Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-23

This expedition, being shortly after
abandoned, she returned home and was
decorated by the queen with the order
of the Royal Red Cross.
After the victory Of Omdurman the
English nurses did good service. A
steamer, the Mayflower, piled up and
down the Nile between Assuan and
Cairo carrying the wounded to and
from, the Cairo hospital. Many pathetic
and amusing incidents We're reported
showing the spirit in which the work
| or the nurses was appreciated, One
anecdote Is told of soldier who pos
itiyely refused to be put to bed until
he had, to the best of his ability, wash
ed off blood and mud-this for fear that
he would soil the spotless bed linen of
the hospital cot.
| One reason that the Red Cross society
| fiourishes SO well in England is be-
cause of the great interest aiken in its
work by the queen. During the Crimean
war this lady's distress over the made
quate hospital accommodations almost
Frustrated her. The sovereign, with the
ladies of her court, prepared bandages
and lint with her own hands, and when
the first detachment of the wounded
was sent home visited the hospital to
thank them personally for their serv-
ices to their country.
When Florence Nightingale came
home after the Crimean war and tried
to slip quietly to her country home, her
sovereign commanded her presence at
court, and there entertained the dis
tinguished woman with courtesy and
tcordiality that might have been ex-
tended to princess.
! The Duchess of York's eldest brother
Prince Alexander of Teck; the queens
nephew, Prince Christian of Sleswick-
| Holstein. and many former court Off
Gals, are serving in the African cam
paign, so that the interest of the royal
family in this war is especially intense.
Besides, it is well known that the queen
/ has a hatred of warfare md all it's
attendant horrors; therefore she is
anxious to promote the efficiency of
anything that will diminish suffering
and death on the field. Tho Princess
of Wales, who has been visiting her
father, the king of Denmark, cut short
her visit in order that she might aid
in every possible way the preparations
for the care of the wounded. The prin-
cess is much interested in the work of
trained nurses and is a frequent visitor
to the training hospital a. Netley,
where the Royal Red Cross nurses are
received. Everything connected with
the great army and navy of England
| interests her, her most intimate friends
being the wives of army officers. She
is always foremost in any movements
| for the benefit of sick soldiers or sail
ors. Princess Victoria, the Duchess of
York, Princess Christian and the OUCH
i eSs of Fife are all interested in Red
4 Cross work.
The great English training school for
army nurses is at Netley., Here every
army surgeon, every orderly of the
nursing corps and every Red Cross sis
ter takes az course of training The
sisters receive at the piers soldiers who
come home on the transports from Eng
lands military stations all over the
world. A shipload of haggard. unshav-
en- and dirty patients will be brought
in and in less than an hour, so perfect
is the system in this magnificent hos
ptal, all are lying clean and comfort
able in their cozy cots in the great,
! cheerful wards. Recently Queen Vic
toria. in company with Lord Kitchener,
went down to Netley to visit and in
spect the hospital.
The uniform of the English Red Cross
nurses consists of gray gown, white
apron, collars and cuffs and a scarlet
cape. The red cross is worn on the
cuffs and apron front in time of war
To enter the service as regular
nurse a woman must be not under % or
| over 80 years of age. She must belong
to a family of known responsibility
and good standing and must have
shown that she is possessed Of tact,
| good temper and ability. For six
months the student is retained at Net
ley, and. if satisfactory, is then drafted
off to the hospitals at Chatham, Chel-
sea. Gibraltar. Malta or Westminster.