1937-10-25 — Page 10

THE HONGKONG

TELEGRAPH.

She knows its

SHE is not a grouser; not a bitter woman. Is smart, alert, modern, she loves

her job, and carries on in spite of its disadvantages. uricertain conditions ! Good here, bad there-no enforceable standards-and hence the dearth of recruits. We go on- she says-because sick folk

can't walt...

WHO'D be a NURSE?

Trst I used to hide

when Sister came into

my ward. They had

羅

I

warned me she was holy terror-though later

You found her quite decent. see, I was only 17 when I started at H

Matran told me

to come along and see how I did.

We had to pay a premium. though this is not usual; and also mother had to supply my outfit; and my first pay was £10 a year. I have been qualified just three that was happening years: so seven years ago, anyway. I was there just a year, so keen that nothing mattered.

Then I went to H... General and, of course, my year's training did not count, and I alaried all over again.

row, no nurse minds discipline-but it's the restrictions that got us down. Mine was not one of the big modernised hospitals, or one of the progressive Municipal places, like LC.C. hosplats. And -there is no accepted standard: or conditions that can be enforced. 'For instance, a friend of mine trained at the same me at Royal Free" and found restrictions TC- Inxed nnet discipline kept.

-Irritations reduced to a minimum. For instance, the rule that no Pro. initst ever address a word to a student er doctor cases up" when all students and doctors are women.

They could talk, they played tennis together, and learned a lot about both alties of their work. Then, when she finished training, ale went to a hos pital at a fashionable resort.

Frightfully strict natron, heaps of restrictions, and all the nurses out to, outwit the rules.

That's the worst of it. You never know what you will find.

My training nod fist work later was pretty average, I suppose. But I nover really found out whether I was employed to do odd jobs at a rotten salary and pick up what I could about the sick, or being given a rotten salary because tras fo be taught a fine job!

However, conditions affected most at first. Accommodation-fair. Food? 'Good quality ruined by appal- Bng treatment."

Ine

Half an hour for our midday meal, sometimes halved by waiting for near. raw meat, sodden vegetables, soggy pudding Juniors kept quiet while seniors talked, too-like school, only more sol)-and this perhaps after a Leolure on the "Causes of Indiges- tion" or "Modern Dietetics"

The modern hospitals have dieti cians to watch the menus, and it's better when the sister-housekeeper is

A independent as possible, too,

Hours worried me most,

Do you realise that a 53 or 50 hour

as told to

Joan Woollcombe

week or more is stil! worked? That the total span of a girl's duties (between coming-on and going- aff may be 13 hours on day duty and 12 hours on night? That my lectures, anyway, had to come mostly out of Time On (two houral), and had to be attended in full uniform (more time, for changing);

After duty, at 8 p.m., we could only go out with (very) special permission. Of course, progrènsive hospitals, under the LOC., and Bart's Guy's and the others, give their Proa, complete free- dom between 8 and 10 pan.

But imagine having all the lighte switched off anyhow at 10.301 We did. Nobody resented carly to bed “—we had to get sleep; but that lights off forcibly got me down

Then, we had nowhere to see visitors. and no telephone of easy necess, and. as a general rule, never knew our free times till the actual day.

It was hurd to be compirtely cut of from normal life. Try R and are.

THINK perhaps the firat tirmo I really sald: "Who'd be a Nurse... was after my first spell of real night duty.

Perhaps it will tell you more about the whole thing if I just describe that as it hap- pens, to-day-especially in under- staffed places.

Well, isten: it's the end of the night, from 5.30 to 7, that gives you a close-up of "being a Nurse." and 'debunks" the romance of it though, mind you, nothing takes away the fact it is the finest job on earth for the right woman.

Well, in' my case, I had a ward of 18 patients; between 645 (which wOA the earlicat I might wake them) and -when I hand to hand over to Day Nurse, I had to wash and tidy them and so on, and cook and serve their breakfasts.

This is a list of the things I had to

do to, and for, 18 send-helpless cases: - wake; wash - them, and take tempera--- tures; do a round of bed-pans; do their hair and their nails and this means all these things thoroughly), change linen, and do any treatments due and cook and aeroe 18 meals, all of which may be different.

Porridge, ten, bread and butter and eggs and bacon or egg you know The sort of thing. Mine was medi cal ward, so the diet was fairly full.

