New Britain herald., 1929-06-22

Dolls Tell Story or Nursing

New York. June 3:.-A group Of tiny dolls are making history this summer.
 They are miniature rcplicas Of nurses at different periods. made by the Bellevue Hospital. They show tho progress of science and sanitation since tho founding of its first nurses' homo in 1873. They present an impressive though silent argument against the me- diaeval twelve hour day that seems 90 incongruous with nurses ultra-modern methods and skin today.
 These dolls will be exhibited to nurses from all over the world who have come to attend the In- ternational Nurses' Council at Montreal this July.
 Work Hours Too Lon6
 Since one of the main issues at the convention is to wage . cam- paign for the new plan of part time or hourly nursing. they illus trate effectively that the only backward thing today about the nursing profession is its twelve hour shift. ...-.
 These dolls will astound any ono not familiar with the history of nursing. It is amusing. for in- stance, to realize that before the founding of Bellevue's nurses school. in 1873. the first in this country. sick folks unlucky enough to be in the hospitals of thosa days were cared for by inmates of poorhouses and prisons.
 These drabs wore ticking garments that were more sacks than anything else and bed-ridden folks had the pleasure of gazing at prison stripes in their waking moments. The warden of the jail was head of the hospital. His wife, in long. trailing. unsanitarv black taffeta, directed the poor house and prison inmates at their work. Each ward had center table upon which two huge bowls of food were placed, one of fish and the other soup. There were no knives, forks or spoons. for fear patients would commit sui eide. The doctor always wore a top hat, keeping 1t on when oper- ating. It is not surprising to read that one out of four hospital pa tients in those days died.
 Then Came . Change
 Bellevue's school for nurses was founded after Florence Nighten- gale had been consulted for direc tions, under the supervision of one Sister Helen. The first regu- lar nurses uniforms were almost as unsanitary as the warden, wife's. But it was not many years until washable stuffs were used and skirts shortened off the floor to prevent rims of dirt.
 A scene of one nurse discharg- ing q patient in the ordinary scientific manner of today. giving her exact instructions as to her care, and a scene in ward in l6tu uClVIc Nuc cSHool Q opSA'Ac shows unbelievable contrasts. To- days crisp. starched. meticulous nurse is a far cry indeed from the bed-ticking helper of the 7o's. It is easy to realize, gazing at these contrasts that when the nurse herself and her knowledge and skill have improved 50 much. the conditions under which she works should improve as much.
 Cheaper to he III!
 The idea of part-time nursing is advanced not only for the good of the nursing profession but for the benefit of the middle class who can rarely afford trained nurses! This hourly nursing is carrying into private practice the idea Of the public health nurse. She gives enough time in each home where there is sickness to dress wounds. give baths, arrange diets and in general fix the patient up for the day.
 Under this system one nurse could handle several patients. make better use of her skill. and get more pay and more regular employment. For many a patient could pay for an hour of nursing a day who could not afford a nurse all day long.