The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1947-03-04

Gentle reader, may / suggest
you never judge a book by its |
cover? ! did, and this tale rel
lates what happened.
DR.. III. X. Moore sent me to the I!
Key West Municipal Hospital
(acute throat infection). Upon
my arrival there, Mrs. Edith
Orange cordially greeted me, and
among her questions was, what
day and year were you born and
why?" The very atmosphere of
the hospital breathed tranquility
and peace. 1t was the essence of
quiet.
I was escorted to an immacu-
lately clean room, told to undress
and get into bed.
Soon a slim, pretty girl appear
ed in full white regalia-said she
was Miss Florence Boza, the,
nurse. She looked so charming
as she pleasantly smiled, me-
thought inwardly she was much
too delicate to harm a fly. My,
clothes disappeared, and when
Nurse Boza returned her hand
was filled with pills and a nice
glass of ice water. That was sup
per.
Upon her second entry bit.
later, she told me to lie on my
left side. She then mysteriously
produced an enormous needle and
jabbed it into my hip. 1t seemed
that needle was at least foot
long. 1t staggered me. and lay
quiet wondering what was next.
I was soon to learn.
Needle Every Few Hours
One man, H. B. Cone, got a
needle every few hours. Won
dered if the nurses mistook him
for pin-cushion. He should be
ready to join some circus side
show soon. Meanwhile, I had
gone to the bathroom, and, in
passing Nurse, Boza, l remarked.
':What strange water that was
you gave me. I feel like ! have
a jag on, my head is swimming"
Replied she, THAT was pill !
gave you, and you had better stay
in bed" So, thought l, she's try
ing to make dope of me.
Sometime later Nurse Boza re-
appeared carrying a strange con-
traption with a long pipe. 1t was
so huge, an orderly assisted her.
I looked in silence, a bit alarmed,
as Mr.. Cone remarked, "They are
going to stew YOU" Then sudden
ly a large paper bag was brought
forth, and my head was stuffed
into it. "This will only last
about an hour for $50" remarked
Nurse Boza, adding, "You may
breathe now".s How kind and
thoughtful! Mn IL" Z! A..
II Gradually, the. contraption be-
gan putting like a. railroad engine,
blowing pillows of steam right in
my face fortunately it was per-
TUNED steam which, brought
thoughts of lovely. Key West
flowers. From the heat, in that
bag ! expectedneYery emoment tc
see it burst. Into flames. II To my
utter astonishnfent,. it did hot
blow up.
Later, for the fourth time in as
many hours, Nurse BOA returned
holding in her small lily like hanc
a mystical glass. 'Gargle with
this" said she. / did, and under
oath I'd testify nearly all the sal
of the ocean was in that glass. .,
Three New Nurses
Finally, Nurse Boza tired. anC
was relieved, not by one. but b,
three nurses-Irene Smith. wini
fred Maple and Lillian DeLett
Now I'm really in for it, thought 1
l covered my head with the
blanket, like an ostrich, thinking
perhaps they would not see me
but, alas, their system is too per-
feet. / can visualize Nurse Boza
whispering to those three ladies
just what she had done to me-for
they proceeded to do likewise.
About $3.50 am, completely ex-
hausted, / fell asleep. l must
nave been dreaming, for dis
tlnctly saw Nurse Boza gracefully
flying around the room, seeming
ly lowering over my bed, and
laughing with glee, as she dis
played glistening, transparent
wings. 1t was so vivid, I awak.
ened, and, 10, and behold, there
by my bedside stood that huge,
internal machine, with a nice new
clean bag attached.
Again dozed to be reawaken-
cd at sunrise by still another
pretty nurse, Martha Morris. Aft
er my hands and face were wash
ed, had glad surprise. Nurse
Morris disappeared, to return
with a large tray on which rested
a mems egg, toast and tea, which.
were served to me in bed. It was
delicious after my first day of
pills and water. The service was
ABOVE par-excellent, in fact.
Comparable to exclusive hotels. ri
was getting more attention than
l had received in the past thirty
years.
How Mistaken!
Now. thought I, they are trying
10 make friends with me. How