This hour and quarter was my nightmare: sometimes (though I'm of night duty) it comes back to me In sleep: because you wen really "for it"

if you were a moment late, whatever

-to wake a case who had only just dropped off to his first bit of alexp... Well, I did not enjoy that, either.

What about pay and prospects? Prospects of ployment, Ane! There's я

scarcity

em-

of trained State Registered Nurses.

Pay? Well-the College of Nursing, which is always battling for better con- ditions, has a suggested minimum scale: And even they only recommend? £65 to £30 for staff nurses.

Private nursen gel between three and four guineas a week and their full keep, of course.

As an example, my friend who has Just qualifted and is Bind Nurse doing Casualty at a smaller London hospital, gets £ 75. 11d. a nonth Jess 76. 2d. for superannuation scheme, and will gel a pension of four-sixths. of whatever salary ale's galting when tho retires.

Her hours are long, nine-hour day 64-hour week over a spreadi and a fortnight; but she's dead keen on her work, hna n good matron, and does not KTOLISE.

"It's a question of cash. If we could afford more staff it would ease things. Meanwhilowe must do the best we Patients don't stop being ill while we argue."

can.

What she did not say-but probably thought, like I do wis that the short- age of recruits will go on, get worse,

Ines.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1937.

unless girls can be sure of reasonable minunum conditions.

They want girls now, with matricu- lation standard or something, or they want them to pass n test examination before hospitals take them on.

You don't get that type of girl to Lake £13 a year, fale të middling con. ditions, a 54-hour week, if she doesn't know-even then-whether she's a

ntu- undly paid Junior school fag or dent faking bad pay bemuse of the line chances of learning a job with a future. No. I have not sald anything about Bursing being a vocation. It must be, or you wouldn't get women sticking it in the fair to middling hospitals. "Or modern-minded Hospital experts-

L.0,0., Barts, Middlesex and the rest -fighting for better conditions and better nurses!

JOHN A. SMITH

Asks

How Do You Use Wireless?

are an

If you are a theatrical producer

HERE are approximately 30,000,- nallonal life, but there is no doubt THERE

000 radio listeners in this coun- that something is happening to the "year the way in which people regard and use. fry. During an average

programmes. The radla B.B.C.

receives from them about breadcast 150,000 letters, expressing approval is peculiar among all forms of enter or disapproval of various program- tainment or art in that it has to

of them are concerned highbrow public. Many with. listeners' fare in general:-"1 consider you give too much time to you may decide to cater for one sec- jazz" or "Can't we have more sports tion of people by pulling on Chekhov

valuable

to or Clifford Odets; or for another by commentaries? Most

staging a domestic comedy or so- the directors of programmes

phisticated revue; or for a th

A third by those letters which criticise in

local "Empire" and

and pro- intelligent manner particular broad- taking the local "En casts, but all letters, even those of ducing its traditional fare. Each to part of the public, according to its unqualified appreciation, help show the B.B.C. what the public tastes, can find enough material in the theatre, in books, music, or wants.

This year, however, there has been ms, to fill its lelsure hours without a serious fall in the number of letters its having to encrosch on a sphere in which it is really little interested, received. It is estimated that next December the total will reach merely for something to do."

The radio, as we know it to-day, no more than 50,800, or only one- third of the usual number. As a is different. The BBC. tries, very result the B.B.C. has to face not only conscientiously, to cater for every- the task of giving the Bublle what body all the time. It visualises R it wants (which is quite easy. item it

kind of average mon to whom every broadcasts is acceptable. known); but also that of discovering Only, in practice, real people soon what the public, wants. As a way diverge from the average, elther out the B.B.C. has constituted 1.500 downward" or "upward," and the after of its staff a representative public, I LIKE to think of my holiday as

my annual rest. I always go twelve niter a good game of bridge, and these people regularly receive enter the divergence the less satis- away with the firm intention of hay. I slept the sleep of the almost dead. blank forms on which to record their fying are the programmes,

opinions of various programme What After 15 Ycora?

"To-day's Thought-

HE is my friend that succours me, not he that pilieth me. -THOMAS. FULLER.

the cause, in my hospital.

I used to plan and re-plan ways of Relling through: and patients, when they could, helped.

But, even with a junior to cut bread- and-butter-it was a crazy race: and

MY ANNUAL REST

I went to bed at a

little

gain. My skin was burned and got well again and become tanned. And every night I went to bed exhausted,

by

if

EUROPEAN PARADOX

N extensive

AN

tour

a

among people of five countries in Europe, just completed, has made clear to me the monstrous paradox that exists in Europe to-day.

