Undoubtedly a nurse becomes more valuable as her experience ripens. Her first six months on duty are largely spent merely in acquiring rudimentary knowledge concerning her work. As she learns to know her district, her patients, the doctors, the institutions, the social workers, her value to the community increases. Each succeeding year, therefore, which increases her knowledge of social conditions, should make her in so far more valuable. It would seem but just, under these conditions, that her remuneration should be raised accordingly. But at this point there enters a factor which we must recognize. To specialize in tuberculosis work makes peculiar demands upon one’s strength. Quite apart from the physical strain, which is always great, it demands the expenditure of a vast amount of nervous force, required in the constant combat with opposition. For this reason it is peculiarly wearing and exhausting. Also, by its nature, it tends to become monotonous. These two factors—one of which tends to wear out the individual, the other to make her indifferent and stale—make us hesitate to say that the nurse’s value keeps increasing year after year. It undoubtedly does increase up to a certain point, but after that point has been reached, it tends to diminish. Such being the case, the obligation of raising the salary is debatable. Two kinds of nurses are usually found on the staff. One is the ambitious nurse, who comes for the experience and training, to fit herself for an executive position elsewhere. To such a woman, the routine of field work will not be desirable for long—not for more than a year or two, or until she has gained enough experience to prepare herself for a wider field of service. That point being reached, her executive ability will seek an outlet in work where she herself may become the organizing and directing force. To such a nurse, salary increase will offer no inducement, since she will seek that increase through work which provides greater opportunities and responsibilities. There is another sort of nurse on the staff however, who has no such ambition; no executive ability, no desire to occupy any other than a subordinate position. This one will never venture into a position of responsibility, such as her experience might warrant, but prefers instead the easier path, choosing to be guided rather than to guide. She prefers to work under direction, rather than to direct others. To such, an increase in salary would seem but a just reward for faithful service. But, as we have said before, the monotony of tuberculosis work tends to produce stale workers. There is danger, after a time, that the first alertness and energy may wear off, the nurse may settle down into a rut, and her daily task, though faithfully performed, tends to become one of mechanical routine.