their conttitu-
tions are not strong. They do not
have enough warmth in winter, either.
1t is really cold in winter, and their
houses, which are mere shells, are
scarcely warmed by the little bit Of
charcoal in the middle of the room.
"We took stoves with US and great
many other foreign comforts and con-
veniences. But you have no idea how
difficult it was to teach the Japanese
nurses how to care for the sick. had
to begin my teaching from point en-
tirtl different from the one was ac-
custOmed to-the whole scheme was
different; the houses, the heating ar
rangements, the clothing, the beds, the
diet--everything. OF course, in the
hospital we arranged most of these
things to suit ourselves, but when it
came to private nursing it really was