Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-04-12
Copyright by J. u. Dowles.J
By Anita N. Niece

tDr. Anita Ncwcomh McGcc is the one
woman IN this country who has held :,
commission as AN officer OF the United
SAtes army. During the Spanish Amer
lean war. as director OF the hospital corps
cfganizcd by the Army ana Navy chapter
Or the Daughters OF the American Revo-
iution. OF which society she was vice presc
appointed assistant surgeon of the army.
During the war she was constantly on
uuty, visiting hospitals and batuehclds IN
the lrmy's trained nurses. She was
prominently connected with the Japanese
Russia Dr. Mctiee studied abroad at
Cambridge and tho University OF Geneva.
She was graduated from Columbia uni
took special course at Johns Hopkins
hospital She is a fellow of the American
association for the Advancement OF
Scicncc.)
An army has always two parts.
Ono part is the actual fighters. who
work, suffer and die and at the end
receive all the glory. The other part
is those who provide for the fighters.
They also work and suffer and die,
but at the end they are ignored and
afterward forgotten.
There are naturally very few WON.
EN- who have achieved glory in the
fighting part of an army, though the
amazons are we'll known and Semira-
mis-. Zenobia and Jeanne dare were
commanders of armies. In former
times, however. many woman con.
cealed her sex and took her place in
the ranks as n man, though, from the
nature of the case. not many OF their
names are known. Among those who
apliStQU in Our acknowledgements, orn,,.
were Deborah Sampson. Elizabeth
Canning and Molly Macauley. and the
last.named won the grade of sergeant
. before being discovered II has been
estimated that during our civil war no
less than 400, women contrived by
somo means or other to enlist as sol.
diers. The most recent instance OF
fghting women was In the Transvaal
war when many a bursher's wife han
died a weapon at his side and many
were taken prisoners. some OF them
being dressed as men. 1t is quite
common for the royal women of leu.
rope today 10 hold honorary commits.
sions. generally as colonies. and al
though not expected to take command
In time OF actual war. they do wear
their uniforms and ride with their
troops on occasions of ceremony.
But, after all. the true story of
women In armies relates to their part
in providing and caring for the fight.
ers. The present elaborate organiza.
tion OF armies is of comparatively re.
cent growth, and originally the
greater part of the cooking and OF the
nursing OF soldiers was done by their
hardy female relatives, who were as
well able as themselves to bear tho
fatigues OF the campaign. II Is al.
ways easier TO procure new soldier
than 1t Is to cure one who is sick or
wounded. and the humane medical
corps, as one of the departments or
an army, was growth of the last
century. During the middle ages the
care OF the sick was largely left to
tho great catholic order of knights
and the orders of sisters who were
affiliated with them. On the continent
of Europe to-day, although a large
majority of army nurses are men. vet
In most countries there are few
sisters OF catholic orders who not only.
continue to follow the troops in timo
OF war. but who serve as head nurses
in large army hospitals in time OF
peace.
About the beginning of the last cen.
fury the idea of systematic training
in the principles and practice of ear.
ing for the sick had it's origin In Ger.
many. where one of the earlier stu.
dents OF the art was Florence Night.
ingale. Like untold thousands of
women before her, she went forth
to the great battle with death in the
hospitals. taking with her to the
Crlmea 80 women. of whom Is were
! sisters of catholic or protestant or.
ders. Other nurses Joined her later.
4 This war gave great stimulus to
"