" Thank God There are Nurses."

Otago Witness, Issue 2157, 27 June 1895, Page 49

" Thank God There are Nurses."

The boy had smallpox— » very bad attaolc— and it was thought only right that bis mother, a poor widow, should be informed that her son* condition was very serious. She had been vacciua'ed htrself, although she bad failed to obseive the same precaution with regard to him. She did not fear infection, considering ••if people was to have things they'd catch 'em fast enough." She presented herself at the ward dcor soon after receiving the doctor's communication respecting Tommie. 44 You will find him looking very bad," she was warned as she approached the bed. She looked at the swollen, disfigured face, the closed eyelids, the wandering hands plucking at tbe bedclothes ; and then she glanced at the white card over the b^d, " Thomas Simpkins" was inscribed upon it. She looked again at the face, and with unconcealed loathing exclaimed : " How dare you play me such a trick, nurse I It's my boy's name right enough, but you ain't got no bueice?s to shove ifc up over such an. object as this ! Call ifc a boy, indeed ; why, I never see such a 'orrid sight in all my life ; it'a more like a" but "ib" gave a little sigb, and muttered : " Mother, mother ; if smy mother come all last, »nd I'm too blind to Bee her I " But the woman bhrank back from the poor little figure : "Thank God as there's nu«e3! w aha muttered ; (l for, may the Lord forgive me, bnfc I could never bring myself to touch him now ! " — The Hospital.