The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-16
TO NURSE SICK IN China
War Department Preparations for
Work in the Field.
Being Made to Send
FIFTY or One Hundred Trained
Women in Case Their Services Arc
Needed Many Applications Re
ceived Qualifications Required.

Unless the war in China proves less Sc
rious than is expected, between fifty ana
one hundred women nurses will soon ne
with General Chsffee's army to care for
the sick and the wounded among the Amer
lean troops
The only reason which has prevented the
despatch of nurses already is the fear that
no protection could be afforded them
against the hordes of Chinese Boxers. Cen
eral Chaffee has had his hands so full with
the problem of relieving the Ministers
that he has not communicated any de-
spatches in regard to the need or the safety
of nurses.
In view however. of the success which
has followed his advance on Pekin, it Is
believed that he will be able to afford
plenty of safeguards for the women needed
in the military hospitals. Accordingly the
Surgeon Generals Office is busy with plans
to forward him all that he will need.
The transport Grant. which recently
reached China, carried seventeen women
nurses, intended for the Philippines Moth
ing has been heard from them, however,
and il is deemed probable that General
Chaffee ordered them to remain at Taku or
Tientsin to look after his sick. He has
referred to the hospital at Tientsin, and 1t
is likely that the allies have a joint es
tablishmeIt there. As no nation save
America is believed to have a force of
women nurses there, the seventeen who
sailed on the Grant are. certain to have
their hands full if they were retained ac
Tientsin In such circumstances, OF course,
all the nations would work thoroughly to-
gether and the American women under the
Red Cross would look after the wounded
British. Japs, Russians, Germans and all
the others Of the allies, as readily as they
would attend the Americans. There are
close to $4,000 of the allies between Taku
and Tientsin. and even with the low sick
rate of per cent there would be more
than 800 of them in hospital Under nor
NAL conditions one nurse is allowed TO ten
men. In China each of the seventeen wo-
men nurses, II. indeed they are there,
would have nearly one hundred patients
on her hands.
The need CT more women nurses Is ac-
cordingly most urgent. and the Surgeon
Generals office is planning TO send as
many as shall be needed. Unless condi-
lions change for the better it is expected
that close to leo will be sent.
The department is flooded with applica-
tious for the service. Hundreds OF names
are now on ale. Girls whose sweethearts
or brothers are in the Far East want TO
go along as army nurses. There is some
thing about the work which fascinates
girls in all ranks of life Most OF them,
however. are disappointed in trying to get
appointments The War Department has
no use for inexperienced women for so
arduous place. Army nursing is a most
serious and important business, and it is
no place for amateurs. Among the hundreds
of applications received the Department Is
able to pick. Accordingly it sets its quail
fications very high.
In the first place the candidate must
be not less than twenty-five years old.
which cuts out two-thirds Of the apDli-
cants. and she must be not more than
forty-hve years old. As a matter of fact
most of those in active service are around
thirty. Then in order 10 get place the
nurse must have had two years training
in one of the schools where a standard
course is prescribed.
As a basis for all this, the girl must
have a bill of health from physician and
must come well recommended as to her
character. II accepted she Will be paid
a salary of $50 a month in China, with an
increase when appointed chief nurse.
There are a number of nurses at the Pre-
sidio Hospital in San Francisco. where
they have been in training. From these
the nurses for Chinese service Will be
drawn. for it is the policy of the Depart
ment not to send nurses for duty abroad
unless they have had at least four months
service in the soldiers hospitals here.
The increase in hospital accommodations
in the Philippines has called for many
fresh nurses there lately. Whenever a
garrison is established SO securely as to
make it safe for a woman nurse to be
located there, one is despatched. At pres
ent about 250 OF them are in the Philip
pines, and the number will be raised TO
300. 1t is not planned to withdraw any OF
them for service in China. Nurses from
the United States will be sent.
1t is expected that the chief hospital
will be at Nasasaki. in Japan. Many OF |
the nurses will be kept there Without |
doubt, however. many more will be in the |
temporary hospitals to be established in |
the wake of the advancing columns.