American Women's War Hospital

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume VIII, Issue 2, 1 April 1915, Page 78

American Women's War Hospital

A letter from the Matron of the American Women's War Hospital, Devonshiie ; a nurse trained m Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, is of great interest showing the attitude of the American nurses to those they had come to help. Miss Fletcher writes that after having started the Hospital with an English staff, two American units arrived at different times, each with, their own supervisor, one the head of all the naval nurses m the United States, and a very capable woman. She remained at the Hospital as Night Superintendent, and although Miss Fletcher offered to resign with all her staff and leave the Americans m charge they would not hear of it. This shows an admirable spirit, and the fact that all has gone so harmoniously shows great tact on all sides, and that personal advantage and importance has been entirely sunk m the interests of the work. Miss Fletcher says it has been a great opportunity, and she would not have missed it. " The unfurnishing of a great house and the equipping of it as a very up-to-date hospital, m which no detail or expense was spared. Lavatories, bathrooms and ward kitchens were run up at every corner of the house, that met with the hearty approval of the military authorities who were sent to inspect. We are doing good work. Our first batch admitted was 130.

Yesterday 100 were admitted, filling all available beds ; 40 of them cot-cases (that is stretcher cases)." "We had a very successful Christmas for the soldiers which they very much appreciated ; said they had never spent a nicer one m their lives." " We have had six or eight admissions altogether. I have lost count of the number who have already passed through our Hospital, but a good number. It has been very interesting. The men are a very fine lot, and whatever one has against war there is no doubt m any of our minds that it brings out the very best there is m men. These men are unconsciously splendid. They have faced big things and it has left its mark — -and when one hears that the morale of the men is good we understand what it means when they come in — all so cheery and fit. I can't tell you how impressed the Americans are with it, and so am I for the matter of that ; but it does me good to see the Americans appreciate it. The Americans candidly admit that their army does not produce men like ours. You cannot help liking the Americans for their frank appreciation of all they see which they consider better than their own." The above is written by a fellow probationer of the Editor's, not met for 20 years.