While those who administer and govern the great dictatorships are constantly occupied in diplomatic manoeuvres and finesse for places in world politics, their people continue. their daily pursuita litle interested in the diplomatic game, and desir- Ing

only

to be left alone in

pence. Crossing the battlefelds of Flan- ders, which only twenty years ago

were reduced to wilderness of

RAJPUTAN બાળ

churned mud and tree stumps, but P & O-BRITISH INDIA-APCAR AND

which are now covered with luxu riant growth and creps, I stopped to speak to the people about war and politics. But I soon found that their interests lay in peaceful pursuits, and that what interest they had in the doings of diplomats and statesmen was merely incidental to the main business of living.

Strangely enough, I found the same in Germany and Italy. Right down the Rhine gorge from Cologne to Coblenz, which only recently at Its re-occupation witnessed the mar ching of soldiers and military dis play, the people are peace-loving and desire only to be left alone to their work, their crops, their dances, and their songs.

Yel, next to the Brenner pass, the Rhine

valley must be one of the most strongly fortified frontiers in Europe, There are evidences of strong garrl- sono all the way along the river und, of course, one is always conselous of the existence of the French Maginot line only a few kilometres to the south.

Saluing Mania

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From

Destination.

30th Oct. Marseilles & London.

0th Nov, B'bay, 'seilles, 're, L'don, H'burg,

Rotterdam, Antwerp & Hull.

8.8.

Tena

More front

About

114,500 6,000

*OZARDA

5,000

COMORIN

15,000

KANCHI

17,000

0,000

12th Nov.Bombay & Karachi,

13th Nov. Bombay, Marzelles & London. 27th Nov. Bombay, Marseilles & Londori. 4th Dec. B'bay, M'seilles, ll're, L'don, H'burg.

Rotterdam, Antwerp & Hull.

11th Dec. Bombay, Marseilles & London. 18th Dec. Marseillés, Havre, London, Hamburg,

Rotterdam, Antwerp & Hull. 25th Dec. Dombay, Marseilles & London:

Bavaria is the same. But in that *BHUTAN country of dense forest, rich pas

re. RAJPUTANA 17,000 tures, and enchanting scenery

"BEHAR

6,000 sembling parts of Scotland, one gels the Arst unmistakable evidence of

RANPURA The national political consciousness.

7,000 Nazi salute and the "Hell Hitler" are

Cargo only. All vessels may call at Malta. used on every occasion of meeting and parting, and as, one approaches Munich, the early storm-centre of contentporary German polities, the signs become so commonplace that one takes them for granted as one SHIRALA

TILAWA would a polite "good evening" or

SANTHIA "good morning."

BRITISH INDIA-APCAR SAILINGS

SIRDHANA ·

8,000 4th Nov, 1

18th Nov. 0,000

10,000

2nd Dec.

8,000

16th Dec.

15th Jan..

10,000

Singapore, Port Swettenham.

Penang, Rangoor & Calcutta.

EASTERN & AUSTRALIAN SAILINGS

NELLORE

The people are pracefully inclined TALMA as are their neighbours in the Rhine valley, but they have more interest in politics. When I was there, they were just preparing Munich for the arrival of Herr Hitler and, natur-TANDA ally, feeling was running high. But NANKIN

it was high though the feeling was, neither bellicose nor chauvinistic. Indeed, they appeared to be con- vinced that war is a remote possi-DHUTAN bility.

Austria is in different mood.

80th Oct. 3rd. Dec. Manila, Rabaul, Brisbane, Sydney,

Melbourne & Hobart.

7,000

7,000

7,000

2nd Jan.

SAILINGS TO SHANGHAI & JAPAN

SHIRALA Its RANCHI towns and villages are less well cared (TANDA

⚫ Cargo only.

for that those of Germany, and one *BEHAR is uncomfortably conscious of an TILAWA undercurrent of dissatisfaction and RAJPUTANA unrest. A competent observer told SANTHIA me that eighty per cent, of rural Austria and a large part of the towns Incline to Nazism. The impression 1 got is that though general war is of fat removed from the people's ~thoughts-an-it-is-from-those of the German peasantry, the possibility of

Internal rising cannot be ruled out

The Two Italier

The paradox of peace and power is clearly seen whenever the Brenner pass is crossed into Italy. There, the social conditions of the people are largely as they were when I saw them 15 years ago just before the March en Rome. But, unlike Ger many. Italy is really two countries- the new and the old.

