Evening star., 1916-05-09

4
women of the country in time of war
| by caring for the sick and wounded
and looking after the non-professional
work in the depot and base hospitals
and convaIescent homes. representa-
tives of the American National Red
| Cross Society told the students of the
| National Service School in addresses
| at the regular session for instruction
| yesterday afternoon. The work of the
! American National Red Cross in all it's
branches was explained by Miss Jane
| Delano, head Of the nursing service.
| Miss Marion oliver, head of the lay
nursing force: Col. Jefferson R. kean,
| Medical Corps. U. S. A, military di
rector of the Red Cross. A paper by
Miss Mabel Boardman was read.
/ The big tent, where the public lee
| lures are given every afternoon, was
packed to the flaps with the stu
dents and visitors.
Historic Details Given.
Details of the early history of the
American Red Cross were given by
Miss Delano. who spoke of the impor-
tance of having a we'll trained and
we'll organized nunrsing force ready for
the field in time of need Next to the
medical force, she said, the nursing
service was the most important branch
of the military organization. Explain
ing the growth of the service in the
last few months. she said that just be-
fore she came to the camp She asked
some of the clerks in the office how
many nurses had qualified under the
Red Cross standard of examination.
On
$500, another said 6.400, while another
said: You had better say $500. for it
will be that many by the time you get
out there. That is literally true.
Miss Delano also explained to the
students the rigid requirements for
designation IS Red Cross nurse. IN
cluding graduation from general
hospital. registration in states requir,
ing it. Endorsement of the national
nurses association and other require
ments to insure that only the rlght
persons were picked for this service.
But. in addition to the nursing erv-
ice Miss Delano said 1t was hoped to
build up an organization of groups of
nurses. aids, people who could assist
the nursing force in looking after the
and base stations. This. she said.
would relieve the nurses for the more
professional duties. This service, Miss
tunity to patriotic women to render
great service in time of war. There
are a great many things which can be
done by patriotic women to assist the
professional nurses in time Of war.
Nurses Aid Force, Theme.
Detailing this branch of the nurses
aid force. Miss Marion oliver said that
although 1t was not so attractive or
important as that of the nurses. it is a
most necessary work, and upon it will
rest the responsibility of keeping the
hospital machinery running smoothly.
The shs hay ,sd W Se Se slo%sa S9s9's to
undertake the care Of the linen rooms.
surgical supply rooms. reading to the
wounded, writing letters for them and
the washing and making com1ortaols
of the patients. with the hundred and
one things which will relieve the
nurses and physicians SO that they
may be free TO follow the purely pro-
fessional work. leaving the rest to US.
"Of course, many of US who take the
course of instruction cannot serve our
country in this way-would not be
chosen to do so even il we could. for
only those who are specially fitted for
the work and who can meet the re-
quirements of health. age. etc. will be
appointed, and so great proportion OF
| US will be left out of the hospital unit
| formations. What is left for us, and
how can we serve? There are several
ways in which we may be of very real
use When a country is at war both
| troop trains and trains of wounded
must, perforce. pass through the cities
on their way either to the front or to
the base hospitals. We have learned
| from the war abroad of how useful it
| is to have rest stations at each depot
with food and refreshments for the
| wearied men for the wounded.
| Some of us could form ourselves
| into a group of thirty or more in each
| city and undertake this work. One
| room in a railroad station could be
| turned into temporary hospital ward
| where those soldiers who are too i'll
| TO go farther may be taken and given
| emergency treatment until they are
able to be transferred to the base hos
pitfalls. The food and coffee for troop
| trains would be served by the mem
| bers Of these Red Cross groups, in the
| trains or on the station platforms"
Marshaling the Supplies.
Methods Of marshaling the supplies
Of the Red Cross in time of war were
explained In the paper written by Miss
Boardman. A number Of warehouse or
collecting depots will be established
throughout the country. the paper said.
| and each depot will be fed by IL GER
4 49, totA