2
794 persons uaDie to contract aisease. 1t is only naturai to expect that tailors should be more prudent in this respect than members of other trades less likely to convey infection. After this we came upon another large house let out into numerous tenements, which for the most part were used as workshops. Altogether there were nine workrooms, some occupied by dressmakers, others by mantle-makers, and there was a sweating tailor in the garret. But one closet was provided for all these various tenants. The floor of the tailor’s room was worn away and covered with wooden patches. The coke was strewn carelessly on the floor, and also a large quantity of paper, dirt, and refuse, gathered out of the other workshops, and which the tailor intended burning on his fire from motives of economy. In the meanwhile the refuse collected from the neighbours was freely mingling with the clothes which were in process of manufacture. We also visited the houses of a few home workers. Their rooms were in some instances of microscopic dimensions, and the surroundings miserable in the extreme. Here and there they were only cellar dwellings. One room measured 9 ft. by 10 ft. 4 in. The ceiling and floor were giving way, and covered with soot and dirt; and yet here a man and his wife slept, cooked their meals, and made clothes. In another similar house our inquiries were somewhat bareed by the fact that both the tailor and the tailoress present had been indulging so freely in Easter festivities that they failed to understand the motive of our visit. Seeing the misery of their home and surroundings, we could scarcely be surprised at their seeking forgetfulness in dissi- pations which even those who are well educated and wealthy cannot always resist. Finally, another home worker slept and worked in a little room surrounded by a numerous family, where the damp was causing the plaster to fall off -the walls and the floor was broken in. In the back yard the drainage seemed out of order: damp, wet, and unpleasant odours prevailed. In a word, sanitary supervision of the home workers is as necessary in Manchester as in Liverpool. In conclusion, and while dealing with the tailoring trade in Manchester, we would earnestly urge that sanitary defects are not limited to the sweater’s abode. Some of the highest class of work is done in altogether unsuitable ,quarters ; and, though in these instances the workmen belong to the trade union and receive the best rate of remuneration, the workshops provided by their employers are a disgrace to the trade. We will describe three such places. The first we visited was well furnished with closet accommodation, and there was a separate closet for the use of the women; but the workshop was situated under- ,ground. A window 24 in. high, commencing on a level with the street causeway, gave light to this cellar. If this window were opened, persons passing in the street would send the dust from their feet down upon the tailors below. The cellar was so low that it was necessary to stoop on entering. The ceiling was only 5t ft. above the floor. The room, being of irregular shape, could not be easily measured, but apparently it was about 15 ft. by 15 ft. This gives a cubic capacity of 1237 ft.; and here ten people worked, so that, though in common lodging-houses tramps and vagrants are allowed 300 cubic feet each, these tailors worked in only 124 cubic feet of space for every man. A common lodging-house dormitory has also much better ventilation. With the tailors, however, it was not only very difficult to open the window, but the heat of the pressing irons and the gaslight rendered the air most oppressive. To make matters worse, a shrinking apparatus had been fixed just outside the workroom door. Cloth is placed in a large case, a fire is lit, and from a small boiler steam is discharged into thit case. The cloth under the influence of damp and heat gives off stifling, unpleasant, and pungent odours, which, together with the steam, enter the tailors’ workshop. Nor was there any sys- tematic method of keeping this place clean; the floors were in great need of scrubbing. The second workshop we visited of this description was also in a cellar, measuring 15 ft. by 12 ft. and 6 ft. high. Here, in a cubic space of 1080 ft., seven highly skilled tailors were at work. This is equal to 154 cubic feet of air for each. Only the middle portion of a low window, which was on a level with the street causeway, could be opened, and a few weeks ago even this was permanently closed. A great quantity of dirt had