The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-07-18
WOMEN IN THE RED CROSS

initiated against their success. The
American Red Cross has lately settled
on a plan which will correct this con-
dition in 1T least one important re-
spect. This has been done by the or
g%a8ization OF the so-called Women's
First Aid Detachments. New as these
attachments are to this country they
are by no means new in certain other
nations where universally they have
had the countenance and support Of
the highest authority and the most
distinguished people. To take only
one example: the Czarina is at the
head of this movement in Russia.
The purpose of these detachments
with US. which while similar is not
identical with that in other countries,
Is to afford women instruction in first
aid, home nursing, cooking and diet
cooking, the preparation of rooms.
buildings, etc, for the reception Of the
i'll and injured, with. in some instances
postgraduate courses in personal
hygiene and sanitation. Moreover,
naturally they serve TO stimulate in
terest in Red Cross work in general.
In order to prepare the ~detachments
for the performance of their duties
the American Red Cross has arranged
a graduated course of instruction eX-
tending over two or three years, as
the case may be. The first year ten
lectures are given on first aid and ten
on nursing. The second year cooking
is taught in twelve lessons and diet
cooking in two. Six periods are also
devoted to teaching what it will be
necessary to provide to take care of
the sick or hurt in an emergency with
proper arrangements for such articles
in any place set aside for the purpose.
a postgraduate course of twenty lee
lures on personal hygiene and santa
ton Is given, but this is not compul-
sorry.
The members of these attachments
are permitted to enroll after passing
the required examinations at the end
of the first year. 1t must be distinct
ly understood that these women are
in no sense Red Cross nurses. From
the instruction received they are,
however, individually much better pre-
pared to take emergency care OF the
family and others in case OF illness or
injury and the d~etachments as such
have a clear field of their own as an
auxiliary corps. They will find an i'm
portant field OF employment in civil
functions where great numbers of peo-
pie are assembled. Nowadays 1t is
generally regarded as essential that
emergency care should be provided
for the Ill and injured. At such times
doctors and nurses will not be lacking,
but Women's Detachmente are requir-
ed to get together the necessary ma
terials and to take are of the house
keeping end of these relief stations.
Moreover, there Is not i~nfrequently an
opportunity for first aid on their part.
In a every nation except our W
has long recognized the value of such
corps. Throughout Japan during the
Russo-Japanese War special relief sta
tions which they helped to organize
and participated in were found at
every point where railroad trains
stopped for any length of time.
The honor of organizing the first
Woman's First Aid Detachment in the
United States belongs to Washington,
ID. c., where during the winter of 1911
and 1912 this work was begun. One
of the most interesting features OF the
international Red Cross Conference
held In May, 1912, at Washington, ID.
c., was a first aid to the injured com.
petition held for different classes
which had been taught first aid under
Red Cross auspices. Miners teams
competed among themselves as well
as Boy Scouts, policemen, firemen,
the Hospital Corps of the U. S. Army
and a Red Cross Field Corps from Chi
cago, Ill. Interesting as these contests
were they we're not ahead of one sole
ly for women. Four teams competed
in this, all of which belonged to the
Washington Detachment of the Red
Cross. This detachment, with mem
bers in a specially designed, at.rac-
tive, blue uniform, made a showing in
first aid. which was witness to their
intelligence. earnestness Of purpose
and excellent instruction. One OF the
daughters of the Secretary of the
Navy ~captained a team, and the cap
tain OF another was the daughter of
the Assistant Secretary OF War. This
made It in a a service con-
test with partisanship running as
high as at the Army and Navy foot
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