The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-02-28
To NURSE OUR HEROES
The Ministering Angels OF
Our Future Wars.
ORGANIZE FOR PEACE OR WAR
Mrs. Hunter Robb starts a Movement for
Trained Nurses to Take Care Of Our Boys
in Future Conniots-None bot Those
Fully Competsnt VIII BE Employed
Training Essential In Order to Obtain
the Best Possible Results.

New York. Feb. 4.-Touched by the sut-
fering OF our soldiers I'm the late war.
the compassionate women OF the United
states have risen in their gentle nigh.
and vow that never again shall wounded
heroes be left 10 suffer and die for lack
OF proper nursing. Foremost among the
women who have inaugurated a move
ment to insure proper attention to the
soldier in hospital is Mrs. Hunter Robb.
OF 1872 Euclid avenue. Cleveland. Ohio
Mrs. Robb. who is President of the As
ISOLATED Alumnae OF Trained Nurses.
called together in New York the women
who she knew sympathized ws.h her plan.
and, with the aid OF such Well-known la
dies as Mrs. Whifelaw Reid Mrs. Win
throp Cowdin. Mrs. Amos G.. Draper. and
Mrs. w Bayard Cutting. she set the
wheels TO work TO enlist the ser
vices Of every influential man and wo-
man desiring 10 remedy the frightful
wrongs of the patriots. who, for lack of
womanly attention. suffered such horrors
in the recent campaign.
No effort has teen made by these WON.
en- TO court adulation. So quietly and I'M
oste.itatiously have they proceeded in the
Foundation work OF their mission o.
mercy that the general public are in ig-
norance of the movement, although a
committee OF women have presented a
bill to Congress in connection with the
merciful plan. Ii was no easy task to in.
duce the humane Inauguration. Mrs. Hun
ter Robb. TO write about her plans. but
after much hesitation. she kindly con-
sented TO permit the publication of the
signed statement that follows:
The need OF a systematic and thorough
ly organized nLrsing service in connection
with the army, both in times of peace and
war, was apparent during the late strug-
gle. During the time of peace the men OF
the army corps appointed for hospital
services seemed to be sufficient, but when
the soldiers went into active service, the
need OF more efficient nursing became at
once apparent. To realize that the train
ed nurses work was most effectual one
has only TO read the reports of the Sur
geon General, the Red Cross Auxiliary
for the Maintenance of Trained Nurses.
and such private reports from the Off
GERS in charge OF camp and fort hospitals
as the following:
L am satisfied that whatever success
we may have had In the treatment OF
our sick and wounded has been I'm a great
measure due to the skill and devotion Of
the women nurses"
Finally, witness the cases OF hundreds
OF sick soldiers who were brought many
weary miles TO civilian hospitals to re-
ceive at the hands Of the hospital nurses
the skilled care that could not be provided
FOR them in camp.
Training Necessary.
But nursing service such as can he
commanded upon short notice. must OF
necessity fall far short of what could be
desired. as IT is necessarily made up OF
good, bad, and very Indifferent material.
In the late war there were 10 be found
working side by side the best trained
and the worst trained from the ranks of
1urses- Working with them were lay
women, representing the patriotic entha-
siast, the philanthropist. those who be-
lieved that nurses are born and require
no particular training. and not a few
women OF questionable reputation, who
as nurses With such a
motley collection what wonder is il that
tales Of the lack of discipline and decency
were mingled with accounts of compe-
tency and excellent work Naturally, too.
the death rate. although even under these
surroundings materially les
sened, was more than IL should have been.
The deduction undoubtedly to be drawn
from what has been said Is that a per
service of trained women nurses
Is as necessary in the army, both in time
OF peace and in war. as IN the civilian
hospitals.
The army nursing bill has Just been
placed before the House of Representa-
tives and the Senate by committee OF
who from experience and OBJ
are In position 10 understand
the requirements OF such a bill 1t gives
the United States an opportunity. through
Its representatives In Congress, to pre-
sent to the world an object lesson In the
proper care of sick and wounded soldiers.
and IL also puts at the command Of the
government a staff OF skilled workers to
be drawn upon in times of epidemics or
other disasters.
Bill Introduced.
The bill now before Congress as drafted
by the committee embodies the following
general provisions, and also many minor
details
/. The creation OF nursing service com
mission, military and civil, q part OF
which shall be women; this commission
10 have general supervision Of the grad
nate nurses service of the United States
army.
?. The establishment of a thoroughly
graded system OF clearly defined and re-
sponsible nursing service by graduated
nurses.
g. This service TO be responsible TO the
surgeon-In-chicf In hospitals and TO a ee..-
.ral superintendent of woman nurses In
he War Department, At Washington. and
% the Surgeon General and the nursing
service commission
l. The bin does not require that WON
an nurses shall be placed In small mill
AIRY hospitals In times Of peace. but does
provide for their service in hospitals al
he larger posts. and for an eligible wait
ng list Of competent nurses, who could
be called into immediate service In time
u emergency.
3 The general provisions OF the bin. and
minor details concerning the administra-
ion Of the proposed system. are basel
upon the belief that a military hospital
should be conducted on the priBcIp,s5 Il
and responsibility which pre-
vail in good city hospitals. adapted. OF
course. so az 10 maintain army discipline
md military dignity.
g. The committee believes that a SOL
lier in the service Of his country should
receive the same high grade Of nursing
are. as well ss medical treatment, In a
military hospital. which The civilian re-
,eiges I'm a civil hospital. ana that train
ng In no other profession-even though
{ be a kindred one-csn give the neces-
'ary knowledge and command % the
countless vital details OF the work.
While acknowledging the efficiency CT
he hospital system In The past, We be-
ieye that TIE advances mads In the pro.
ession OF nursing include and nscessitsfs
he presence of woman nurses n the best
-esultE are TO be insured In military a.
yell as in civil hospitals.
The bill Will be known az The We
mans Nursing Service BIZ" and lrnrae-
Hate action on the part OF every one tn
sreHted I'm our soldiers welfare viii
greatly help 10 carry this important
North Carolit Gold nises B.aKht.
pscisI 70 ne Post.
Charlotte. y. G. Feb. zs.-walter Georgs