The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-29
A PLATTSBURG FOR
NURSES At VASShR
Plans to Make College an Intensive
Training school for Women In
War Work Are Outlined.

New York, Jan. 2s.-Plaus for con
verting Nassar college In the summer
months during the war into a schoo
for the intensive training OF college
women for nurses, were outlined BY
I Mrs. John Biodgett. of the board OF
trustees, before 500 OF the associate
a!umnae of the college at their an.
Dual luncheon In the Biltmore.
I Mrs. Blodgett offered the plan a.
/ the transference OF the Plattsbure
idea to women's work" and an.
nounced backing of $4,000 from the
American Red Cross for the work OF
the first session.
Forty thousand women" said Mrs
Blodgett, lis the number estimated
by the war department as necessary
I for war nursing within two years
Besides these, Miss Julia Lathrop. OF
the United States bureau OF hygiene,
estimates that zoe more should be
sent into the prairie and mountain
Gus districts Of the Far West. as an
other measure or war conservation, to
attempt to lower the appalling in
FAINT and maternal mortality there"
In describing the details OF the plan
Mrs. Blodgett said;
First of all, we expect to recruit
nized by the Association of Collegiate
Alumnae. beginning with the gradu-
ates of the class OF 1918 and going
back ten years. Women will be en-
listed therefore between the ages of
twenty and thirty. We shall eliminate
all the weak backs and fat feet all
the women physically and tempera-
mentally unfit for war service.
The course at Vassar will be three
months and will be so timed ar not
to interfere In any way with the
normal activities OF the college.
TT is hoped to recruit a brilliant
supplement the courses by a series
of lectures given by men and women
OF national reputation.
The subjects to be taught will be
those required in the best hospital
schools and will include anatomy,
physiology. applied chemistry, bac-
teriology. pathology. hospital econom-
ics, nutrition and dietetics, drugs and
solutions and elementary nursing (in-
cludSng bandaginE).
Tn addition to all this a special
course on reconstruction therapy will
he taught to a somewhat older group
fitted for It.
ut is hoped to arrange observation
clinics at the Hudson River State
hospital for the study OF shell shock
and other mental troubles; at the
Vassar Brothers hospital for general
medical and surgical cases. and at
the camp recently established near
Poughkecpsie for the study and dag
nosis OF tuberculosis.
The committee OF experts ap-
pointed by the council of national
defense, through its nursing commit
tee who will arrange the curriculum
and council as to- faculty, besides Miss
are Professor Isabel NJ. Stew
art, Teachers college. Columbia uni
ersity: Elizabeth Burgess, New York
state inspector of training schools;
Caroline I. Gray. Principal City Hos
pstal Training school. and Anne
Strong, assistant professor public
health nursing. Simmons college.
Enough hospitals have already sig
rified their willingness to make the
necessary reconstruction In their pro-
grammes to take over our prospective
students In groups. Two hundred stu
dents have already been placed.
Because the instruction at the
vassar school will be of unusual ex-
cellence and the students admitted
will be above the average, II is hoped
the hospital term may be consider
ably shortened"