Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-11-10

picking were the newspaper men and
the American nurses. They did not
want either to come here. Both have
been inexpressable nuisances. but
they could not be abated for many
reasons. chief of which was a desire
TO make both believe they were cor
daily welcome. In dealing with the
war correspondents. however the Jap
anese authorities made a very serious
mistake. and by their lack of candor
have provoked Indignation and enmi-
~ when they might have had the good
will and friendship. However. there
have been errors on both sides.
The nurses were more easily dispos-
ed of They have been buried under
compliments and attention and gifts,
and have been sent to the other end
OF Japan. where they are supposed to
he nursing sick soldiers and prisoners
of war. and. so far as we have heard,
they are contented and happy and are
conscious of being International ben
efactors. but they do not realize the
annoyance and anxiety which the Jap
anese have suffered on their account
Public sentiment has expressed
itself In many forms both concerning
The nurses and the correspondents.
and that part Of the community which
has not been responsible for their
well being has manifested the greatest
pleasure and gratitude on account oil
their presence. The nurses were met
at the dock when they landed and at
every railway station over which they
garlands of flowers and other mani.
festations of affection and gratitude.
and their stay at the capital of the
empress was "A continuous fete They
were the guests of the nation; they
We're honored by audiences with the
emperor and the empress and were
entertained by other members of the
imperial family. The nobility and the
aristocracy struggled for the privi-
lege of showing them honor. while
the poor and humble laid flowers at
their feet.
Nevertheless. the medical depart
ment OF the army. which was respon-
sible for their pleasure and comfort
and was required TO take care of them,
was very much upset So far as the
personnel Of the party was concerned
nothing more could be desired, |
doubt whether better examples OF
American womanhood could have
been selected Every citizen of the
United States was proud of its repre-
sentatives in their white cotton caps
and gowns and their long aprons.
which by the way happen 10 be re
markably becoming to every one OF
he party. And that these women
should cross 5000 miles of land and
5000 miles of sea to nurse wounded
and sick Japanese soldiers made the
heart of the whole nation swell with
pride and affection But the medical
department of the army was compell-
ed to contemplate the situation from
a different point of view The Amer
lean nurse cannot speak nor under
stand Japanese nor any other Ian.
guage but English Hence very few
of the army surgeons or soldiers can
converse with them. They cannot
communicate with their patients or
their doctors; they cannot under.
stand the symptoms of one nor under
stand the instructions of the mother
If one of the patients under their
charge should ask for something not
one of the American nurses would
know whether he wanted drink of
water or the latest edition OF the Jap,
lnese encyclopedia. If patient be
taken worse suddenly or should have
spasm. they would he utterly help
| less. and in order to enable them to
perform any duty whatever the doc
| tors were compelled to furnish each
| of the American nurses an Interpreter
But that is not all The American
| nurses cannot eat Japanese food or
| live in the Japanese style Hence II
has been necessary for the medical
department to spend lot of money
| and take a lot of trouble To remodel
one of the houses at the Hiroshima
| hospital in modern style and employ
| European cooks to make them com
| Portable. Thus they have not only
been a burden but an expense, and the
surgeons in charge have been In a
| pcsl'lon 10 sympathiZe with the gen
| tleman in the story when the emperor
honored him with the gift OF n white
elephant.
Nor We're the nurses needed. Nc
other nation has SO complete and per
feet hospital organization as Japan
Like everything else connected with
the army, II is absolutely perfect
The hospital corps on the 3lst oi
March consisted of the following:
| Fourteen surgeons general
Two hundred and ninety-one sur
geons.
Forty-five apothecaries and pharm
icists.
Nineteen hundred and twenty won
en nurses.
Seven hundred and sixty.three mer
nurses.
Four hundred and fifty-seven cooke
laundresses and other servants.
Two hospital ships.
Four hundred and sixty-nine field
strelchers
Three hundred and ninety.eight
cases of medicine and surgical instru
ments.