Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-01-30
The Butler County General Hos
pital.


tablished in fact / had never heard
ANYTHING that was not complimentary
in the highest degree. All accounts
concurred that it was most admirably
conducted That it was most com-
Portable and homelike place. That pa
tients were cared for most tenderly, and
that everything was just as sweet and
clean and dainty as it was possible TO
be. The general tone of this informa-
ton was to the effect that one could be
treated there far more efficiently and
made far more comfortable than could
be the case in his own home even under
most favoring conditions. All of which
did much to dispel the notion, quite
natural to one uninitiated, that hospl
tai is a sort of prison of horrors. But
having been lately so unfortunate
no, / should say so fortunate-as to be
an inmate for few weeks, / feel con-
strained to say that the half has not
| been told and l want to spread the
news.
Here the people of Butler county have
an institution which not only lncltes
their admiration but invokes their love
and appeals to their humane feelings.
| A century of growth for the county mas
at length put forth possibly the sweetest
opening bud on its century plant IN this
| helpful, merciful retreat. a charming.
cheerful place to be when one is helpless
still more so when convalesc1Dg.
What is it like7 An admirably plan
ned building full of light and sunshine
Floors polished and laid with rugs; walls
and ceilings in granite plaster and beau
| tifully frescoed In every apartment a
handsome modern fireplace, snowy
couch and a tidy dressing case Before
| a patient enters his room the floor, the
walls, the ceiling, the rugs, everything
has been thoroughly clarified and cleans
ed. and he is confronted with such an
utter purity it seems that the very cher
ubs Of sweetness and cleanliness are
nestled there to be his lovely compan-
| ions
But what about the personnel of the
institution? This consists of a number
of graduate trained young lady nurses
under whose sole management IT is con-
Quoted. With the exception or the or
derlies no men are there at all The
Young ladies wear a uniform costume
very dainty in form and cut. Their
movements are gracefulness itself
their footsteps shod with silence-thelr
voices sweetly modulated. They ad-
dress each other formally and are so ad-
dressed by all others-as for instance,
Miss De We're, Miss La Folette, or what
ever tie surname may be. Invariably
the patients are formally addressed by
them. The formalities of the hour are
| inviolably observed. the good mornings,
good evenings and good nights being
never omitted. In short all the social
amenities and charming graces peculiar
| to the daily household life of the high
est classes are the rule OF action, com
prehensive information of which was
handed over to the graduates by well
| informed instructors. But do not infer
from this that there is anywhere an air
| of coldness and undue restraint. Far,
very far from ii. For if there is any
one characteristic of theirs which is as
prominent as any other it is their Jovlal-
ity. Become patient once and they IL
jolly you along for all there is in it.
You'll find you are having a splendid
good time. better than a picnic, and
when you come away you'll say you
had more fun than ever you had in
your life before. Here again do not in
fer that there is any, even the slightest
degree of vulgar laxity of demeanor.
This could not be possible. The cere-
monials and the jovialities are so ex-
quisitely blended and balanced that the
net result is perfect ease of department
marked at once by charming modesty
and elegant gaiety.
This unvarying cheerfulness is chief
characteristic of the trained nurse, in
itself a mighty potent ally of the
physicians drugs. Another is that they
obey the doctors directions with the
same degree of obedience that trained
soldier obeys the orders of his superior
officer over and above all these are
their thousand and one tender ministra-
tions, known only to themselves, and
which sweetly taffie description. In
very truth, trained nurse is but another
name for ministering angel. And yet
after all they are 80 Delightfully."- human;
for the dainty creatures will come fut-
tering into your room, sometimes three
or four in a flock, Just like so many
sweet-throated thrushes, and therel be
such chattering and laughing and fun
making as never you heard in all your
born days You can't play oil on your
charming companions and prolong your
felicitous stay when convalescent, for
turn about they have taken your tenn
perature and counted yonr pulse every
morning and evening Of your stay, all
Of which became part OF the daily
hospital record. Thenceforth they pay
attention exclusively to the patients and
the doctor promptly gives you your
walking papers Now. If whenever
and AS often as, person gets ont Of
whark, he would only pull mp stakes
aud 20 right away over there among the
girls-why, a man ought TO live to be as
old as Methusaleh.
Perhaps fairly correct idea of the
daily workings Of the institution may
be given by narration of several Incl
dents that happened during my sojourn
there. A lady who was stranger fell
i'll unto death in the town, and the doc.
tor, seeing that dissolution was ques
ton of but few days, at most, sent her
to the hospital, in order that the last
consultations which earth can give might
be more efficiently rendered. and ii
trained and gentle hand might smooth
the dying pillow. The fateful days
passed by and the end was near. Mer-
ciful tenderness had waited upon her
wants and the last sad offices had been
performed. The shrived and peuitent
mortal crossed her arms upon her breast
and closed her eyes to await deaths
solemn call. Only the tireless vigil of
the watchful nurse was left to do. AT
length she was startled by voice froEl
the couch-a voice very weak, very
low, but still andible. 1t said, MY
dear, you must be very tired-do please
lie down and rest" Transixed stood
the nurse at this amazing thoughtful
ness for the comfort Of others-this sis
terly compassion-in the hour Of awe.
But midnight came and went And
when at last the witching time had
come, gently the spirit took it's flight,
and all was over. Long before dawn
the ambulance arrived upon ita noise
less springs. Even the horses were
noiseless too. That horrid. grating
sound Of showing the rough box in was
absent. Everything was still Then
there came void, as il all these mater
ial evidences OF the tragedy Of human
life had silently vanished in a quick,
dissolving mist. Ny fellow patients
and myself were kept in blissful ignor-
ance OF these events. We did not even
suspect them. We heard nothing Next
morning the cheerful nurses made their
usual jolly rounds and the same feIni-
nine laughter sweetly echoed through
the corridors. ID was not until conyal
escinR that the nurgc entertained ne
with the foregoing narrative.
On another occasion little boy ~
eight years was brought n by bis father
from the country with "a hand badi,
mangled by accident The moth was
tied TO their home By other little chil
dren and household cares After skill
full treatment had failed 10 spare bin
the amputation ~ finger, and after he
had emerged from his merciful trance.
and as soon as he realized his surround