NURSING THE SOLDIERS’ WIVES IN SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XV, 14 April 1900, Page 708

NURSING THE SOLDIERS’ WIVES IN SOUTH AFRICA.

An Alexandra nurse, writing in "The Hosp’ital” Nursing Mirror, under date of November 17th, says: — War is a reality now, and a few- days ago it seemed as if we in Maritzburg were to be in the very thick of it. For a few nights we went to bed not knowing but that in the morning we should find ourselves surrounded bj - Boers. Happily, that scare has abated, and now we feel friends are here, so many troops having arrived this week, Aly nursing is still confined to the women and children of the regiments. Just a month ago those of the Ladysmith camp were hurriedly sent down, thus adding some 250 to my already large family of over 300. But they were welcomed, and their comfort and sickness attended to as best we could tattler the circumstances.

The Ladysmith contingent were quartered in the reading, recreation, and barrack rooms of the Dublin Fusiliers. As they had been exposed for hours to a heavy downpour of rain during their transit, many developed influenza, with a high temperature and some enteric symptoms. In one case a mother and five children were all down at once—temperature from 10.3-104-6. All. however, got on nicely,

with the exception of a baby six months old. whose mother, a consumptive patient, who was suT ring from enteric fever, had to be removed with her to Grey's Hospital, where the baby died after a week's illness. Last week it was deemed advisable to send the women and children home. They left in detachments on November 7th. Sth, and 9th for Durban, sailing per troopship "Jelunga” on the Hth. The railway platform was at busy and most interesting sight as the women and children, with their numerous parcels and packages, were placed in the carriages. But they all left comfortably after receiving sandwiches, bananas, and bottles of milk from some kind friends. One poor woman with seven children, who had been on the sick list the previous week,

got down just in time to see the train move off. She, however, did not lose her spirits over the mishap, but accepted an invitation to the house of a good Samaritan to spend the day, and at five p.m. 1 saw her off to join her fellow' travellers, grateful and smiling. The genial Scotch stationmaster kindly gave her a first-class compartment. 'Two of the women who travelled from Ladysmith when the camp was cleared had to be met by the ambulance waggon and conveyed direct to Grey's Hospital, so at three a.nt. I waited for them, promenading an almost deserted platform. The train duly arrived, and four corporals quickly installed them in the waggons which were ready for them.

But a surprise was in store, for they brought four children not bargained for. At first 1 was puzzled what to do with these, but 1 quickly decided to take them on to "Grey's and bespeak the hospitality "of the kind-hearted matron. Mrs M'Donahl. till other arrangements could be made for their safe keeping during the illness of the mothers. 1 need hardly say that the four sleepy little mites, the eldest only five year’s old, received a warm welcome, and were soon in bed. Grey’s Hospital has been quite a boon to us at this time, as so many of the cases, maternity and enteric, could not be nursed in' open barrack rooms. A number of our jvounded soldiers have also been nursed there ami are Loud in its praise, and 1 am glad to be able to state that the doctors and matron speak in very high terms of the good behaviour, gratitude, and patience of their soldi- r patients.