The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-16

institutions make them 9ratuffiee ct
amounts sufficient fox their incidental
expenses and books hut nothing more.
a. they are made clearly 10 understand
that u they went to another kind Of in-
stitutton to acquire the education OF
nurse. instead Of being paid they would
themselves be compelled 10 advance con-
siderable sums for tuition Then IS hope
springs eternal. even In the breast OF
nurse. the candidate lives in expectation
Of making from s. 10 IS day after her
graduation, and perhaps. also. OF becom-
ting a superintendent Of nurses in one OF
the great hospitals. and Of deveioping
into q Florence Nightingale.
With regard 10 her compensation. there
IL a very mistaken imprs ssion IN the pub
tic mind People cannot exactly understand
why nurse should be paid more than
servant. Why the woman who watches the
sick should ask for her services a remuner-
alton equal to that OF the chief Clerk in y
railroad Office The answer IL easy. and
when understood II fully satisfactory. She
Is not servant. but a woman with pro-
fensSon. which ii has cost her years OF
study ard labor and often much self-deniai
to acquire. When in charge Of special
case she b on duty all the time, liable 10
be called at any moment during the twen-
ty-four hours. II occasionally relieved by
members OF the family to take q little ex-
erciee or much needed rest, that Is all she
can expect. She il. In sense, the doctors
assistant. and % important are her serv-
ices considered that during her entire
course of education she has every day inn
pressed upon her mind the fact that she
snust be in close sympathy with the physi-
clan In charge. and that II Is her duty to
do all she can TO inspire the patient with
confidence In the ability Of the doctor TO
handle the case to the best advantage.
Considering her responsibility. therefore.
the number OF hours she Is on duty when
In charge OF case. ana the fact that the
nurse often holds in her hands the issues
OF life ard death, the pay OF the trained
nurse, instead OF being exoroitantiy large.
II really very modest, and not q; all pro-
portioned to the value OF the service she Is
capable OF rendering.
The profession Is not considered as spe-
cially unhealthy. although one hospital SUI
perintendent In the city makes the signifi-
cant statement that the average life Of
nurse is but ten years. According to the
testimony Of several. nurses enjoy rather
unusual immunity from disease. the fact
bsing due. no doubt, to the extraordinary
precautions taken in all institutions of this
kind against both contagion and infection.
One prominent physician recently remark
de In the course of conversation on the
subject: 1.-The only clean place on earth
q
have difficulty in persuading housekeepers
OF the fact. the statement has a foundation
OF solid truth. for only In hospital Is the
danger of infection fully understood and
carefully guarded against.
To the mind Of the uninitiated. the work
seems disagreeable. as well as arduous. II
y an occupation little sought by men. al
though there are fiourishing schools for
male nurses Women, however, are natur-
ally better adapted to the work, having a
gensleness Of manner and delicacy OF touch
which men not only lack. but are often UNI
able to acquire. The female nurse is. there
fore. product not only OF the highest CIV
ilixation. but also Of the perfection OF med
ical science The graduate Of a nurses
training school y q nurse. also a cook. a
chemist q housekeeper. TO some extent a
practical physician. and surgeon. and,
above all. ministerinE angel to the wants
and woes Of suffering humanity.