Gunnison news-champion., 1921-12-16
CLOSEUP OF rUBERCULAR
HOSPITAL AT Fl. BAYARD

An interesting and descriptive let
ter was received by Mrs. SprigR
ShackIeford recently from Miss Jose
phine Hendricks, of the Fl. Rayard
hospital IT Fl. Bayard, New Mexico.
The young lady. who is \ sister Of
Mrs. C. T. Hurst, teacher in the Train
ing School department here, was for
merly 4 Normal School student and
well known in Gunnison. After read
ling the letter, one can almost visualize
the scenes described. Here's q chance
Tor Gunnison folks, collectively and
individually TO contribute toward the
Christmas cheer Of the hospital in
mates by sending at once . package
Of Christmas tree ornaments and dec
orations toward dressing the trees
Miss Hendricks mentions in her letter.
Many Of US probably have . box Of
them stored away which will not be
Of use to US this year and which can
easily be spared. A few new ones
sent at once will reach their destina-
ton IL properly addressed to Miss Hen
bricks, FIT. Bayard Hospital, Fl. Bay
ard. N. NJ. The letter follows:
Fl. Bayard, N. NJ.
December z, 1921.
Dear Mrs. Shackleford:-
IL trust that my telegram arrived
the day after Thanksgiving, telling
you Of the arrival Of the cookies. !
addressed It wrong, but 1t was not re-
turned here.
~ thank you and the ladies' many,
many times for the cookies. They
were taken to the Nurses Quarters,
so that the Chief Nurse called me and
! l gathered several of the other aides
q Nd xpas tenk fhnvr, 70 thu Inf a ev-xr
wards. ] wish you could have seen
the boys dive into them. They GER
tainly enjoyed them to the fullest ex-
tent. The boys on my ward, which is
the sickest on the post, officially
known as Annex No. 3, other times
called "kick- off,, said they were going
to write to the different women who
sent cookies, but poor fellows, they
were not able to do II all. Also some
Of the aides said they wanted to write.
expressing their appreciation of your
kindness. ] want you to tell each one
who sent cookies that ! am sending
thanks to each one Of you personally
along with all the boys.
IL wonder il you would be interest
ed in a brief sketch Of our hospital
and work here.
"We are strictly tubercular hos
pital and handle other complications
that might occur with T. b.. This Is
the largest Public Health Hospital in,
the United States We have almost
twelve hundred patients here in all
states of the disease. They are divid-
ed into different wards according to
the advancement of their case.
II have been working in the infirm-
AIRY wards since l came here, and ]
have met some of the incest boys !
have ever known; sincere, sweet boys
who know they are only marking time
until the end. The sicker they are,
the less complaining they do. This
disease produces very different tenn
perature in men and none Of our work
down here Is the same as II would be
under normal conditions, but it is abb
solutely interesting.
"At the present time am teaching
the boys to make bill-folds, rake knit
lamps, parchment lamps, rag rugs
woven on looms, bead chains Of all
descriptions and reed baskets Of vari-
GUS designs. Some Of them are too
i'll to work at all; others work only
one-half an hour each day, and some
Of them can work over two hours.
They are men from all walks of life,
college men and men who never went
to school day. Each Of them brave
|ly fighting his individual battle.
Some do not receive compensation and
are being helped out by those who get
compensation. a
II 60 down to our shop at $3.50 and
work there, finishing the things the
things the boys start, for most Of the
work can't be done on the ward. Then
at ii o'clock 60 TO the Annex and
help the workers plan work and take
the material to them. ! also 70 to the
room they call "St. Peters Room" and
talk to each man there for q minute.
Three times i have been there when
the man 1slipped away" That is the
hardest part Of my work. But you
simply can't think about that side Of
it. There are too many others who
need you.
"We are making big plans forl
Christmas ON my ward. The holidays
are the dreariest Of all the year. There |
are 80 many plans afootfor all the |
boys, but am TO be given truck and |
two men and we are going away upl
in the hills to get little, tiny trees and !
put them into the drinking cups forl
the bedside table Of each boy. There
are So in my ward, 30 I'll have myI
hands full. Then we will decorate |
them with some little sticks Of candy
and nuts. We will also have two big |
trees decorated by the boys. one for
each room Of the Annex. Our great
est trouble is beiEg SO far away from
q place to buy pretty tree decorations
and being short Of funds.
Thanking you all again and with
sincerest personal regards for each
one, and many wishes for . Merry
Christmas and Happy New. Year, /
am Very sincerely,
JOSEPHINE HENDRICKS
SMALL P0x REPORTED