The new is the military machine the vast schemes of road, rail, and hydro-electric construction, and huge imposing administrative offices in tho at the austere architectural stylc great centres, where armies of om cials bustle about, papers rustle, and rubber stamps thump incessantly the old is the Italian peasantry and the vilinge populations.

Fascist Italy differs from the new Germany in

curious *

respect. Whereas the change in Germany is psychological and touches the very soula of the people, that of Italy is one of mathematical and mechanical precision affecting the Instruments of government and defence. This gradually being extended from the top downwards and there is evidence

28th Oct.Į Japan.

0,000

0,000

28th Oct. Amoy & Japan, "

17.000

20th Oct. Japan.

7,000

4th Nov. Japan.

6,000

8th Nov. Japan.

10.000

11th Nov. Amoy & Japan.

17,900

12th Nov. Japan.

0,000

25th Nov. Amoy & Japan.

All dates are approximate and subject to alteration without notice. For further Information, Passage, Freight, Handbook, clc., apply to The Agents.

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16 Nov.

9 Nov, 10 Doc. 7. Jan, 11 Feb.

17 Dec..

14 Jan.. 18 Feb.

19 Nov. 20 Dec. 16. Jan. 21. Feb.

4 Dec.

5 Jan.

31 Jan.

9 Mar.

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Every

ing a lazy time, with no strenuous Next morning my intentions were tems. exercise and as much rest as possi- as good as ever. I did stay in bed. There are two obvious drawbacks Some months ago'a correspondent ble. I have just come back from my till eight o'clock, but I did not resist to this scheme. First. It is doubtful to a B.B.C. journot made a survey of

the templation to swim. Neither did whether even the 1,500 selected mem- his acquaintances in search of the' annual rest, and-on thinking it over i resist other tempfallons, and we bors are truly representative of the Highbrow listener. He found none. I begin to wonder.

went for a long walk before lunch. huge nation-wide nudlence behind He found many people who were dis-

bodied contralles, as well as those In the afternoon I pinyed tennis the "mike." Second, an employee of criminate in the plays and films they of adenoidal "blues" singers, barl The first morning I intended get- again. In the evening I climbed a the B.B.C. may not be too willing to saw and the boold they read, but tones, and thundering basses. All ting up late, but the smell of sea hill-no, a mountain!

criticise programmes when, at the nono who approached the radio this vast output of more or. Jess same time, he feela ho is indirectly critically or gave il any serious in- air and the first rays of sunshine The days which followed

genuine art has flown past our cat; that in time the organisation will be a

source. of weakness. were criticising his employers. No doubt, tellectual consideration. entering my room awoke me. It was taken up by swimming, walking it is easy to exaggerate the Import-

but what has it left behind? The conclusion seems to be that

have reached even the lowest social agency of propaganda and channel of irresistible: got up and dressed running, diving, climbing, driving, once of this factor.

Not very much. It has taught us radio programmes are most appre-

grades. Unlike the, typical German, information in controlled by the a few facts. We may recognite the the Italian does not take well to this State go that it can be used at any A short walk before breakfast, in riding, playing tennis, golf, and

clated as an accompanying noise to the cool of the morning, can do no various card games--but the latter indiference to Programmes

other activities. Probably not one

names of more operatie singers then kind of life. Nevertheless, it is have time to work up a mass hysteria for only after dark. My muscles be-

we know in pre-B.B.C. days, and waing ito effect and great changes are political purposes to unite the two person in a hundred listens without

clemorate the government and the harm, I thought. I had my walk. came saro and they became supple But, far more interesting than any at the same time reading, talking, or ing outalde our immediate environ

may know more of what is happen“ | being worked out. After breakfast I found a comfort.

alternative the B.B.C. may naopt, is doing something

Like those of Germany and Aus-people." really is con- the mere fact of the drop in "listener aldered more important than lisidne

ment. But I doubt whether we antela, the Italian people are closely It is doubtful if these devices would able chair and decided to bask in the

response." It seems to indicate a ing. Outstanding items, of course, radio or more fluent in self-expres- the rest, they appear awed by the Italy, where there is still wide free- much wiser as a result of 15 years wedded, to the peace Ideal, but like prove as muccessful in the case of sun. I sat for, about ten minutes

growing indifference to the nature of get particular attention. · But that the

sion or more often lifled out of our sheer immensity and thoroughness of dom of expression, as they would in when someone suggested a swim. Wo

brandcast programmes.

