" BARTS "

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 124, 28 May 1930, Page 17

" BARTS "

SERVING THE POOR

LONDON'S FAMOUS HOSPITAL

The story of Barts, as the Royal Hospital of St. Bartholomew is known not only in London, but throughout the world, is being retold as part of a great campaign now in progress with the object o£ rebuilding and extending.1 the already, wonderful organisation. The. scientifically, trained nurse, deft and skilled in the ad', ministration of the complicated treatments of modern medicine and surgery and equipped with a wealth of technical'know■ ledge, is a product of the last fifty years. \ot it is an liistoncal fact that, considering the primitive ideas .of medicine in the days of Rahere, the founder of Barts, he had a vision ol the duties of the Four Sisters, who formed part of the original body corporate of Barts, ■ which comes surprisingly near the modern ideal, , VVhat more suitable injunction could be given to the present-day probationer when she first enters the wards than Rehere's Charge to "his Four Sisters-^"Ye shall faithfujly and charitably serve and help the poor in all their griefs and. diseases: as well by keeping them sweet and clean as in giving them their, meats arid drinks after the ; most -honest and comfortable manner Also you shall use unto them good and honest talk sueh1 as may comfort' and amepd them." So clearly did Rahere envisage the es-. sentials of nursing that he'eveu. provided his Sisters with a uniform to wear when on duty. Thus did Barts at its, veryoutset institute the unmistakable prototype of the modern nursing sister. Great ladies, these, nurtured in court or castle, for whom nursing was indeed a vocation not laid down till old age or death should end their power to help, many 'of them generous benefactors to the institution to which they had given their lives; of ,whom history has preserved ■; for us three names never to be forgotten:—Edeua,'daughter of Wakerilda of Writelej Isabella of Bray; and Joan of Pertenhale. In course of time the number of Sisters naturally had to be increased, and by 1551 had risen to twelve. Reduced to sis after the; Great Fire ; the number rose again about 1680 to sixteen. In 1549 a step was taken' at Barts of the greatest importance to the development and status of nursing. Rose ■Fyssher, the first of all matrons,, was appointed "chief Governess • and * worthy matron of the House" to "have charge, governance, and order of all- the Sisters, to see that every one of them do theirduty unto the poor." In the time of the first matron, she and, the' sisters wore watchett or light .'blue; the colour which has continued, with only slight varia-. tious of,shade, in Barts sisters' uniform to the present day. After Rose Fyssher there has been an. unbroken line of twenty-nine Matrons of - Barts, of whom seven died in office; showing thus the unusually high, average of over thirteen years' service. , r

Another great advance was made, in 1647, when the "Watchers," or official helpers to the Sisters, were appointed, not at first living in the house and chiefly engaged for night duty.; In this action of Barts we have the origin of the modern nurse as distinct from the sister in command of. a ward. The first: nurse in this sense was Margaret Whitaker. This idea of probationship or practical training in nursing worked well, for five years later, in 1652, Margaret Whitaker was promoted to sister.' Shortly afterwards preliminary bed-side experience was madea qualification at Barts for' the post of sister, it being ordered, that "the helper shall on the vacancy of a sister's place/bo preferred, if thought fit} all promises of reversions notwithstanding," a: striking testimony to the early recognition of Barts of both the value of practical education in the wards and the importance of basing, promotion on merit alone. In centuries nearer our own, commendation was bestowed for that,knowledge.and experience acquired from practical work in the wards which Florence' Nightingale, the founder of systematicl training for nurses, had not been allowed'to obtain—no small part of the force compelling- her to secure it for others: "How inefficient I was in the Crimea!" she cried;: "yet ■ God has.- raised up trained nursing from it.". tj '] The organisation at Barts to-day .' cqin^ prises one matron, assistant matron, '4? sisters, and 300 nurses.. ■' ■ '