The boys in white : $b The experience of a hospital agent in and around WashingtonWheelock, Julia S. (Julia Susan)
History
The boys in white : $b The experience of a hospital agent in and around Washington
Wheelock, Julia S. (Julia Susan)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Hospitals
Cold and unpleasant. Have been to St. Paul’s again--the hospital
where I had the quarrel a few days since--with some more tea and
raspberry-sauce for the sick. The doctor happened to be in, making his
“grand round.” Now is my time, thought I; so, setting down my dishes,
I approached him and asked an explanation of his strange conduct
toward me a few days before. He replied, in anything but a pleasant
tone: “You are a nurse in Wolfe Street Hospital, and have no business
to interfere with mine; and I don’t want you to come here any more.”
“You are mistaken, doctor. I do not belong to Wolfe Street, or any
other hospital,” was my somewhat indignant reply. “Well, where do you
belong? and what is your business?” On showing my appointment from
Judge Edmunds, I noticed a sudden change in his appearance, and I never
saw any one more profuse with apologies. “I acknowledge my rudeness.
I know I was hasty; but I felt vexed to think a nurse from another
hospital should trouble herself about my affairs. But it’s all right
now; I do not intend to cease to act the part of a gentleman. I hope
you will continue your visits to my hospital. Come whenever it suits
your convenience best, and bring in for the boys any thing you see
fit. You need never trouble yourself to ask me; I will trust to your
judgment.” Of course I couldn’t help forgiving the doctor; but, after
all, I can’t see why I should be entitled to more consideration, or my
judgment considered superior to what it would have been had I been a
nurse in some particular hospital. How much better it would be to treat
every one with true politeness, which costs nothing, and thereby save
ourselves much deep mortification.
_December 11th._
This morning I went to Camp Convalescent with an ambulance filled
with quilts, flannel shirts, socks, towels, handkerchiefs, sixteen
pies--which I made last evening--and two large pails of stewed fruit,
which I distributed among our needy soldiers. I found three quite
sick, for one of whom I procured admittance to the “Examining Board”
for discharge, and took the other two to Fairfax Street Hospital, in
Alexandria. Came home, wrote two letters, and then went with some
delicacies to St. Paul’s.
Poor Clark--the young man previously referred to as being so seriously
wounded in the body--was, to all human appearance, dying. His
grief-stricken mother is with him. I remained two or three hours: he
still lingered. As it was getting late, and being very tired, I came
home, when Mrs. May went over and stayed until a late hour with them.
_December 12th._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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