accumulated between and under the boards of the floor. The third and last illustration is not a cellar, but garret workrooms. On entering by a door in a back street that runs behind a resplendent shop, it is necessary to go through a long stone passage. On the left, there is a row of closets that are quite dark, have no windows, but ventilate into the passage. Only one of these closets is at the disposal of the workpeople, and it is frequented by twenty-six men and women. There was soil in front and on each side of the seat. The closet had evidently not been cleaned for a long time. Nothing could be more revolting than the aspect of this place. Passing beyond, we grope our way in another passage leading to the stairs. There is no light, and suddenly the foot sinks in soft, pulpy material, and a fearful choking odour arises. Several ilag-stones are missing; rags, paper, dust-in a word, dirt of all description has accumulated here, and, with the aid of damp, is decomposing, and thus produces these surprising exhalations. Then we have to ascend, in the pitch dark, a spiral staircase three storeys high, only 2 ft. wide and devoid of any balustrade whatsoever. The steps are of wood, in places so insecure that they bend to the weight of the foot. Occasional dust, cinders, old bits of rag or cloth, in- crease the danger of falling,-and an accident, we were informed, did once occur on these stairs. At last, when the garrets were reached, we found three little rooms occupied by tailors, another by tailoresses, and another by two female machinists. Some of the rooms were intensely hot from the pressing-iron, the gas, and the overcrowding; others were intensely cold. In the latter the irons and gas were not required, and yet no fire is allowed for fear of accidents. One of the over-heated rooms contained, to judge from a hasty measurement, 864 cubic feet of space, and eight persons were at work; thus there is only 103 cubic feet for each workman. To ascend so dangerous a staircase, and then to reach so unwholesome and unsuitable a place, is a hardship which only absolute necessity compels the workpeople to endure. Common cattle would be housed in a more suitable manner. The stairs leading down to the dungeons of a mediaeval castle are luxurious compared with the black, winding, rickety, steps that lead up to this modern tailor’s garret. It is high time that the attention of the authorities and the public should be awakened, and the investigation extended. Sweating in the East-end of London is a great grievance, but there is sweating in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, &c., that equally requires reform; and, from a sanitary point of view, the sweaters are not the only culprits. The home workers, and the " order shops," where the highest class and best tailoring work is done, also, and but too often, need inspection and supervision. THE REGISTRATION OF TRAINED NURSES. A SMALL association, formed about four years ago to consider and discuss matters connected with hospital management, soon saw the wisdom of directing its attention to attempts at legislation for nurses. The only result of its efforts has been the production of fiasco after fiasco with ridiculous regularity. For example, last October it issued a circular offering to register any nurse who had had one year’s training on payment of half-a-crown. The failure this time was rather worse than usual. Not only did nurses not register themselves under such auspices, but most of the matrons of hospitals of any standing who were then connected with it resigned their membership at once. Forthwith, the association appointed what it was pleased to call a "sectional committee" to investigate the subject of registration, and its report appeared in a daily paper on Wednesday, and almost confesses that the investigation has been futile. The committee, it appears, issued a paper containing nine questions to thirty- four nurse-training schools. Only nineteen of these took the trouble to answer at all. To the first question, "Do you consider a general system of registration desirable for trained nurses?" it is stated nine replied in the affirmative, but the remaining ten desire to be left alone"! (sic)-an answer which cannot be said to be exhaustive on the subject. After this we are not surprised to read that "some of the answers are simply the individual opinions of the matrons, or of medical superintendents, or of some pro- minent member of the medical staff of the hospital." Nor is it wonderful that many of the replies are of "doubtful

