Miss Bicknell

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume XVI, Issue 4, 1 October 1923, Page 167

Miss Bicknell

News of Miss Bicknell 's movements is given m the "British Journal of Nursing.'* She was invited to the meeting of the National Council of Trained Nurses of Great Britain and Ireland, held m June m the drawing-room of the Royal British Nurses' Association m London, at which, besides the representatives of various leagues and societies of nurses, visitors from South Africa, Prance, and Holland were also present. Miss Bicknell gave a short account of the New Zealand Trained Nurses' Association, and also of the working of the New Zealand State Registration of Nurses laws, contrasting their requirements even 22 years ago with the standard now accepted by the General Nursing Council of England and Wales. It is, of course, to be noted that m the agreement arrived at by the New Zealand Government for the reciprocal registration of nurses it was specially stipulated that nurses registered m England under the concession clauses would not be accepted m New Zealand unless, as has always been required, they could produce a certificate of training for three years and of having passed a final examination. A later function to which Miss Bicknell was invited was a dinner igiven by the Council of the College of Nursing at the Cowdray Club to some distinguished members of the American nursing profession then visiting London. We shall hope later to hear more about all Miss Bicknell has seen and done. The following few notes of the Eighth Century Celebrations at the St. Bartholomew's Hospital, to which she was invited, is very interesting: " 'The Bart.V festivities are m full swing. Yesterday, at noon, I went to the 'Solemnity,' held m the Quadrangle. It began by a procession of monks chanting a hymn m praise of St. Augustine (you will remember Rahere joined that order). Then, after a fanfare of trumpets, a herald m mediaeval dress, accompanied by four others m gay attire, read, m a most sonorous voice, with

absolutely clear enunciation of each syllable, a proclamation declaring that the celebration should take place. Next came a group of beggars, lame, halt and blind, dressed m the period of Henry I. These, after being spurned by various gallants of the day, appealed to Rahere, who appeared at the psychological moment, on his return from his pilgrimage to Rome. He comforts and blesses them, and, a high ecclesiastical happening along with his train of followers, Rahere declares his intention of founding a hospital, and, stooping down, picks up a handy lump of chalk and hastily sketches a plan on the pavement. Thereupon the archbishop blesses him and the poor folk crowd round and kiss his hands and his garments. The next scene is some centuries later, when Henry VIII restores the charter of the hospital to the Lord Mayor, amid great rejoicings. To bring the history down to modern times, there was then a procession of present-day nurses and 'blue boys.' The whole thing was carried out with the greatest attention to detail, and Mr. Bourchier, who took the part of Henry VIII, was excellent. The dress was copied from the portrait m the great hall. It was a gay scene. The guests stood round the four sides of the Quadrangle, and everyone must have had a good view as the processions filed round and then took up their positions m the centre. The medical staff wore their robes — all sorts of rich colourings m silk, and with the uniforms of the nurses, who wore navy blue capes lined with red, lent quite a festive air."

In "Una" of September Ist, we read of a sister who herself had received benefit m sickness under the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society, having accepted the position of representative of the Society. By this means Sister Lavater hopes to aid other nurses to safeguard against illness under the all sickness and endowment policy.