Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-30
NURSES STRIKE AVERTED
d At MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
authorities Accctlc to Demands OF
.,'' Dissatisfied Girls and Form
Reference Committee.
DiREcrREss LESS POWERFUL
Miss Niger. Head of Nursing STAFF.
:, Said TO Have Been Autocratic in
Managcmcnt-Trou Arises Out
OF Suspension.

INSTRUMENTATION Arises Out
OF Suspension.
Admitting the justice OF complaints
made by nurses of Memorial Hospital
training school relative to alleged auto
cratic disciplinary measures employed
by the drcctrcSs of nurses. Miss Eliza
bath Mycr, the executive committee OF
the board OF visitors late yesterday
afternoon acccdcd fully TO the demands
Of, the nurses, and thus effected an
lmicablc settlement OF the trouble
which has been brewing for some time
in tho training school between super
tntendent Frederick i. Morlol< and Di-
rectress Niger and the nurses. which
otherwise would have resulted i'll
siHty-one nurses walking out last night
al 1880. the limit OF time set in the
ultimatum delivered to the chairman of
the board. l.. H. Morris. Sunday night.
The result of the general walk out
10 be in full sympathy with the nurses,
would have been to leave the hospital
practically helpless with l4o i'll pa
tients, forty-nine of whom are influenza
cases.
"a committee Of SIX. nurses, headed by
Miss Cornelia Elliott of the gradual
ing class, met with the executive com
mtttee OF the board and Supcrintcnd-
ent Norfolk yesterday afternoon. Chair
OF the executive committee present
were Eppa 1lunton, Jr., and Thomas
-. Moore.
REFERENCE Committee
TO ADJUST GRIEVANCES
OF the remaining three members of
the executive committee who were un-
able TO be present. Il. l.. Bcmiss
III; William r. Miller was out OF the
France.
The grievances of the nurses against
Miss Nycr were fully aired AT the
meeting yesterday afternoon, resulting
In the appointment of reference COM
m ,ns consisting Of the chairman of
a-mombor OF the hospital committee.
who will be either MIR. Moore or MIR.
Hutton: Superintendent Morlok and
the directrcss of nurses Miss Niger
:, This committee will, in tho future,
be permanent feature of the organza-
the. Training school committee and will
have full control and direction OF the
s9hool T1 nnTIsin and Wi pass nrcn
punishnents and matters relating to
pupil nurses and probationo.1.
who considers herself unjuStly treated
viii have the privilege OF appearing
before this committee, and will be ac-
complaint fully investigated. The new
ruling cffcctually clips the wings of
the dircetress y report was current last
night which was not subs,antiatcd how
ever, that Miss Mycr had rendered her
resignation to the board The Spann
girls. who were suspended by Miss
sent from duty without leave, viii pc
reinstatcd.
MORLOE SAYS TROUBLE COULD
HAVE BEEN AVOIDED
The whole matter is most amicably
adjusted said superintendent Morlok
last night, and personally | feel that
satisfactory understanding has been
reached. Had the girls brought their
have been necessary to take them up
with the board at all. since / have had
In mind - some time the formation
OF just such "A committee as was suE-
Eestcd by the girls and ] not only
favor, but will encourage. any practi-
cal system Of student government in
course. rigid discipline must continue
TO be maintained in the hospital.
Or. Nc Guire Newton is the Ghicf
pi'al. the other members OF which arc
DrS. \. NJ. Willis. Douglas Wander Hoof,
John Dunn, c. G. Coleman. Ben II. Gray.
hard is chief OF the medical STAFF.
which represents tho teaching stan OF
the Medical College of Virginia. in
normal times numbering about l40 ply
Sicians.
BE ALLOWED TO COME HOME
Memorial Hospital IS the training
ieEe Of Virginia, and receiyes ' the same anne
appropriation from. the State as the
Msd!sai College of virginia-slo;o 200;
College are, on the Visiting stan of
the hospital, the activities of which
are closely correlated with those of
the college. Graduate nurses OF Me-
mortal Hospital receive their diplomas
from the Medical College of Virginia
with what they term the '.autocratic
methods OF Superintendent Morlok and
his assistant is of long standing, il
is said Matters came TO head last
week with the summary suspension Of
Misses Lila and Sue Spann, of Lake
ely, s. e. Who acGordinE, to story
telegram from their father. informing
them OF the serious illness OF their
mother.
Miss Myer received a telegram from
Mr.. Spann at the same time, asking
that his daughters be allowed TO come
dition Of their mother. Miss, Myer,
backed by Mr.. Morlok. refused, il is
said. to allow the Spann girls. both OF
whom are seniors. TO leave the hos
pItal unless the fathers request WAS
supported by that Of the family physi-
clan.
kilograms were sent 10 this effect.
a%er would have been received III time
for the girls TO MAKE their train after
the conditi of the tcchnicality had
beer carried out.
Eut on account Of the congestion of
The service. the physicians telegram
did not reach Miss Myer until after the
girls had taken matters into their own
They we're. therefore. suspended. As
Superintendent Morlok expressed IT,
they automatically suspended them
selves"