At the time of presidential inaugurations between two and three hundred thousand strangers, including large civil and National Guard organizations, come to Washington. The great crowds at the railroad station, in public conveyances, on the streets, the excitement and exposure involved—all tend to produce an unusual number of accidents and sudden illnesses. Under the Inaugural Committee a sub-committee on Public Comfort has heretofore taken entire charge of such emergency cases as have arisen, but a need was felt for a number of well-equipped relief stations with a competent personnel to act in co-operation with the physicians of the city. The American Red Cross offered its services, which, having been accepted, it immediately began its work of preparation. A relief column with thirty-six members, many of whom were medical students, devoted two months to weekly instructions in First Aid and hospital drill. The first course was given by Dr. Charles S. White, lately resident physician of the Emergency Hospital, and the second by Captain Reynolds, of the U. S. Army Medical Service. Each of these surgeons kindly donated their time and services for these instructions. The District Red Cross Branch, at an expense of over three hundred dollars, provided uniforms and equipment for the members as prescribed in Major Lynch’s Red Cross First Aid Book. Through the New York Branch the Brooklyn Relief Column was invited to take part and promptly accepted the invitation, meeting themselves the expense of their uniforms, equipment and transportation. The question of the nursing personnel was next considered. The committee on nurses of the District Branch secured thirty-six of its enrolled Red Cross nurses, each nurse promising to secure a substitute in case she was prevented from serving. Besides those from the District the Pennsylvania Branch sent eleven, the New York and the Maryland Branches each five. These branches paid for the transportation of the nurses and the National Executive Committee defrayed their expenses here. The salary of the six nurses who were on duty for the week at the Railroad Relief Station, two nurses being on duty for each eight hours in the twenty-four, and those of the nurses who were on duty parts of several days at the Pension Office station were paid by the National Executive Committee, but the nurses who were on duty for the day of the inauguration all gave their services.