The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-07
WOMEN NURSES IN WAR
Their Work and It's Acceptance
in the Army.
THE RED CROSS SOCIETY
Hostility of Officials at the Beginning of
the Conflict Broken Down
Completely Before
the Close.

From the New York Sun.
The war with Spain proved the utility
of the woman nurse. The nurse ques-
ton was only one of the many serious
problems that confronted the govern
ment at the beginning of hostilities.
but it caused an endless amount of per-
pleXity before it's solution. Surgeon
General Sternberg and other officials
in the medical department of the army
thought that the hospital corps. as or
sanized in the beginning, would prove
adequate to any emergency that might
arise. There also existed a prejudice
against the employment of women in
the army camps and hospitals, and
strong feeling that if outside nurses
We're needed men only should be en-
p1oyed That these opinions were erro-
neous was shown when the camps and
hospitals began ito be filled with sick.
The male nurses employed when the
emergency came proved in many cases
incompetent, and as result large num-
berS of women were pressed into Sery-
ice.
1t was not until the latter part of
June that the government agreed to ac-
cept the services of women as nurses,
but from that time on till the wars
conclusion more than 500 women served
their country by nursing its defend
ers. Everywhere their conduct met
with unqualified approval from the sur
geons, while their devotion and self
sacrifice proved an inspiration to their
patients.
When the war department early in
June began to consider the necessity
of corps of nurses as an auxiliary to
the medical departn. ent, one of the seri-
Gus questions which Immediately arose
was that of TRANSPORTATION. No spe-
cial fund for this emergency had been
1nTt fn1,1 ,v-n 1,I
other plan been adopted in regard to
the management of such an auxiliary
branch. The problem was finally solved
by charity, and to the thousands of
patriotic men and women of the coun-
try who contributed for this object is
largely due the credit for the showing
made by the nurses and the consequent
preservation of life. The first of the
large relief organizations to pay spe-
cial attention to the subject of nurses
was the Red Cross society. At the re
quest of the womens committee on
auXiliaries Of that society, an auxiliary
known as No was organized on May
Is to provide funds for the maintenance
of trained nurses. 1t was the original
intention of the society to place the
nurses to be maintained bv the auXii--
larry on a hospital ship to be furnished
by the national relief committee. This
plan was abandoned early, it being
found that more good could be done
by using the funds collected in supply
ing trained nurses to the camps and
hospitals.
The government soon after the be-
ginning of hostilities, with a view to
meet a possible emergencr organized
a committee of competent women to
select women nurses if they We're need
ed. This committee consisted of DR..
Anita Newcomb MCGEE Miss Mary
re re Nfr-
Amos G. Draper. The members of the
committee were all members of the
Daughters of the American Revolution,
and it became known as the hospital
corps of that society. DR.. MCGEE. as
director. and the others as assistants.
represented the surgeon general in all
matters pertaining to- the nurses. The
Red Cross society at first acted indie
pendently of DR.. MCGEE and her assist
ants, but without much success. Cen
eral Sternberg for some time refused
all outside offers of nurses, and at one
time it looked as if the plans of the
society in regard to the nurses would
fall through. An understanding, how
ever. with the government was reached
finally at conference held on July IS
between the secretary of war. the sur
"eOn general and committee of the
Red Cross society. In letter from
General Sternberg to Mrs. Whitelaw
Reid. the president of the auxiliary
maintaining the nurses written the
day after the conference, the views of
tho surgeon general were set forth. He
said:
II am quite willing to EMPLOY female
nurses vouChed for by yourself as Sec
rotary of the Red Cross Society for
Maintenance of Trained Nurses. I had
previously made very satisfactory ar
rangements for the employment of
trained female nurses through a COM
mittee of the Daughters of the Ameri-
can Revolution. AS 7 said to you dur
ing our interview, 7 recognize the value
of trained female nurses in general