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On arrival, Mr. Ralphs introduced us to the surgeon- captain who then showed us round the ship.
The ship which was painted in white and had red crosses painted on the sides, consisted of several departments--the Operating Theatre, X Ray room, Isolation rooms, surgical wards, medical wards, etc. All the rooms in the ship were well ventilated and everything looked very neat and clean.
The Captain first led us into the surgical and medical wards, and showed us the beds on the deck for the open air treatment of tuberculosis cases. The best rooms of all were
the officers' rooms where the roofs were made of stained glass. We then went into the X Ray Room, there he showed us some interesting photographs of a fractured leg and arm, and the lungs of a consumptive case, etc.
Soon we came to the laundry room which had several steam-engines and tables for ironing. by machinery.
Everything was done We were a little disappointed that we could not see the men at their laundry work as the engines were not working.
On the way to the Isolation Rooms, we were very interested in watching a patient being brought up in a lift from the lower deck. We saw no nurses on the ship but some men in uniform attending the patients. We stayed
there about an hour.
The members of the V.N.D. are grateful to Mr. Ralphs for arranging this very interesting visit for them.
A MEMBER OF THE V.N.D.
OS GIRL-GUIDING.
Girl-guiding is a means of training a girl's character. Every girl in this movement tries hard for the progress of the movement and for the good of other people.
A guide should be helpful; quick in the eye, thought and actions; but above all faithful. Many people and the guides themselves agree that all guides are happy because they do not grumble at anything. They are friends too and help others cheerily and they look upon other guides as sisters.
But they are friendly rivals between companies, and in the same company, between patrols; this helps in the develop- ment of the movement, because, between companies, the girls in each company try hard to win the banner for their own company, and between patrols, every girl in each patrol tries hard to get as many points as she can for her patrol.
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This movement also increases the knowledge of the girls. But unlike school work the girls learn by means of games. For instance they learn their Morse code and then they play a game with it. In this way we find the girls learning more quickly than in school for they are learning not only for the good of themselves but for the good of themselves but for their patrols and companies also. They learn the simple rules of health and do some physcial exercises so that they may keep their bodies fit.
In every meeting they have games, sometimes they sing, and have a little company drill. It is very interesting to see them having a meeting or one of their games which all of them enjoy. Those that lose in the game are equally happy as those that win and the losers never forget to clap for the winners. This shows their unselfishness.
Every year the girl guides of Hongkong have a rally when all the guides are present and show us what they can do and how they enjoy their work. They all look very cheerful; their cheerfulness shows us their real spirit.
HOME NURSING.
In all cases of illness the welfare of the patient largely depends upon the cordial co-operation of the Doctor and the Nurse. The former is to settle the plan of treatment, while the latter is to carry out that plan. As a nurse is of such importance, therefore, she must be prompt, intelligent and tactful.
The St. John Ambulance Association, which was formed by the Grand Priory of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England in the year 1877, also has an association in Hong- kong. It consists of several divions, namely, the Kowloon Division, the India Division, the Railway Division, the Y.M.C.A Division, the Victoria Nursing Division, etc.
This Victoria Nursing Division was formed by some students and teachers of our Belilios Public School.
As soon as we have joined this division, we have to attend several lectures about First Aid to the Injured, given by a lady doctor. Then we have our examination at the end of the year, and a certificate is granted to those who have passed. After we have passed the First Aid Examination a uniform is given to each of us, which consists of a blue dress, with white collar and white sleeves, a white apron with a belt, and a red cross on the breast and an arm badge on the left sleeve, and a white cap.