THE REGISTRATION OF TRAINED NURSES

  • Upload
    jl

  • View
    213

  • Download
    1

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

794

persons uaDie to contract aisease. 1t is only naturai toexpect that tailors should be more prudent in this respectthan members of other trades less likely to convey infection.

After this we came upon another large house let out intonumerous tenements, which for the most part were used asworkshops. Altogether there were nine workrooms, someoccupied by dressmakers, others by mantle-makers, andthere was a sweating tailor in the garret. But one closetwas provided for all these various tenants. The floor of thetailor’s room was worn away and covered with woodenpatches. The coke was strewn carelessly on the floor, andalso a large quantity of paper, dirt, and refuse, gathered outof the other workshops, and which the tailor intended

burning on his fire from motives of economy. In themeanwhile the refuse collected from the neighbours wasfreely mingling with the clothes which were in process ofmanufacture.We also visited the houses of a few home workers. Their

rooms were in some instances of microscopic dimensions,and the surroundings miserable in the extreme. Here andthere they were only cellar dwellings. One room measured9 ft. by 10 ft. 4 in. The ceiling and floor were giving way,and covered with soot and dirt; and yet here a man andhis wife slept, cooked their meals, and made clothes. Inanother similar house our inquiries were somewhat bareedby the fact that both the tailor and the tailoress presenthad been indulging so freely in Easter festivities thatthey failed to understand the motive of our visit. Seeingthe misery of their home and surroundings, we couldscarcely be surprised at their seeking forgetfulness in dissi-pations which even those who are well educated and wealthycannot always resist. Finally, another home worker sleptand worked in a little room surrounded by a numerousfamily, where the damp was causing the plaster to fall off-the walls and the floor was broken in. In the back yard thedrainage seemed out of order: damp, wet, and unpleasantodours prevailed. In a word, sanitary supervision of thehome workers is as necessary in Manchester as in Liverpool.

In conclusion, and while dealing with the tailoring tradein Manchester, we would earnestly urge that sanitarydefects are not limited to the sweater’s abode. Some of thehighest class of work is done in altogether unsuitable,quarters ; and, though in these instances the workmenbelong to the trade union and receive the best rate ofremuneration, the workshops provided by their employersare a disgrace to the trade. We will describe three suchplaces. The first we visited was well furnished with closetaccommodation, and there was a separate closet for the useof the women; but the workshop was situated under-,ground. A window 24 in. high, commencing on a levelwith the street causeway, gave light to this cellar. Ifthis window were opened, persons passing in the streetwould send the dust from their feet down upon the tailorsbelow. The cellar was so low that it was necessary tostoop on entering. The ceiling was only 5t ft. above thefloor. The room, being of irregular shape, could not be

easily measured, but apparently it was about 15 ft. by 15 ft.This gives a cubic capacity of 1237 ft.; and here ten peopleworked, so that, though in common lodging-houses tramps andvagrants are allowed 300 cubic feet each, these tailors workedin only 124 cubic feet of space for every man. A commonlodging-house dormitory has also much better ventilation.With the tailors, however, it was not only very difficult toopen the window, but the heat of the pressing irons and thegaslight rendered the air most oppressive. To make mattersworse, a shrinking apparatus had been fixed just outside theworkroom door. Cloth is placed in a large case, a fire is lit,and from a small boiler steam is discharged into thit case. Thecloth under the influence of damp and heat gives off stifling,unpleasant, and pungent odours, which, together with thesteam, enter the tailors’ workshop. Nor was there any sys-tematic method of keeping this place clean; the floors werein great need of scrubbing.The second workshop we visited of this description was

also in a cellar, measuring 15 ft. by 12 ft. and 6 ft. high.Here, in a cubic space of 1080 ft., seven highly skilledtailors were at work. This is equal to 154 cubic feet of airfor each. Only the middle portion of a low window,which was on a level with the street causeway, could beopened, and a few weeks ago even this was permanentlyclosed. A great quantity of dirt had accumulated betweenand under the boards of the floor.The third and last illustration is not a cellar, but garret

workrooms. On entering by a door in a back street that

runs behind a resplendent shop, it is necessary to go througha long stone passage. On the left, there is a row of closetsthat are quite dark, have no windows, but ventilate intothe passage. Only one of these closets is at the disposalof the workpeople, and it is frequented by twenty-sixmen and women. There was soil in front and on eachside of the seat. The closet had evidently not been cleanedfor a long time. Nothing could be more revolting than theaspect of this place. Passing beyond, we grope our wayin another passage leading to the stairs. There is nolight, and suddenly the foot sinks in soft, pulpy material,and a fearful choking odour arises. Several ilag-stonesare missing; rags, paper, dust-in a word, dirt of alldescription has accumulated here, and, with the aid ofdamp, is decomposing, and thus produces these surprisingexhalations. Then we have to ascend, in the pitch dark, aspiral staircase three storeys high, only 2 ft. wide and devoidof any balustrade whatsoever. The steps are of wood, inplaces so insecure that they bend to the weight of the foot.Occasional dust, cinders, old bits of rag or cloth, in-crease the danger of falling,-and an accident, we

