Obituary

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XVI, Issue 3, 1 July 1923, Page 125

Obituary

Sister Phoebe Reynolds, a member of an early contingent of nurses sent to serve abroad during the war, died at Hamilton Hospital on June 6th. She had been a patient, first at Otaki Hospital, afterwards in her sister's home at Hamilton, and latterly in the Hamilton Hospital, ever since her return from active service in 1917. During all this long time her unfailing patience in suffering and her bright and happy disposition made those around her love her dearly, and not least the nurses who attended on her. Her illness first came on with a haemorrhage during one of the big convoys of wounded received from France at Walton, when all hands were badly needed, and she would not report her illness, as she knew she would be sent off duty. Just as her influence among other nurses was an inspiration and an example of self-sacrifice and devotion during the war, so her two years of sickness at the Hamilton Hospital cannot fail to impress the young girls training there with the truest spirit of nursing. Almost one of her last thoughts were of those who were sitting for the final State examination, and she asked how they were getting on, and a few hours later quietly passed away, her sister being with her to the last. The funeral took Dlace on June 7, with military honours. A number of returned soldiers attended. The matron, Miss Moore. A.R.R.C., and Miss Bagley and Sister Condick, from Auckland, were present and followed her to the grave, after a beautiful address by Archdeacon Corvis. As a nurse present remarked: "You felt there was scarcely a note of sadness — that she had lived usefully to the last. in spite of suffering and weakness."

On April 27th, at the Napier Hospital, occurred the death of Nurse Matilda Campbell, trained at the Gisborne Hospital. Nurse Campbell passed the State examination of June last year, and only last Christmas was reliev-

ing* in charge of the children's ward at Gisborne Hospital. She had been off duty a good deal throughout her training. The cause of her death was pernicious anaemia. Her sister, also training at the Gisborne Hospital, while on leave had given blood for transfusion, but without avail, and this young life, full of promise of useful work, was cut off. Her loss is keenly felt among her fellow-trainees and those who had the privilege to know and appreciate her unselfishness and patience. Her two younger sisters are at present on the staff of Cook Hospital, and we sympathise very deeply with them.