The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-03-13
Three Young Women Hand
in designations and 1t Is
Probable that Another
One Will Resign.
THE CHARGE MADE
However, the Story Told by
the Nurses Is Entirely Diff
ferent-Case Will Be Civ
en- an Airing.

Trouble between nurses and the au-
thorities at the Reid Memorial hospi-
tai which has been brewing for some
time and which, for the first three
days Of this week, threatened to result
in a general walk-out by the nurses
and those in the training school at the
institution. is not SO critical today and
conditions at the hospital are rapidly
becoming normal again.
So far three nurses have resigned
and it is believed that another will
leave within a few days. The other
ten nurses. with whom the authorities
have had little trouble, will remain, it
is believed
Insubordination is the charge plac-
ed against four girls by the superin-
tendent of the hospital Miss Mary
Sellers, and by the president of the
board of trustees, John L. Rupe. The
nurses story differs widely from that
of the hospital authorities, they say
ing that for no other offense except
doing their duty they were forced to
resign or be discharged.
Nurses Who Resigned.
The nurses who have quit are Miss
Mary Sheehan, who came to this city
from Hamilton, Miss Nellie Cockral.
whose home is in Philo, O., and Miss
Nina Tetery, of Europe, O. The other
nurse who may leave the hospital is
Miss Verna Thurston, niece of DR..
J. M. Thurston, of this city. Miss
Thurston at present is confined to the
hospital, being indisposed.
According to Miss Sellers and Mr.
Rupe the nurses resented discipline,
refusing to obey orders and to accept
suggestions In their work. The cuImi.
nation of the trouble existing between
them and the superintendent came
Sunday morning when Miss Sheehan
is alleged to have visited Miss Thurs
ton, the nurse who is Ill, in her room
at the hospital, after having received
orders not to attend to Miss Thurs.
ton as the latter had another nurse to
wait upon her.
Whether Miss Sheehan was called
into the room to attend to the wants
of Miss Thurston and to relieve her
suffering is not known. Miss Sellers
maintains that upon no condition
should Miss Sheehan have gone into
the room as her physician had left
orders for only one nurse to wait
upon Miss Thurston. and that all 9th.
ers should be kept away from her
room.
Miss Sheehan's story, which is
gathered from other sources, is that
she was called into the room by Miss
Thurston to relieve her suffering, and
that she went, believing she was doing
her duty.
Miss Shee1an Rebuked.
When the superintendent learned OF
this Miss Sheehan was called before
the former and told that she had not
obeyed orders. Miss Sellers says that
the nurse became angry, resenting the
rebuke and said she would leave the
institution. She Immediately with.
drew from the hospital. Miss Sellers
also informed her that she had neg
lected other work.
Miss Cockral left the hospital Mon
day afternoon, saying that she was i'll
and that the work was entirely too
difficult for her, according to Miss
Sellers statement. Miss Tetery left
the hospital yesterday morning be.
cause, she says, of the treatment Miss
Sheehan was accorded.
1t is said that when Miss Sheehan
left the hospital she was without
funds and that she came to this city
where she succeeded in getting
enough money to go to Hamilton. She
is staying at the Young Women's
Christian association in that city, it is
said
1t is likely that this matter will be
laid before the meeting Of the city
council. the hospital committee and
hospital trustees at the joint meeting
tonight