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G8 Ten Years of my Life. 



omy seems the principal object, and the bareness of the rooms 

 and passages reminds one of a prison or a barrack. The mind 

 of sick people requires as much refreshment as the body ; and 

 to look for days or weeks on the grim simplicity of bare white- 

 washed walls is by no means cheering. I am therefore of 

 opinion that a certain amount of ornamental elegance is just as 

 necessary in a hospital as cleanliness ; and neither ornament 

 nor cleanliness are wanting in the Augusta hospital. 



Though I >vas much pleased with this pattern hospital, it 

 still seemed to me as if the kind intentions of Her Majesty 

 were not perfectly fulfilled, and that the exclusive employment 

 of noble nurses was rather prejudicial to practical success. 

 Though the hospital may be directed by a lady, I think it 

 would be preferable if some sisters of charity were substituted 

 lor the noble nurses. Sisters of charity make nursing the sick 

 the duty of their life ; tliey have done with family connections, 

 have been trained to unreasoning obedience, and are most ex- 

 cellent nursing machines with which a sensible director can 

 work a hospital most admirably. The noble nurses, coming 

 from the midst of their lamilies, bring with them to the hospital 

 prejudices, habits, and tastes which do not always agree with 

 it, and make it extremely difficult to maintain strict discipline, 

 without which such establishments cannot prosper. 



Notwithstanding these objections to noble nurses, I was ex- 

 tremely pleased with my sojourn in the hospital, and with the 

 amiable ladies employed in it. Her Majesty the Empress 

 visited the hospital frequently, mostly accompanied by Coun- 

 tess Haake. One day, when the royal visit was announced 

 and all were in their rooms, the Empress, followed by the Em- 

 peror, entered the room which I occupied together with Miss 

 Runkel. Countess Haake presented Miss Runkel to their 

 Majesties, and the Emperor said some kind words to her, in- 

 quiring for her brothers who had been officers in the war. His 

 jMajesty is almost always in a good humour, and makes fre- 

 quently kind jocular remarks, which leave always with those to* 

 whom they are addressed a very pleasant feeling ; for in the 

 jokes of the Emperor there is never a tinge of malice ; he is 

 goodness itself 



I remained a fortnight in the Augusta hospital, and would 

 have stayed until all my rather complicated affairs had been 

 settled, if I had not received letters which made my presence 

 in Coblentz necessary. 



