The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1916-09-07
cor A FREE BATH
He Didn't Really Need 1t, but That
Made No Difference.
JUST SIMPLY HAD TO TAKE 1T.

p Visit TO 7oSPltai iHaI -"
a Surprise to the Caller and Forced
Conscientious Orderly to Do His
Duty as He Saw 1t.
A very much subdued officer from
one of the Italian ships in the port
left a Brooklyn hospital the other day
aft9 an experience like that OF the
man who was forced to take mustard
with his boiled beef. The officer mad
been coerced into taking a bath In the
hospital, albeit he did not need one
any more than his vessel had need OF
a whifietree-merelya blunder on the
part Of an officious but conscientious
orderly. The hardy mariner could
speak very little English, and that was
partly the cause of the trouble.
The hospital in question has dealings
with the merchant marine, and many
sailors who come into port SICK are
sent to the institution for medical treat
ment. 1t CHANGED that one of the men
from this vessel had been taken to the
hospital and had a private room on
one Of the upper floors. The victim or
the bath called to see him and made
application in his hating English at
the office of the institution. lie was
able to explain sufficiently that he had
called to have a talk with his ship
mate, and the superintendent gave
him a slip to hand to the nurse, with
directions to go to the floor where his
comrade was temporarily interned. He
went up in the elevator without mis-
hap and encountered a dainty little
nurse to whom In his crude English
10 explained nla1fera
Sho motiOned to him to take seat
ON a bench that stood along the wall in
the hail. and he just understood enough
Of her talk to know that he would have
to wait He was there about five min
utes when the orderly came along.
Now, the bench occupied by the sailor
was a bench for new patients A new
patient must submit to a bath unless
there are orders to the contrary, and,
although this particular ships officer
was as tidy and clean as could be,
there were no contrary orders in his
case. The orderly naturally supposed
that the man on the bench was waiting
for his tub and proceeded to get it ready
for him. The hospital employee filled
the bathtub and led the guest into the
room. The water was hot.
"Now take your BATH" said the or
derby.
The sailor didn't want bath and
shook his head in vigorous negative.
"See here, my good man." proceeded
his volunteer valet, you'll have to
take it, and that's all there is about it.
It is rule of the hospital, and you
can't stay here unless you jump into
that tub"
With a delicacy that is not often met
with in men orderlies in city hospitals,
this particular official supposed that the
now patient might be a bit modest
about his Tubing and left him in the
bathroom. But he took the precaution
to lock him up.
Immediately after the orderly went
bundle of towels and soap came fly
ing out over the transOm. The hospital
man threw them back again. The man
inside just as promptly returned them
flying back. A third time the towels
and soap were thrown out, and this
made the orderly angry. He went In
and had it out with the recalcitrant.
you've just got to take that bath,
my man, and that is all there is about
it. If you don't I'll battle you myself"
The man evidently understood that
there was no escape and, probably sup
posing that it was custom of the hos
pital to battle all visitors, proceeded to
disrobe and dutifully jumped in. The
orderly was satisfied and went about
his other duties.
The mans visit to the hospital had
been long one, and the superintend'
ent called up on the house telephone to
find out what had become of him. The
trim little nurse was asked to explain.
She did not know where he had gone.
II left him sitting on the bench
here" she said, "and when looked for
him again he had disappeared"
Nobody had seen him go out. The
elevator man was questioned, and he
could not tell what had become of
him. The mystery deepened until the
orderly was found
"Are you looking for the man on the
benchY he asked Hes having a
bath. He would not take it at first,
and just locked him in"
The Involuntary bather was released,
and many apologies were offered to
him. He was permitted to visit his
friend, and, sick as the patient was, he
had hearty laugh over his friends
odd experience. And the sailor in his
very best English, which the trim little
nurse untidily declared to be lingo
said that after he had his bath he felt
better and added that he forgave ev-