THE PATIENTS' GRATITUDE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 310, 24 September 1908, Page 3

THE PATIENTS' GRATITUDE.

9s :.was an out-patient. in the .Finsen-light department of a/London '.hospital—a poorly clau tJ , pale-faced,\siekiy little, fellow-... . lamp - would cure, please God.'that; terriblo place on his face; but' .the , doctor- saw' that ■ hs, wanted other treatment as well, and ordered a tonic. . . ' . •"••• "•. . '. was nothing -to; pay for, tho. tonic, but ithe. bottle';would'jcoit a 'ponny. The boy had not a penny; what was to hi done? The sister-in-charge heard of'the, difficulty, and she gave him ,a ; penny. He thanked her and went offj carrying .liis,t-onic away with him. The' next, tiine he caine for his "light" ; treatment he-Went up to tho "Siiter,"-arid haridod her a penny. ; '."I didii't want, it back, sonny!" ; said Sister;'.."keep..it to buy, a. bun with." Ho',thanked, hfir .dgain and turned away. _. She watched hiiti' walk towards .the alcove in -whioh' stands..-the refreshment-bar provided for out-patients. "Moii" was standing there behind . ..the counter, ..'ready'to dispense, her . shining, buns.', and tcnipting-look-lrig'cakes.'But the -boy. just glanced at. the* dnmties, passed vP'n,-went up .to the. hospital money-box,'.tiii-iied' round, to seo. il .anybody/ was looking,: dropped/in his pepny, and ran away. ;;.-- v;-,

t This is only ono iijstahce of the gratitude shown by many patients artd their friends. One. mother sends oV'ery'year to the hospital on ..tho' anniversary—iipt. of her . little lad's recovejy, but of his death—a shilling and a poSy of flowefs. • -Another woman 'arranged- to. have, a very simple funeral for a boy who had died.'in this hosjitalj and .put up ail inexpensive. headstone .to,jhis;-grave, in order that 'she;might give.. the Surplus. - of the'.insurance- mo'riey— the. Ward'in which ho had died, • A", mother'. whcse ,b»by "had . been cured at the .hospital,, aud who canio tho other day to carry.; him ; joyfully , home, asked if sho might be • allowed to: help iin tho making, of the little nightdresses •.in' which .. "Sister?', loves to dfesfe the children of her.ward.- ■ The; chairman .happened to' bo.■ present When a lriother'.brouKht her badly burnt child jntd the hospital. Ho helped her to get im-mediate-attention, and afterwards ..used' to' visit, thn j child. ' .... • . . . ' :rvSix entering, tho hospital, the 'saino mother, was taking her child out, restored..to.health;--';'.. ■• • .He stopped her,, recognising the child whereupon .the woman said, "Are you Mr. Sydney Holland?"; •••-, ' "l'es," 'said he. <' : . . ... ... . :< . "Then,. s'help me Gawd,. I must havo a kiss." ...".- ;.

A , little Hebrew' boy. in one'of this- wards was ,toia; his'leg -would . have , to bo amputated. Vf ■ " ■ . ■ '

. -.Wisll; Nurse'," -said : the little'" lad of' seven, there's one tiling—l sha'n't only fejC®- ■pP-9.-to. clean for' school now 1"—. Westminster Gazette'"' '