The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1916-10-19
IF 1T is THIS WAY IN GEORGIA.
WHAT MUST 1T BE IN NEW
XORK2


wrong being perpetrated on about
thirty-five girls in St. Johephs Hos
pital-C Catholic, Atlanta, Ga. You
might see from the Atlanta Consti-
tuition of July 1st about it. | will
make my statement, which relates to
others. l entered the hospital to go
in training for nurse, having served
a few months over two years, and
the imposition imposed on we nurses
during the time became unbearable,
as during rush time the girls had no
hours, very Often~after working hard
all day, stay up tWenty-four hours,
if we used the elevator, being tired,
we were compelled to pay ten cents,
and once when broken, due to long
use, and being worn out, we, the
nurses, were made to pay one dollar
each, but the negro servants were not
made to pay. We were always COM
pared to the servants, eff you were
as good as so and so you would be
alright. in regards to food, it was
vile, if things were burnt it was put
on the table, potatoes were not half
cooked, biscuits were only half
cooked and we were unable to eat
them, coffee and tea was boiled from
day to day and served to the nurses.
Toast being excluded from our diet
because SOME Of the servants threw
few pieces in the garbage can, we
were given marianne for butter,
which is worse than lard and not so
pure.
Last September twenty-siX or more
of the nurses had ptomaine poison
ing, all pots and pans were thrown
away because the doctors wanted to
investigate. One nurse was seriously
i'll for weeks. Of course we were
given that time we lost which wasn't
half long enough/to get we'll in, but
we didn't know but that we would
have to makeup that time. Many
have suffered dyspepsia and indiges-
ton ever since. The larger majority
of nurses are complete wrecks and
their health is ruined.
On account Of the war adhesive
plaster went up on the nurses ten
ents each, and was taken out Of their
small amount of wages, and when
new glasses, cups and saucers were
bought, we were made to pay for
them thirty cents last month, being
taken out Of each girls money.
The Sister Superior was constantly
nagging at us on account of the sup
posed to be sanitary uniforms, and
we had to pay a price for them to
her. If they were over three inches
from the floor the nurse would lose
her hours, and it was she who had
them fitted and made. She would be
in chapel praying and watching the
girls dresses and right behind us she
would come and tell us we could lose
our hours and we were a disgrace to
the training school.
Things became unbearable, food,
long hours, i'll treatment, and taking
the money out of our small wages to
help keep up one of the best paid
hospitals in the United States. So we
demanded Sister Helena on the morn
ing of June the End to come down to
the dining room as we wanted to en-
ter complaint. We had a written
complaint about food and all things
have mentioned. She asked all to
enter the classroom and hear her,
we also told her what we demanded.
She promised to look into things and
not let it go beyond the classroom
and she would see that we got what
we wanted. She also promised to let
every girl alone and not to believe
any certain girl A few days after
this every nurse signed an agreement