The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1947-03-04
Five Days To Health--Or,
Il Like Municipal Hospital
BY WILLIAM MEYERS


/ MEYERS
Istuffing my head into paper
bag, that nothing had been done
for my feet-and they were cold.
That night asked the nurse
for a nip of Bourbon to help me
sleep. She made no reply-just
walked out. Shortly afterwards,
she returned with a pill as large
as a good-sized apple, and a glass
of cool, clear water.
In the wee hours of my second
night, awakened, and in the dim
light saw standing by Mr.. Cones
bedside what appeared to be a
submarine torpedo. 1t has sew
eral gadgets on top which looked
| like time clocks. It made the
balance of that night rather rest
less. In the morning ] learned it
was an oxygen tank. The third
day was like the other two; three
delicious meals, served in bed
I(what luxuryD and in between
IAN endless army of lovely nurses
iabbing enormous needles in my
J hips or stuffing my head into a
paper bag. Superintendent Ma
| RE Hartel came each morning. to
inquire about my health. I was
never sure how it was.
|, Thought l, what peculiar way
TO be spending my hard-earned
dollars. But, do you know, act
iually scould breathe easier, and
|my aching chest and throat were
lgreatly relieved.
Acquired Appetite
| also acquired a ravenous ap-
Ipetite during my sojourn, and I'm
|hoping to be released some day
to get my fill of food. Sometimes
II really wonder if I want to be
/, released. Aladdin and his Won
derful lamp had nothing on me.
ran I need do is press a button,
! and almost Immediately beauti-
! full. GIRL. dressed in snow-White,
l appears, and grants my every
wish.
r One gets such foolish ideas ly-
ling in bed for days. One mo-
,ment one wishes to stay-another
moment and one is tempted to
; escape. All I have is a short white
nightie, split up the back, held
:. together by single safety pin.
/ do not dare attempt to hike to
town in that. I may scare some
4 one who. may mistake me for a
, ghost. After all, the cemetery is
lin the center of Key West, and
: folks seeing me downtown in my
: ipresent attire, would be sure
! Jeanne from there.
IT'S quite apparent some visitor
from the North brought with
them the bug that bit me--but
bear no malice. I've been in ex-
lotto Key West nearly six years
: and this is the first time I have
, been bitten. So why complain?
When ! get out, and I shall
!, some day, I'm going to spend my
I afternoons at South Beach bask-
ing in the radiant sun, and, if DR.
7! Moore, permits / shall swim i ir
> the ocean with the visitors. Per;
~ haps | shall learn from which
ttstate the bug that bit me came.
i The 4.Ffeedem City
, You need not remind me thi
: is February 90, for l. am in Ke.
!. West, the only Frost-free, Fog
- free, Smoke-free and Pollen-fre'
: city in these glorious Unite'
States. A brilliant sun is shining
1overhead which / can see from
4 my bedroom window.
v / had but one disappointment
during my stay. Just before tn,
: meal trays We're brought in
1. someone would wind up our bed.
e as though winding a photograph
. / listened intently, but heard ne
music. After we-ate, we were
unwound. Then the needle jabb
4 ing and head-Stuffing would be
, renewed.
II I'm quite sure the nurses en-.
joyed it for they were always
smiling so cheerfully. 1 felt sor-
! ry for these nurses, they seemed
such lonely souls. Every few
hours one would come into the
room, put a glass tube into each
patients mouth, apparently so he
could not protest; then, in turn.
she would hold each mans hand.
Always she carried a watch and
timed herself, so that no man
could possibly say she was play
ing favorites. This, my fifth day,
finds me anxious to return to NV
labor, taking visitors sightseeing
on this enchanted island, for
amazing trees are now in full
bloom, and flowers, shrubs and
vines in riotous colorings blossom
everywhere.
washington should hear of this.
ana send high-ranking Army Of
1icerS here to learn the efficient
methods used at the Key West
Municipal Hospital. It is system
IperSonlfied, without the slightest
sllp-up. They gave me back
heaith-the grandest thing on !