Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-08-06
WILD REvELS OF
NURSES IN SOHO
TOLD At PROBE
"High- -Jinks" at Isolation Hos
pitaI Barred, and Two Women
Attendants Are Dropped.
WALTZ ME AROUND, WILLIE
THE TUNE THEY DANCED TO
Internes Often Embraced the
Nurses, Who in Turn Sat on
Their Laps-The Lie Passed.

Their Laps-The Lie Passed.
Staid members of the board of man
ayers of the Isolation Hospital at Sono
were mute in astonishment as they
heard young internes and nurses ad-
NIT that they had many "froliSp In
the parlor in which they were sitting
in Judgment on the charges against
Drs. r. J. Brown and w. B. Patterson
and the Misses Ida Shute and Claribei
Pike. nurses who had been dismissed
from the institution following par
ticularly vigorous "frolc' on Sunday
evening, May 22.
They heard the admission of one
nurse that she sat on the lap OF a
doctor. They heard in detail the doings
of the Sunday evening which SO
reused the ire of DIR. Ricketts, that he
caused the nurses to be relieved with
out ado. They were told that one OF
the nurses frequently ran through the
corridors, yelling and swearing like the
proverbiaI trooper. They were told
that IT was a common scene to witness
internes place their arms about the
necks and waists of the nurses.
Over in the corner Of the room In
which they were seated was player
plano. which furnished the music Tor
the Sunday night revel which just pre-
ceded the sudden leave-takfng or the
two young doctors. They were told
that while the piano was reeiing OH
HAS Anybody Here Seen Kelly!" and
seWaltz Me Around Again Willie" the
Young internes flung the rugs into
heap and pirouetted up and down the
long halls, in dreamy waltzes ana i've
ly two-steps.
Cardboard spoons for ice Cream.
In behalf of the nurses 1t was brought
out that when one of the young women
received her company" one Sunday
night Miss Mary McCue, the neao
nurse, had refused to provide spoons
for the ice-cream brought by the
swain. whereat 1t was told that the
nurse and her young man ana nef
trends were forced to eat the cream
partly with their fingers and party
with irnprovised spoonss ssof cardboaro.
In rebuttal Of this charge Miss McCue
declared that she didn't wantsthe nurses
to receive their company" In the par
lor. She said that after one OF these
company, visits the parlor was left IN
great disorder. She also declared tnat
one OF the nurses, in addition to yell
irp and swearing like a trooper, hao
habit of placing her feet in an alt1tu-
djnai position on window or tne
piano or a tall piece of furniture. wnicn
might be convenient
II was also brought out that in addi-
ton to placing their arms about the
necks and waists of the nurses the in
ternes had a habit of pinching their
noses and that the immoderate laughter
of the Young internes, coupled with the
little screams of anguish of the nurses,
were very distressing to Dr. Ricketts,
and Miss McCue. It was also anything
but discipline, 1t was declared. and
would not be tolerated in any hospital
but Soho.
Iae Passes Between Doctors.
Punctuating the hearing was the
nassing of the lie between DIR. Ricketts,
and DR.. Patterson, one of the accused
doctors. and threat by Dr. Adams
chairman of the meeting. to eject Or
Patterson. After it was all over the
commission went into executive session
and by a mighty close vote found thai
while there was nothing immoral In
the action of the young nurses OF
internes 1t would be well that the
nurses remain suspended"
DR.. Ricketts,, who has charge OF the
institution and suspended the nurses
was the first witness. He read copy
of a letter he had sent DIR. Adams. In
which he stated that five nurses and
two physicians had acted in manner
unbecoming their profession, and thai
he had deemed it wise to suspend, In
definitely, two of the nurses against
whom he had absolute proof of guilt.
'Tf this conduct is permitted to con-
tinue at the institution" he wrote In
the letter, at will cause great scan
dal." Then in the letter he went on tc
explain that Miss Shute was in DR.
Browns room nth the door closed and
that across tn, hall DIR. Patterson ano
several nurses we're having a high olo
time" Later he said DR.. Brown and
Miss Shute came out of DR.. Browns
room and joined the party across the
hall With the advent of the new
comers the player-piano was put into
action, the rugs were taken UP in the
room and in the hall and there was
singing and dancing and other "goings
on
Embracing a la Mode.
This wild scene, Dr. Ricketts, said,
was the elimination of a-series of in
cidents which had immeasurably
shocked him. These incidents. he said,
included the internes placing their
arms about the waists and necks of
the nurses and pulling their noses, all
of which, he said. is against the rules
Of the institution and all institutions
which make any attempt at discipline.
Miss McCue, head nurse at the in
stitution, was next called She said
that the girls were very noisy" and
that frequently she had to reprimand
them. A favorite pastime of Miss Pike.
she said, was to arouse everybody in
the institution by "blood-curdllng
screams"
II had to reprimand Miss Pike on
several occasions" she said. In answer
to a question, she said she had no
doubt but the actions of Miss Pike and
Miss Shute had a demoralizing effect
on the Other nurses. Here Commis-
<fsoutfnueH ON second PareN