The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-15

TO the work that these fine spirits did.
and | am only conservatively honest
when / say that no element in the
makeup Of the American Expedi-
tionary forces deserves greater praise
and is more entitled to complete adj
miration than the nurses who came
at Miss Delanos call to help our SOL
der man in the hour of his critical
need in France. Those of US in the
army who knew the genesis of this
organization take our Sprig of laurel
and affectiouataly lay 1t at the feet
of Miss Deiano.'
Surgeon General BREASTED. of the
navy, at the outset of his remarks re-
called his frs: meeting with Miss
Delano more than thirty years ago.
when. she Was serving as Il nurse and
he as an inferno in Bellevue hospital
New York.
..~ .*@I-hroughuur tbs years 9tltat have
flown since the old Bellevue days.
said General Braisted. Miss Delano
and l were more ehan once associated
in plans for work which brought to-
gether army. navy and Red Cross.
both in peace and ia war. II. through
pressure of business and lack of time.
we did not actually meet in com nittee
or board room our respective repre-
sentatives md subordinates went back
and forth between us and always there
was 4 feeling. rfteu openly expressed
by them. that Miss Deiano and DIR.
BREASTED would agree, would work in
harmony. would stand by one another
because they had been together at
Bellevue and ,his was true. But it
was true, So far as | was concerned.
not only from The kindly feelings
which time fosters for those we have
known in youth. but had recognized,
even as young man with relatively
little knowledge OF the world the
sterling qualities of the noble woman
whose memory we have come together
to honor, here.
There Is no call for me to go into
the details of Miss Delano's singu
larly useful career as they are pre-
scented in full by others, | wish main
" To offer this simple tribute based
on personal friendship and inspired
by genuine admiration and respect
which have been growing steadily for
more than a quarter of a century"
Surgeon General Blue. Of the Pub
lie Health service, said that the pub
lie health movement in this country
had experienced A profund loss in
the death of Miss Delano. He remind
ed his hearers that Miss Delano's in
terest in public health matters dated
as a nurse during the yellow FEVER
epidemic in Jacksonville. Florida.
General Blue in conclusion said.
IT was Naeterlinck, believe, who.
contem plating the tremendous devas-
tation of Belgium, said that the noble
lives which hal been snuffed out
the work of art and educational In
stitutions which had been ruthlessly
destroyed we're not really lost Ia Bel
~, r., -
would return in redouhled force to
future generations because as he said
spirit. like matter is indestructihle.'
In like manner. / wish to say that
though Miss Delano has departed in
the flesh, the inspiration OF her work
Will remain with us always and the
great organization which she built up
Will continue 10 serve as an incentive
to the Red Cross in future work:
Miss Boardman, a lifelong friend OF
Miss Delaro and closely associated
with her N Red Cross headquarters
said that Florence Nightingale rem
dered no greater service to England
and humanity than Miss Delano had
given TO America and humanity.
ITO those of Us who look back to
many years with the Red Cross said
Miss Boardman. and who especially
recall the beginnings of the great war
in the summer days of August. 1914,
there comes a comprehension of what
Miss Delano had accomplished. Since
that time she never seemed to rest
from her endless lahors for more than
four long years until nj last there
came to her eternal rest.
you know Of the nurses that went
overseas before we had entered the
mighty conflict. you know of her prep
aration and collaboration with General
kean in the forming of more than
fifty base hospitals with their trained
personnel of surgeons and nurses
You know of the many thousands of
nurses provided for the army and
navy and now being provided for the
Public Health service. Others have
told you OF these wonderful achieve
ments but l wish to bring back to