were informed, did once occur on these stairs. Atlast, when the garrets were reached, we found three littlerooms occupied by tailors, another by tailoresses, and anotherby two female machinists. Some of the rooms were intenselyhot from the pressing-iron, the gas, and the overcrowding;others were intensely cold. In the latter the irons andgas were not required, and yet no fire is allowed for fear ofaccidents. One of the over-heated rooms contained, to

judge from a hasty measurement, 864 cubic feet of space,and eight persons were at work; thus there is only 103 cubicfeet for each workman. To ascend so dangerous a staircase,and then to reach so unwholesome and unsuitable a place,is a hardship which only absolute necessity compels theworkpeople to endure. Common cattle would be housed in amore suitable manner. The stairs leading down to thedungeons of a mediaeval castle are luxurious comparedwith the black, winding, rickety, steps that lead up tothis modern tailor’s garret. It is high time that theattention of the authorities and the public should beawakened, and the investigation extended. Sweating inthe East-end of London is a great grievance, but there issweating in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, &c., that equallyrequires reform; and, from a sanitary point of view, thesweaters are not the only culprits. The home workers, andthe " order shops," where the highest class and best tailoringwork is done, also, and but too often, need inspection andsupervision.

THE REGISTRATION OF TRAINED NURSES.

A SMALL association, formed about four years agoto consider and discuss matters connected with hospitalmanagement, soon saw the wisdom of directing itsattention to attempts at legislation for nurses. The onlyresult of its efforts has been the production of fiascoafter fiasco with ridiculous regularity. For example,last October it issued a circular offering to register anynurse who had had one year’s training on payment ofhalf-a-crown. The failure this time was rather worse thanusual. Not only did nurses not register themselves undersuch auspices, but most of the matrons of hospitals of anystanding who were then connected with it resigned theirmembership at once. Forthwith, the association appointedwhat it was pleased to call a "sectional committee" toinvestigate the subject of registration, and its reportappeared in a daily paper on Wednesday, and almost confessesthat the investigation has been futile. The committee, itappears, issued a paper containing nine questions to thirty-four nurse-training schools. Only nineteen of these tookthe trouble to answer at all. To the first question, "Doyou consider a general system of registration desirablefor trained nurses?" it is stated nine replied in theaffirmative, but the remaining ten desire to be left alone"!(sic)-an answer which cannot be said to be exhaustive onthe subject. After this we are not surprised to read that"some of the answers are simply the individual opinions ofthe matrons, or of medical superintendents, or of some pro-minent member of the medical staff of the hospital." Noris it wonderful that many of the replies are of "doubtful

795

character" (we trust no "bad language" is meant by this) ;nor that there was an " entire absence of any reply at allto some questions"; nor that " considerable divergence ofopinion" was found to exist. But after all this, after onlyobtaining nineteen answers, of whom nine approved ofregistration and ten plaintively besought " to be let alone"

2p

by this Sectional Committee, will it be believed that thisreport is actually sent forth to the public with this re-mark : "It will, doubtless, attract a great deal of attentionas embodying the views of the majority of the nurse-training schools"! Still less will it be believed that the 0committee absolutely considers the question settled, andannounces that registration " would be attended withdisastrous results." No wonder the unhappy ten im-plored "to be let alone." But we must speak seriouslyeven about this ridiculous report. Registration of nursesprimarily affects 15,000 nurses, 27,000 medical men, and37,000,000 of people. Very indirectly and distantly does itaffect ten or even nineteen managers of nurse-trainingschools. The two medical men who have signed this report,and made themselves therefore responsible for it, must knowthat registration, which is only for nurses who have finishedtheir training, can only secondarily affect institutions wherenurses are being trained. These two gentlemen, who havemade public what to the lay reader is an authoritative pro-test against registration, ought to know, if they do not, thatthe truth is all the other way; that the leaders of themedical and nursing professions are almost unanimous indesiring registration for nurses; and that the British Nurses’Association, founded, by the President of the College ofSurgeons and other leading medical men, in conjunctionwith matrons and lady nurses of numerous hospitals, toobtain a Royal Charter to gain registration as its primaryobject, was joined in the first few weeks by some hundredsof members, including the matrons of St. Bartholomew’e,uy’s, Charing-cross, University College, Middlesex, theRoyal Free, and more than a hundred other London andprovincial hospitals. We deeply regret that the documentshould have been issued to the public at all, and stillmore that it should have been sent forth on the re-sponsibility of two medical men.

MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS IN THE COLONIES.

WE are so frequently receiving communications fromcorrespondents asking questions concerning medical appoint-ments in the colonial and other services, that we have thoughtit well to print the following information with which wehave been favoured by the Colonial Office.

COLONIAL APPOINTMENTS.In the following colonies, which possess responsible

Governments, appointments are made by the governor withthe advice of his executive council, and are not authorisedor confirmed by any commission from the Crown :-Canada,Newfoundland, the Cape of Good Hope, New South Wales,Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, and NewZealand. Any inquiry as to appointments in these coloniesshould be addressed to the agent-general of the colony. Alist of the agents-general may be found in Whittaker’sAlmanack. All their offices are in Victoria-street, S.W.

lledical Appointments in the Colonies which do not possess responsibleGovernments.

1. Medical appointments are from time to time filled up by the Colonialoffice in the following colonies:-Jamaica, Trinidad, British Guiana,Windward Islands, Leeward Islands, British Honduras, Fiji, WesternAustralia, West Africa Settlements, Gold Coast, Lagos, and very occa-sionally in the Eastern colonies pCeylon, Straits Settlements, and HongKong), Cyprua. Gibraltar, St. Helen, and the Falkland Islands.

It is for the West Indies and the West African colonies that medicalofficers are chiefly required.

2. The majority of the West Indian appointments involve medical,charge of a district, including as a rule the care of a hospital, poor-house, asylum, or other institution, and free attendance on the aged andchildren.In West Africa the medical officers are also required to take charge of

any hospital, public tispensary, lunatic asylum, or other Governmentinstitution at their respective stations, to supervise the sanitation of thedistrict, to perform vaccination, and to give gratuitous attendance to allGovernment officials, and, in most cases, to the families of such officials also.Passage money on first appointment and leave of absence on half-pay

(in case of sickness, or after six years’ service, if the medical officer hasgiven satisfaction in the discharge of his duties) are granted to medicalofficers under the colonial regulations, and with regard to pensions,they are usually on the same footing as other Government servants, butin eases where private practice is allowed, the rule is that they are notentitled to pension.

3. The following is a short account of the appointments in the separatecolonies :--famaica.- The appointments, forty-nine in number, are mainly

district appointments, with private practice allowed; the salary paidby Government varies from B150 to JE350 per annum, and in most casesis .6200. New-comers are, in some cases, attached for a while to thepublic hospital in Kingston, and given an allowance at the rate of .6200per annum, but not permitted to undertake private practice. No pensionis given, but there is a Civil Service Widows’ and Orphans’ Fund,established by law, to which all medical officers are obliged to subscribeat the rate of 4 per cent. on their salaries.

Trinidad.-Twenty-six appointments. Officers are appointed in thefirst instance on one year’s probation as supernumeraries. Theyreceive a salary at the rate of L300 per annum, with furnishedquarters, and are usually attached to the Government Hospital; thesalary assigned to the district appointments, to which they are pro-moted as vacancies occur, is JB300, which is increased to .8100 andupwards by varioua allowances for horse, house, or otherwise. Theseposts carry the right to private practice. After ten years’ service anofficer is given an additional personal allowance at the rate of JE100 perannum.

British Guiana.-Forty-five appointments. Officers are appointedon two years’probation as supernumeraries, and are paid a salary at therate of d6300 per annum with quarters, without the right to private prac-tice. After serving for two years, if appointed to the permanent staff,the officer will receive aeeiOJ per annum, rising by increments of £ Z5