a back- everyday selves.

the administrative machine. went to the beach and stayed there

Germany, but an English resident in of ground is proved by the parlodical I must have walked an average Coronation werks a great denting radio is taken mostly as

The technique of listening is a dil-

Stress told mo, that they were used for at money and pains was spent on the complaints from lateners and radio ficuti one. It requires great concen- Strange Contrast till lunch time. Iswam, and raced, of 15 miles a day. I swam

I ran on the beach

with great effect during the period least two hours.

production

of "Merrie England," writers that there are too many In-tration, for more than doos, say,

of the and dived, and plunged, and return for another hour. I played tennis broadcast twice and listened to, it tervals in the programmes. These reading or watching a play. Conse

sanctions, when matlonial Thus you get the monstrous para solidarity was of primary import- for two hours, and I drove a car for was estimated, by twenty million people are nggeleved that, maybe at two

quently, it cannot be continued for dox of Europe to-day. Dictators and 30 or three hours, climbed people. The D.B.C. Intended to ten separate times during a day's "Never mind," I thought, "I'll resi

several hills-no, mountains and 1 guide its futuro policy in regard to broadcasts, they have to wait three

long at a time. Again, when a thing general staffa controlling powerful ance.

One thing I found common to all becomes very easily obtainable and military and naval machines se countries, even among certain sec- in the afternoon. It's better to have played more bildge than during the such programmes by the tone of the minutes before the next Item com-

Imposed upon peace-loving people some exercise during the cooler par rest of the year. Trode horses until huge mail that was expected to fol- mences!

very cheap It soon teases to be vivid who have ittle knowledge about tions in France, is the fear of Bel- ly appreciated. or part of me-could stand it ne low the broadcasts

To me the fall in listener-responso

Maybe the next development in what is going on and appear to care ahovisn. The mention of the word to them is like a red rag to a bul}, "Merrie England" brought in 44 suggests that people are not very radio will be longer. I went for evening strolls

a reduction in pro- less. Similarly, which became long marches.

They I ate letters.

all look upon it as we would "einging Interested in what they hear, though gramme time with the exercise of the

But it is clear that the sentiments the plague. The dictators know this By the time lunch: was over. I fell like a navvy and never wasted mice" broadcast, on which the B.B.C, they do want to hear something all

greater discrimination in the items and desires of the rank and lo of botter and went for a motor run in minute. I did read one chapter of asked listeners to comment, pro- the time. We have had well over the afternoon. When we got back a book. And I think I did alt down duced only six replies, During" the a decade of regular broadcasts. No-

broadcast. I mow a move to such the flowers that bloom in ib/overy Hoarding has something about authoritarian States are: 80 to speak, and exploit it to the full, for almost an end would meet with a storm wo had just time for mother dip to for at least half-an-hour-onee. 1936-7 winter Scottish stations re- mote ethereal spaces are still ringing

calved no more than 60 letters a week with the muale of hundreds of dance would do away with the essential the ease."

of protest. But only a similar pian spring, they have nothing to do with freshon us up for dinner. After din-

What precisely is included in the term Holshevism is a question to nor I got a book and decided to spend. And now I am back from my an from their regional public, and many bands, full orchestras, trios, quartets, idiocy of 14 hours daily of music This is the eternal contradiction of which I could not get a really con- a quiet evening...

nual rest. Since I feel like a boxer of these were not comments on pro- sextets, and septen; the words of variety, talks, and plays, all huddled power politics and the leader prin-clusive answer, but there is no doubt In nghting trim i think I shall grammes but queries on one matter thousands of carnest talkers are still together like the ingredients of an ciple, the clash of ometal and un-that it plays a large part in their I managed to rest for half an hour.change the name. I am back from or another.

travelling through space In wave Irish-stew, much of, it of no real official notions of what. a State stands politics and is over present in their and then tennis was suggested. I my annual training.

is ridiculous to suggest that the form, alde by side with the songs of value.

for. But though this paradox exists thoughts as war is absent, t played tennis,

Tradio is not an important part of our crooners, romanile sopranos, and full-

Jelen A. Smith. it can never, in present conditions,

W. Ninian Stewart

od exhausted to the house,

of the day."

Miller Watson.

Bolshevism

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