WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 145, 28 September 1910, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

WOMEN NURSES AND MEN PATIENTS. A STRONG PROTEST. A very interesting statement was mailt recently by Dr. Rensliaw, at the Caliholic Congress at Leeds., He. boldly aliimed that a slbrange woman in a man's sick room was an intruder, and that she had no rijg'ht to be an attendant oil a strange man. According ,to the doctor, only maie numses should actind male patients, ami only female nimrses should attend female patients. Now, 'while 'everyone' baa a strong reverence for the nuriing profession, Dr. Rensihawis 'remarks have called attention to an important matter .that ought, by no means, to be overlooked. The question of morals in medicine has long ago been allowed ito drop into limbo, and people tacitly acefept conditions that, | Were tliev to consider them more deeply, they would condemn out of 'band. Dr. Remsihaw will probably be accused of "prudery' - and "Puritanism," but it is safe to say thait, did parents know what their daughters would have to 10 through, they would think a dozen tines before allowing them to become nihit's :at hospitals w.kere .male patients are admitted. No one lias a .word of quarrel against the great self-sacrifice of most nurses; everyone is forced 1 to admit that, in the vasit majority of cases, they are noble 1 women, doing a noble work. All that is ■suggested 'here is that tibe conditions of their lives would be very much bettered were they obliged to nurse only patients of their own sex. Read'eais wiho feel inclined to carp at this statement .may ,get a clearer idea of the matter if t'hey mil ask themselves wihat they would think were it suggested that male nurs.es should attend women patdenta It will, no doubt, be objected by some that nursing is essentially a woman's mission, and <tihat, therefore, she should be allowed full liberty to exercise it. To this it may be answered that men are known bo be quite as competent and quite as sympathetic as women, and that the (male nurses in our asylums perform ' their duties quite as efficiently as any I woman could.

Naturally, there are some illnesses in which no one could object to" a female attending a male patient; but there are very many, others of which the some thing cannot be said. Of course, Dr. Renshaw laya himself open to the. criticism thai, if it be wrong for female nurses to attend men patients, it must also be wrong for male doctors •to attend women patients. This is a subject beyond the scope of the' present article; 'but, while .the two cases present poinlts of difference, it may ,be said that even in tihie latter instance there is room l for reform. Especially is this so in the case of male students at -some "of our hospitals, and no less an authority tihan Sir WiUliam Gull 'has spoken strongly on tlhds matter. The whole matter may ibe summed up in the following words: Illness itself Should not be responsible for breaking down all $9 known conventions of feonuaon etiquette; and the mlere fact that a woman is suffering an illness should not permit a woman- to put aside all the. usual laws in use in refined society.—Londlon M.A.P.

HOME TRUTHS.

If you desire but little of a busy man's company—many him. .1 When yOtUi dislikq anyone, be particularly -chiainkinig. ,I,t saves trouble in the end. ... I Whenever you make a new friend) re- | member ijihat you create a potential enemy. One -word of appreciation now is worth a volume of praise when a friend is dead and can no longer hear you. j Neiwr give to anybody, no matter how i dear, "the run of the house." It is am 1 experiment which invariably ends in disI aster. j It is wise, now .(and then, in dealing 1 with a self-seeking (business man, to j show your teeth. But when you dp, be ! ready to use them, > •• I Nobody, cares whether you look wellj dressed or ill-dressed, except yourself. Therefore, unless husbond-huniting,, spend more money' on . "manners" t^an: on "modie." If you want a . thing done, choose the , right person to do it, and leave Mm full .responsibility. It 19. i®p<)pible to do ; everything yourself with any show of : decency. Never nag. Butif a lover, a friend, or a servant prow unsatisfactory, sever the link between you swiftly. 1 (Note.VUntil our marriage .laws are- altered, this rule does not apply to matrimony). . This is the. 1 age of the chrysanthemum i woman. Always remember she 13; never 1 too old .to welcome delicate flattery. (Note.—After fifty, use a spillikin for , the application.,of ; homage, not a garden : trowel). ; ! Always remember ithat marriage'is not a condition of life, but a Fine Art. Once you ha-vie mastered this faot, there need be no question of "how to be happy ; though married." j AGED BRIDE'S BELIEF IN LOVE. I 70 WEDDED TO 23. A wealthy,lady,.aged 70, and a young man, aged 23, figured as bride an 4 bridegroom in a curious wedding at Chicago. The bride was Mrs. Mary B. Train, who owns property valued at nrore'ffiSn'half a million sterling at' San' Diego, California. With bent ibody and wrinkled face, she presetted a picture of discrepit age as clad in a dress of bright pattern with a youthful straw 'bat, she hobbled 'beside her stalwart lover, James Dibbs, diescribed 1 as a commercial traveller, of New York, into the office of Judge William Pend and asked him to marry tihfem. He hesitated,,looked.first at the complacent, self-satisfied countenance of the bridegroom. and then at the wrinkled, smiling face of the wealthy bride. ' ° "Don't you know," he said to the lady,

"tftat young men are generally seeking money when they marry old women V' "I wouldn't .marry for money," she ®wetltly replied "1 don't believe Mr. Dibbs would either." The Judge, after a consultation, declared tlitt't the law gave 110 pretext for refusing to marry the couple, who forthwith were made man .and wife.. Throughout tho ceremony the bridegroom held his tiat in front of his face to prevent photographs taking a snapshot. But the brid'e turned to the reporters and declaredl, "Believe me, it is a case oi" pure love."

** KING LEOPOLD'S WIDOW. RE-MARRIAGE OF THE BARONESS VAUGHAN. The Baroness Vaughan, widow of King Leopold' of the Belgians, is about Lo be married again. An official notice was recently postal up at the Town Ilall of Arronville, France. It is as follows: — 'iSimday, August 7. —We, the Mayor of Arronville, announce .the marriage proposed bcitween Emmanuel Durieux, of independent mean'?, living at Xeuilly-on-'Seine (parents deceased), and Blanche Zclia Josephine Dokt-roix, of tihic late Jules and Josephine Sibille." The Barone-s V-.vucjhan is one of the 13 c-'hildren of a drawing master who died in an institution for the agwl poor in France nine ycaia ,njo. One of the Baroness' sisters is employed at the cen-ir-*l markets ait. Paris, and another is the wife of a cafe wa u ' v here. Her union with V ug Leopold had lasted some four ytar's when last December the King died, and it was for the first time made clear that he had secretly married 'her. There was no civic ceremony, so itihe union . brought no legal righto to 'the baroness. There are two young children of the union—tne Duke of Terveren and Count Ravenifcsein. King Leopold left the baroness and his children an immense fortune, variously estimated at from £1',f»0,000 to £3,000,000. He also presented to iier before 'his death the fine chateau of Balineourt, near Arronville. The baroness and Iher children are at present at ibhe seaside. There is no indication as to when the wedding will take place. M. Durieux, who is about aO years of age, acted as steward of the baroness' estates.