Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-06-08
NEED FOR NURSssx1
IN ARMY AND NAn
IS MOST URGENT
Plans for Present Red Cross
Drive" Outlined at
Luncheon.
WANT TRAINED WORKERS

Navy and the plans for the recruiting OF
thesame in few days time were explained
at a luncheon rendered Red Cross workers
in the Hotel du Pont yesterday
That physicians and hospital heads will
play an Important part either In aid OF
the country or otherwise was brought out
by one of the speakers. The only way
IN which the Amrv and Navy can be
supplied with trained nurses Immediately
is through the release from hospitals and
from private practice Of the skilled nurses
now IN thus country.
Women and particularly young women
are urged 10 enroll for training IN some OF
the schools or hospitals SO that they might
in \ short time become trained lay workers
and thus ald i'll relieving the demand for
skilled nurses in this country
Mrs. Elizabeth Hatfield SChnabel as
sistant 10 the Director of the Bureau
of Nursing for Observation-Disclosures
came from Philadelphia To address the
women workers Mrs SchnAbel Is "a
nurse and knows al about the work.
NTrs. Schnabc told the committee that
in the neNt - weeks there were being
asked To recruit 1000 nurses Ne one
hut trained nurses were good enough TO
take care OF our BOYS and sailors when
wounded abroad and that Is the reason
Tor the strong appeal for skilled nurses
in this campaign, she told her hearers
She urged that the local workers educAte
The public and nurses IN the need Tor
trained women Also 10 the need for
volunteers to enroll in training schools
and hospitals
The strength OF the Army hes Just
back Of the lines III the skilled nurses.
said Mr. Schnabel The nurses take
the platc Of mother wife and sister or
daughter Thcy are the only ones out
side Of the soldier who can have an honor
flag raised for them Ii there was ever
4 time in the history 81 the world when
skilled nurses were needed Il Is now
1t Is our duty 10 urge those who have
the disposition Of nurses TO release them
80 that they may q Il the firing line
Then induce volunteers 10 train Tor home
duty - that the place IF the trained nurse
max be taken ~ thc trained lay workers
EXPLAINS THE DRIVE,
Mrs Joseph Bancroft who is directing
the campaign for nurses IN this State
dutlined the work that was needed if
Delaware Is 10 raisc Ifs quota Of nurses.
She told of s letter she had received from
"a woman friend n France who prior TO the
war was ono o. the most light hearted,
hut who had adjusted herself nobly 10
the calamties inflicted on her country
and pcoplc and was now doing her share
IN the work back Of the lines
This friend is nov doing work among
the blind and Mrs Bancroft read portions
OF q letter from French soldier expressing
his gratitude for the present OF type
writer sent him.
we get near TO the wounded IN the
work, said Mrs Bancroft, but the
trained nurse IS the closest OF all. / DO
not know whether you know OF the pressure
that Is being brought TO bear on the
surgeon general to let lay women 60 to
the front But the trained nurse can do
more than the lay worker The speaker
went on TO tell Of what had been done IN
Delaware 50 far. The state in this drive
j. asked to obtain :. trained nurses.
Already b have gone 10 the front from
Delaware in the service of the Red ross
hut they are not credited in this drive.
There are also others who have entered
I he nursing service from this State through
other sources such As hospitals IN other
cities and they too arc not placed TO the
credit Of the state Bur for this partlc
Ilar campaign ia nurses already have
enrolled All the nurses IN delaware
have been classified and there are %
I hat are available Tor the service. la
all there are 30 nurses III the State
AZ the close Of the luncheon Mrs.
Bancroft passed paper containing the
names OF the IS nurses to solicit the
enrolment of the nurses IN the service
now asked Of them
FIVE CHIEF oBJECTs-
Mrs Bancroft told ii the FIVE principal
objects n the campaign but emphasized
the need for enrolling registered nurses
rs the most important Married nurses
are to be asked to serve at home and thus
release that many more trained nurses
unattached for foreign service The
married nurses viii not be asked 10 do
foreign service Mrs Bancroft asked
he workers 10 bring the question of nurses
before the students OF the schools partic-
llarly the High School young women.
These can enter training schools and |
hospitals and prepare for the service !
The need for educating the public to the /
necessity for more home nursing BY mem /
Icrs of the family wsr1 urged The fact t
hat our mothers did more nursing In the !
id days than is done nov was mentioned /
t. one Of the WAYS IN winch trained nurses
night be released from private cases 10 /
% 10 the front
Mrs. Bancroft referred to the role that
and heads Of hospitals will
Diay III tins campaign That these
men and women could arrange I.
10 release trained nurses for service
lbroad and TO arrange for using trained
ay workers IN their place The announce /
nent was made that there would be !
mother luncheon on Tuesday when the I
members of the General Committee
would be asked TO report on the replies
hey had obtained from the trained
nurses they had visited and urged 10
mist Also on the number Of recruits /
hey had obtained for the Home Nursing !
hVlsIOn. i
Clergymen in all churches on Sunday 4
1lI be asked to use their influence
lot alone In bringing the appeal to the /
'eOplc but IN various ways that might
cad nurses IN their congregations 10 /
mist
GENERAL BIRD ; EXPERIENCES.
General Charles Bird was called upon
nd told Of having been wounded twice
urlng the Civil War Once when fight
lg before Petersburg, Va, he said he
.hs shot through the groin, and that for
> hours that II took 70 convey him from
he battle line 70 his home in this city.
e had not received any medical attention,
kept few kIndnesscs he received from
ne wife OF has commanding general !
ne general told Of the changes since
he ClVlI War. Then it was all men
uFses, and they cannot compete 10
ne female nurses he added softly.
'uring the Philippine war he was
4ssenger on a ship carrying soldiers and
bout Il score of nurses 10 the foreign