annually up to C900 per annum. A Government medical officeron being appointed to a district, and a supernumerary on beingappointed to act in charge of a district, will receive at the rate of .6500per annum, but will not receive any increments thereto until entitledto such increments by length of actual service. Every medical officerappointed to a district or to act in charge of a district will receivea travelling allowance at a rate varying from .6100 to .6150 per annumas the extent of the district may require. He is allowed privatepractice. The Government medical officer in charge of the Public Hos--pital in Georgetown and the Lunatic Asylum in Berbice is debarred fromprivate practice, and receives in lieu thereof an allowance notexeeedingJ6200 per annum, as may be determined. The Government medicalofficer in charge of the Public Hospital in New Amsterdam or of the LeperAsylum, if debarred from private practice, receives an allowance varyingfrom .1:50 to .6150 per annum, as mdy be determined. No more than .630is allowed for passage money. There is a Widows and Orphans’ Fundin the colony to which all Government servants are compelled to sub-scribe at the rate of 4 per cent. on their salaries.Windward Islands (Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Tobago).-The

twenty-three appointments are, with few exceptions, district appoint.ments, with the right to private practice attached. The salaries paid byGovernment vary trom JE200 to JS400, with allowances in certain cases.Leeward Islands.-The twenty-two appointments are of the same

nature as in the Windward Islands; the salaries vary from 2150 to JB40&per annum, but in most cases the pay is 2250. As a rule R30 only isallowed for passage money. The medical officers receive fees tor success-ful vaccinations, post-mortem examinations, attendance and giving evi-dence at courts of justice, certificates of lunacy, and, in the larger islands,for burial certificates. They are also allowed private practice.British Honduras.-Thereare four medical appointments, in all of which

private practice is allowed; the pay is respectively$500 $1000 (2), and$2250. The colonial surgeon and district surgeon are public vaccinators,and as such receive 314 cents for every successful case effected within aradius of three miles of the court house of the place in which a districtmagistrate resides, and if beyond that radius 5öÌ cents.

jt.—There are at present eight medical officers, of whom the seniormedical officer receives .6350 per annum and .850 for house allowance, theothers receiving jB3uo per annum and .1:50 for house allowance, with.private practice. No system of pension is as yet established.

Western MrsHa;.—Occasionally medical officers are sent out fromEngland at the request of the governor. They are paid from .6100 perannum with private practice. No pension rights are guaranteed ; it isthe usual practice to allow .6100 for passage money on hrst appointment.

West Africa Settlements, including Sierra Leone and Ga7Abia. - AtSierra Leone there are four Government medical officers, who areallowed to take private practice. The colonial surgeon receives .6500,with JE91 5. travelling allowance. Three assistant colonial surgeons,one at j6300 and two at C250; two of these receive JE45 12s. 6d. travellingallowance. The senior is m charge of the lunatic asylum, incurable andsmall-pox hospitals at Kissy. One is stationed in Freetown and theother in Sherbro.At the Gambia there are two medical officers, paid at the rate of £ 100

and ;B300 per annum, with private practice.Gold Coast.-The assistant colonial surgeons (ten in number) are paid

at the rate of JE400 per annum, rising by triennial increments of R50to 500, with private practice. The pay of the colonial surgeon is .6800,rising to .61000 by jE50 per annum, with consultation practice only.

Lagos.—The two assistant colonial surgeons receive the same salariesas those at the Gold Coast. The colonial surgeon is paid .S400, rising toL300 per annum, with L200 allowances. Private practice is allowed inall three cases, and free quartets, or allowances in lieu thereof, aregranted.N.B.-The special rules as to leave and pension in the case of

Government servants on the west coast of Africa apply also to medicalofficers.

Ceylon.-The pay of the deputy assistant colonial surgeons (four atpresent) who are mainly recruited from among gentlemen born in theisland, but possessing English diplomas, is at tne rate of rs. 1500 perannum. The (twenty-four) assistant colonial surgeons are paid at arate rising from rs.3000 to rs. 5000 per annum, and the (four) colonialsurgeons at a rate rising from rs. 6000 to rs. 8000 per annum. Privatepractice is allowed to the subordinate officers, but the colonial surgeonsmay take only consultation practice. In the branch of the service estab-lished for the medical care of labourers on the coffee and otherestates, there are at present three superintending officers, ptid at a raterising from rs. 5000 to rs, 8000 per annum ; seven district medical officers,paid at a rate rising, from rs. 1500 to rs. 2500 per annum, andeight medical assistants, paid at a rate rising from rs. 1500 to rs. 2000per annum. The district medical officers are allowed private practiceand the superintending officers consultation practice. There is a