He Hadn't Seen Snakes.

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 71

He Hadn't Seen Snakes.

"There's nothing like the letter of the law to bring -confusion to certain wellmeaning persons. In one of our large hospitals*^ (says "Clara Belle") "the staff generally is having a laugh at the expense of a new nurse, -and the story is told with great gusto to every caller: — "She had had lier training to the point of being -admitted to a ward, and it was fvident that she was properly anxious to do her whole duty. It was impressed upon s;er that slip must obey the instructions of The hospital doctors, such a thing as 'her <!iscretion not being so mucb as hinted at. I believe it is the rule in all vocations that one's first experience is sure to be more disagreeable than the average of those that follow. Surely, the rule was exemplified in the case of this ;iurse.

"Her first ,patient was a whisky case, a= Jxey call it ; a man ou the verge of delirium iremens. 'He was brought to the hospital in an ambulance. The doctors put him to bed, and tinder their ministrations he became quiet. Then the new nurse was put in charge. As it was quite likely that the patient -would 4iave a fit when lie awoke, the doctor .gave "the nHrse a hypodermic •syringe, -with instructions to use It if the man got violent. The dose was a solution of morphine. 'If he tells you that he eees snakeE,^ said "the 'doctor, ' give him that.' The .morse aid she understood, and the -doctor wont away. "Some time passed peacefully in that ward. Ihen the nurses and patients ir. adjoining wards were disturbed by a series of yells. At first it was -taken for granted that the whisky case had broken loose, and nc .attention was .paid to -it unless -it was to observe -the subsidence of the jntiaaiifcitations of -terror. But the -manifestations increased in vehemence and loudness. At last the head nurse hurried to the ward

whisky case. He was carrying on at a great rate. Near him, with an -anxious-, not to say hopeful, -expression on her ingenuous face, sat the new nurse with the hypodermic syringe in her bane 1 ready for use. The head nurse saw the instrument of peace, and asked the probationer Aarply why she did not use it.

"'Why!' answered the probationer, 'the doctor said I was to give it to him if he saw snakes. So far I have heard the poor man mention nothing but -wliite rats and spiders I"