Omaha daily bee., 1899-09-15

patient TO catch a glimpse OF the novel
scenes | knew awaited me l left others to
attend to the baggage and wandered OIL
into the streets adjoining the captain OF the
ports office. Behold / was no longer q
stranger in a strange land There l found
American soldiers, with familiar 'Neb.' On
their coat collars. Soon l had little
crowd about me, they telling me how was
the first American woman they had seen Cor
months, and l telling them how had been
reared in Nebraska and how much Luat
same 'Neb' meant to me.
Couldn't stay sick.
But the sick list continued to increase,
and out of consideration for this and the
excellent work done the regiment was
moved 70 Santa Mesa, the beautiful camp
ing ground on the Pasig river. This COM
fort could not last. They had come to
Manila to fight, and soon there was fight
ing for all A Nebraska boy fred the first
shot Of the insurrection. All night long
that shot echoed and re-echoed through
this suburb OF Manila, up and down the
Pasig river. From that time on wherever
the bullets were the thickest, there we're
the First Nebraska troops. In the hospital
people would exclaim when wounded were
brought in, Great heavens! more Ne
braskans.' Or More NebraslSans, will there
be any OF them left?'
I'VE OF the hospital force saw them
brought in day by day and the sympathy
for them became strong But they asked
for no sympathy. They had come to fight
and fight they did. Soon came the news
that Colonel Stotsenburg had been killed.
The night before had seen and talked with
him. and the next day at noon heard that
he was dead.
Few men will ever forget their one trip
in the little hospital launch up or down
the river. And few of us women will ever
forget how we listened for the three
whistles that told us wounded were nearing
the hospital. or how bravely they bore their
suffering when there.
Colonel woodhulrs Value.
Colonel Woodruff who took charge OF
the medical department a few months ago,
is certaisly good man in his place. Per-
haps 1 approve of him because he loves
the scrubbing brush as l love 1t, and clean
liness Is the first requisite OF good hos
pttal. / saw in his early movements that
he would bring about satisfactory con-
dition in the diet for the sick and in the
general order and cleanliness OF the wards.
Good hospital corps men-of which there
are many-snd earnest trained nurses, who
|
l think, an able overseer.
There is one point about which wish
to speak especially and about which l al
ways speak when opportunity offers. There
should be a large enough number of good
trained nurses, cent to the islands to dc
the skilled work required in the hospital
there. No women should be sent as nurses
unless they have diplomas from good train
ing schools, of we'll established hospitals in
| America. 1t Is skilled labor in this line
that is required. And the wounded American
soldier has a right to 1t. / have heard that
the government has lately sent more women
nurses, and l hope that this report is true
There were certainly not sufficient number
| when l left the islands in June.
Hospital Corps Men.
'while speaking upon the subject OF nurses
would say there has an erroneous idea
gone forth that all hospital corps men are
useless shiftless and lazy. / have known
many men who worked as honestly and con-
| scientiously as any woman nurse could, fol
the good Of the patients under their care
| Was young Ladlier shiftless or lazy wher
he gave his life on the field OF battle fol
his wounded comrades? / have been told
| that he did the work of three men. His
| name should 80 down with that Of Colone
Stotsenburg, Captain Forby, Fred Pegler
Sergeant Cook and Captain Sissons, and
many others, whom you all will forever
| honor, as the Nebraska heroes of the Fill
pino insurrection."