The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-29
WOMEN In SESSION.
Month";! Meeting of the Local Fed
Grafton OF Clubs.


Grafton OF Clubs.
The local Federation of WomeDs C ubs
held its regular monthly meeting at Will
lard's Hotel last evening. Mrz. Carrie NJ.
Kent, president of the organization, pre-
sided. Notwithstanding the p evaiiing
weather conditions. the importance of he
meeting attracted many club woven.
The members of the organizat! on are
loking forward with great deal OF antic:-
patton to the numerous conventions of
women's organizations which wi be held
here in February, among them being the
Mothers Congress, and the gatherings of
the Council Of Women ami the Womcns
National Press Association. The fo.Io ~ ing
delegates were elected to the Mothers
Congress: Mrs. Carrie Kent. Mrs. Bars
land, and Mrs. McCreery; and to the Codn-
ell Of Women. Mrs Beiva Lockwood. Mrs
Mussey, and Mrs. Kent. The members of
the federated clubs will AL be frate! nal
delegates TO the convention OF the pen
women.
The most important matter brought be-
fore the meeting last night was the subject
of the employment of graduate women
nurses in the hospital service of the Amer
lean Army. Mrs. Judith Ellen Foster
counsel to the committee appointed to Sc
cure this employment by act of Congress,
detailed Inc contents OF Il Dill.
This bill provides for the creation Of
nursing service commission, military and
civil, part of which shall be composed
of women. 1t is the purpose to give this
commission the power of general super
vision OF the graduate nurses service of
the army The bill also provides for the
establishment of thoroughly graded syS-
tenn of graduate nurses. This service is
to be responsible to the surgeons-in- chief
a Ctrn Mt ,1arf
of women's nurses in the War Department
in this city. to the Surgeon General of
the Army, and to the nursing service COM
mission. The commission itself will con-
sist OF seven members. Four will be
officials of the War Department. The re-
naming three will be women. Two of
the latter must be trained nurses.
The bill does not require that women
nurses shall be placed in small military
hospitals in times of peace, but provides
for their service in hospitals at the larger
posts, and for an eligible list of competent
nurses who could be called into immediate
service in time OF emergency.
The general provisions OF the BILL in
Guiding the minor details concerning the
administration of the proposed system.
are based upon the belief that a military
hospital should be conducted on the prin-
cipleS OF knowledge and responsibility
which prevail in civil hospitals, adapted
so as to maintain army discipline and mill
tary dignity.
Mrs. Foster brought the proposed law be-
fore the meeting in the following words:
The war OF the past summer revealed
the need of larger and better trained
nursing service in the hospitals of the
army. The trained nurse has come to
have distinct professional existence.
There was until the war no such need.
The lack of a regularly established
governmental system for the work of wom-
en- nurses gave ample scope for individual
effort and for each and every volunteer
organization to serve as best it could
vast amount of work WIS done. many SOL
diers were helped, and many lives saved
As result OF practical experience these
workers reached clearly defined conclu-
sions as to the need of better nursing
service in the army, and the means by
which such service could be secured and
maintained.
"A number of women who were thus in
formed recently called meeting to con-
slider the results of their experience and
observation. and to embody their sugges-
tons in plan. The outcome was the ap-
pointment of a committee to secure by
act Of Congress the employment OF grad
uate women nurses in the hospital service
of the army.
THE committee was chosen to represent
the general interest OF the home. the phil
anthropic interest of relief associations.
and the professional interest of various as
socfations of graduate nurses.
1T now rests with The intelligence of
the country to speak through Congress and
TO determine whether or not the contin-
uous service of trained women nurses in
military hospitals in times of peace and
war shall be provided for by United States
statutes and army regulations This COM
mittee has drafted bill which is now
before Congress. The committee believes
that the soldier in the service of the coun-
try should receive the same high grade of
nursing care as we'll as medical treatment
in a military hospital which the civilian
receives in civil hospital, and that train
ing in no other profession, even though
it be kindred one can give the necessary
knowledge and command OF the countless
vital details OF the work.
The committee which was authorized to
endeavor 10 secure the passage of the
nursery service bill consists OF the follow
ing: Chairman. Mrs. Winthrop Cowdin;
vice chairman. Mrs. Whitelaw Reid; sec
rotary and treasurer Miss Laura u. Gill:
executive committee. Mrs. W. II. Arm
strong. Hampton. Va: Mrs. W. Bayard
Cutting, New York City: Mrs. Amos c.
Draper Washington, ID. c.; Mrs. ". H.
Osborn, New York City; Miss Louisa Lee
schuyler, New York City: Mrs Hunter
Rcbb. president Associated Alumnae OF
Trained Nurses; Miss a. C. Maxwell, su-
perin;endent of nurses. Presbyterian Hos
pftaI, New York; Miss G. NJ Neyins. su-
perintendent of nurses. Garfield Memorial
Hospital, Washington, d. c.; Mrs L. W.
Quintard, directress of nurses. St Luke's
Hospital, New York: Miss Linda Richards.
superintendent of nurses. University OF
pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia. Pa;
Miss Irene Sutliffe. directress of nurses.
New York Hospital. New York: Miss Mary
L. Wadley, graduate of Bellevue Training
School. New York: Miss Ellen NJ Wood.
graduate of Johns Hopkins Training
School. Baltimore, Md.
Much interest was manifested in the ex-
PLANTATION OF the nursery service PROPOSE
ton by Mrs. Foster. Numerous reports
were read showing progress in the work
of caring for children in the streets, the
care of horses the increase of the police
department and other matters
Mrs. Ellen S. Mussey spoke favorab,y
OF the revision of the code OF District
laws which has just been completed by
Justice Cox. Mrs. Mussey was appointed
a committee OF one TO offer suggestions for
certain changes In some portions of the
code relating 10 women and children.