The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-04
A Trained Nurse Tells of Her
Early Expectations.
What Really Happened When
She Entered the Work.
few BONBONS and FLOWERS
Life in a Hospital Is a Hard,
Steady Grind.
Marrying Their Patients Some
thing That Rarely Happens.

There are mighty few chocolate
creams and cut flowers in the life of
a trained or unframed nurse said d
prominent member of the guild at a
Topeka hospital, who has recently re-
ceived her diploma.
II came to the hospital rather ex-
pecting to crush down my yellow ring
lets beneath a crisp, starchy cap and
look like the picture on a Bakers
chocolate can in my rustling uniform.
Nice men with renovated appendices
would fill the cots and 1 would glide
about, patting the fevered brows and
smoothing white bandages while they
cast unutterable looks in my direction.
OF course the handsomest of the lot
would love me dearly and propose as
1 sat by his bedside reading The Man
From Brodney's" or something. aloud.
1 should then modestly withdraw from
the profession and be married-show-
cred with gifts from grateful patients
whose lives 1 had saved.
The Real Thing.
THE real thing-try it," said the
nurse. Il came to the hospital and
had to get used to the smell and the
whimperings of sick people who
looked their worst. There wasn't a
handsome man in the whole lot and
one day they told me to give a negro
boy a bath. 1 had to go in and jerk
off his night. dress and wash him from
top to toe. It was awful.
Another job of mine was to clean
up after an ope ration. 1 couldn't bear
to go in and watch them cut on a per-
son so I cleaned up.
''One of the girls had a box of candy
and was helping pick up while she ate
candy. She was used to it and didn't
mind but l was Mortified and could
scarcely bear to pick up the scraps of
human flesh and bloody bandages.
Gave Her the Creeps.
TT gave me a CHASTITY sensation the
first time I ever saw a person die.
The hollow death rattle gurgled in the
throat so and I could hardly keep
from running away. When 1 got used
to operations it gave me the creeps to
see and hear the knife cutting open
the body of a being-what if 1 were
on that table, l thought. How awful
it would be,
1--WE develop the viewpoint of re-
garding the sick man as a case in
stead of a human being and fix him
up in the same manner as jeweler
would a watch. It's cold blooded but
is the only way possible to do it.
I'VE had portions of anatomies in
the hospital for the purpose of dissec-
ton. 1 well remember two heads that
were preserved in alcohol. 1t made
me nervous to look at them and 1 can
hardly go into that basement room
alone now.
Little Honey in 1t.
There is a little honey in the life
though. You meet all sorts of promi-
nent people and most of them are
very grateful and become fast friends.
All of the nurses here are known over
Topeka. Some men do try to make
love to nurses but they resent it gem
orally. knowing the type of man the
case is and glad when he is gone.
Once in a while a patient marries his
nurse but generally after the poor fell
low has been scrubbed, Tossed, and
disciplined for several weeks in con-
slant company with a nurse who is
under orders not to talk to him any
more than she can help, he is glad to
get away
Are you engaged?' the nurse was
asked
''Wen. I hardly expect to keep this
name forever. but you know he was
never my patient" replied the nurse.
~ GU see, this is one of the beaut
of the life. These poor weak men
need some one to guide them and take
care of them and they know where to
get girls that can do it,