The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-21

Nuns, eight PrCteStallL olStei7. ot-\ M
flcm ST Johns Institute and fourteen
selected from the hospitals Ihey TOOK
IN their quarters at the Barrack Hospital
On the eve of Inkerman. and were in
time to receive the wounded from that
battle into wards already filled with 2,vtJ
patients
DEVOTION AND ENDURANCE.
rh, rows OF sufferers could be rcc1oned
nv miles. in a few months the iadS-ln
chief had 10000 cases under her charge
Tho amount of toll which confronted the
devoted band of sisters WAS without pa
r,liel but they We're Inspired ana sus-
tanned by the almost superhuman el-
dur&rce of their leader whose brave
heart seemed TO impart TO her slender
frame the strength of stssi. On occa-
stems when deta chments OF wounded ar
rived. the laGy-in-chef was known to
stand for twenty hours at a stretch, Civ
ing directions, dispensing stores, and as
sistinG at operations. III the dead OF
night. when others WORKOUT with fatigue
usre snatchiug a few hours OF slumbeT,
Miss Nightingale. lamp III hand, would
1h cad her way through the silent wards
overseeing everywhere. letting not the
smallest detail escape her vigilance.
Longfef.ow depicts such q scene in the
well-known lines:
10. III tiiflt liott->S VI Aiii.'eA"
\ lady with ] lamp l see
Pass through the glimmerinS gloom
An lit from rom TO room.
And SLOW. as 4 dream of bliss
The speeches. sufferer turns to kiss
Her shadow. as it falls
Upon the daikeninG walls.
AS if n door from heaven should be
~, tbar closof suddenly
The vision came and went
The light shown and was spent.
Cn fngland's annals, through the lons
Hereafter Of her speech and song.
That light its rays shall cast
from the portals Of the past.
4 lady with a lamp shall stand
IL the great history of the land.
\ noble type OF good
Heroic woranhood.
The sight OF tEiiS devotion on the part
Of delieately 1lurtured ladies exercised a
refining influence on the toughest of the
soldiers. The CUSTOMARY oaths and coarse
expressions died on their lips Admiration
and reverence for the gentle being who
went to and fro in their midst became
to them as the articles OF religion. In
such hallowed presence pain was robbed
OIL us lOt5ll>suSS, CSSll NCstliA 1JSI Soi1AS 70
its sting.
Under the gentle influence Of the sis
tiers the regenerating TO ces wrought Won
ders. AS If by magic the place became
rletamorphosed. Healing rays of hope
begun to penetrate the atmosphere. Mean
time sanitary measures were at work
Mr.. Herbert with wise forethought. had
sent letters to the medical Off ers re
Questing that every assistance should be
given to Miss Nigh.ingale. With met
| ing intuition she attributed the high NOR.
| tally to the wretched sanitary conditions
! Having happily recognized the causes
| she had SET to work with chara cteristic
energy to remove them. The consistent
lly high death rate began to WAIVER ano
rapidly to fall; ~ per cent. was reduced
| to 81 per cent, this III a few weeks
gave way to Il per cent, and so down tc
10 to s.. to 4, until equilibrium was agair
reached at per cent: a figure even below
that OF the military hospitals of that tins
Sin England.
STRICKEN BY FEVER:
! These wond erful almost mira lots,.re:
lSsults wore not, however; accornpl Ies5