ladies wishing to enter the medical profession can receive the necessary instruction at the london school of medicine for women, 30, henrietta street, brunswick square. it is desirable that they should have private means, as, unless they go to india, where there is a considerable opening for medical women, it would probably be some time before their practice would be sufficiently remunerative. ladies desiring to prepare for the medical profession must pass one of the examinations in arts recognised by the general medical council, such an examination being compulsory before registration as a medical student.
among these examinations are:—
i. the oxford and cambridge local examinations, senior and junior.
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ii. the senior local examinations for honorary certificates, and the ordinary local examination of the university of edinburgh.
iii. the local examination for honours certificates of the university of st. andrews.
iv. the examination in arts of the society of apothecaries in london.
v. the examinations for a first-class certificate of the royal college of preceptors.
vi. the local examinations of the queen's university in ireland.
vii. the matriculation examination of the university of london.
certificates must in all cases include english literature, latin, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and also one of the following optional subjects:—
greek, french, german, or natural philosophy.
four years is considered the necessary time of study to obtain a license to practise from the king's and queen's college of physicians in ireland; and the expense, including examiners' fees, hospital practice, books, and instruments, is slightly under ￡200. this, of course, does not include board and lodging.
an m.d. degree from the university of london is more difficult to obtain, and necessitates additional study of a year, or possibly more. there are at present thirty-six pupils in the school. no one is70 admitted under the age of eighteen. an entrance scholarship of the value of ￡30 is competed for annually in september.
all persons requiring further information on subjects connected with the medical education of women, with the residence of students in the neighbourhood of the school, or respecting scholarships, are invited to apply to mrs. thorne, hon. secretary, 30, henrietta street, brunswick square, london.
pharmaceutical chemists.—as the pharmaceutical society has now thrown its examinations open to women, there is nothing to prevent them from setting up in business as chemists. it is an occupation peculiarly adapted to women, and returns a better interest on invested capital than most other trades.
a preliminary examination in latin, arithmetic, and english, has to be passed, unless the candidate can produce a certificate of having passed the local examinations of the universities of oxford, cambridge, durham, or edinburgh, the examination of the college of preceptors, or those of any legally constituted examining body previously approved by the council, provided latin and arithmetic be included in the subjects.
before going up for the other examinations each candidate must produce a certified declaration that for71 three years she has been registered and employed as an apprentice or student, or has otherwise for three years been practically engaged in the translation and dispensing of prescriptions.
the cost of passing the three examinations necessary to become a pharmaceutical chemist, including tuition, examiner's fees, books, chemicals, apparatus, &c., is from ￡80 to ￡100, and the time required for study after the apprenticeship would be from a year to eighteen months.
miss isabella s. clarke, a pharmaceutical chemist, in spring street, paddington, is willing to take outdoor apprentices for three years at a premium of ￡100.
the capital required to start in business with a reasonable prospect of success is from ￡500 to ￡1,000; the nearer it is to ￡1,000 the better. the stores have done much to injure chemists' business by selling patent medicines, hair-washes, soap, scents, &c., at much lower prices than private traders can afford to adopt.
dispensers.—i understand that many doctors who prepare their own medicines are willing to employ ladies to dispense them, at salaries ranging from ￡30 to ￡50. the necessary knowledge can be acquired at the new hospital for women, marylebone road, where they are willing to take girls and teach them72 dispensing for six months for a premium of ￡5. it is necessary that candidates should have a slight knowledge of latin, and an intimate acquaintance with arithmetic, especially fractions; and desirable that they should be of studious habits, as they are expected to read various books recommended them by the authorities. employment can also occasionally be obtained at hospitals, especially by ladies who can undertake bookkeeping as well as dispensing.
hospital nurses.—hospital nursing affords certain employment to capable women, and, although the salaries are low, it must be remembered that liberal board, comfortable bed-rooms, and washing, are always included. trained nurses' salaries usually commence at ￡20, rising, according to experience and responsibilities, to ￡30. chief nurses of wards, usually called ward sisters, obtain in the chief london hospitals from ￡35 to ￡50. matrons and lady superintendents of nursing receive from ￡50 to ￡100. nearly all the london hospitals train nurses.
i give the rules of the nightingale fund and of the westminster training school, as i believe these will be found fair specimens of the rest.
at st. thomas's two classes of probationers are received. the rules for special probationers are as follows:—
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the committee of the nightingale fund have made arrangements for the admission to their school at st. thomas's hospital of a limited number of gentlewomen who may desire to qualify themselves in the practice of hospital nursing, with the express object of entering upon this profession permanently, by eventually filling superior situations in public hospitals and infirmaries.
these probationers will be required to pay towards the cost of maintenance during their year of training the sum of ￡30, and to give an undertaking to continue in the work for three years after leaving the school; but, upon payment of a higher sum of ￡52, to cover the cost of maintenance and also partly of instruction, &c., the undertaking will be limited to one year after leaving the school.
occasional vacancies occur for the admission of gentlewomen free of expense, together with, in some cases, a small salary during the year of training. these advantages will be strictly limited to those whose circumstances require such aid.
candidates desirous of receiving this course of training should apply to mrs. wardroper, the matron, at st. thomas's hospital, subject to whose selection they will be received into the hospital as probationers. the age considered desirable for these probationers is from twenty-seven to thirty-seven, single or widows;74 a certificate of age and other information will be required. should opportunities occur for affording instruction in some of the duties of supervision, they will be expected to remain for that purpose for a further period of two or three months, but in that case no further payment will be required. payment will be required by two equal instalments in advance, viz., half on admittance, and half at the end of six months. no part of the paid instalment will be returned in the event of the probationer leaving from any cause.
the probationers will receive instruction from the medical instructor and the hospital "sisters," and will serve as assistant nurses in the wards of the hospital.
the names of the probationers will be entered in a register, in which a record will be kept of their qualifications. at the end of a year those whom the committee find to have passed satisfactorily through the course of instruction and training will be entered in the register as certified nurses.
on completion of their training they must be prepared to take employment on the nursing staff of some public hospital or infirmary wherever offered to them by the committee, and to continue in similar employment for a period of three years at least, this period being limited to one year in the case only of those who have paid at the higher rate. as a step75 to superior situations, they will be expected, if required, to accept an engagement as nurse (day or night), at the usual salary, for the whole or a portion of the first year after leaving the training school. engagements, whether as nurse or in a superior situation, will from time to time, during the above period, be made through the committee with the managers of the institution, by whom the certified probationer is to be employed. her salary will be paid to her by such managers, but it is expected that she will not terminate any engagement without due notice to the committee.
withdrawal from the service may be allowed upon special grounds—family circumstances or otherwise—to be approved by the committee.
probationers will not be expected to go out of great britain unless at their own request.
the committee desire, in every case where a staff of nurses is engaged from the "nightingale fund," to place at the head of them a superintendent, who has been also trained in the same school. applications have been numerous for trained nurses to fill superior situations, such as matron, superintendent, assistants to those officers, and ward sister or chief nurse, while there has hitherto been a want of qualified candidates. the committee therefore anticipate no difficulty in being able to offer suitable appoint76ments to their certified probationers. they will, in recommending for employment, consult the inclination of every probationer—so far as a due regard to the special circumstances of each case enable them to do.
every probationer will be required, at the end of one month from the date of entry into the hospital, to sign a written engagement, agreeing to abide by these regulations.
these are the rules for the ordinary training of hospital nurses:—
the committee of the "nightingale fund" have made arrangements with the authorities of st. thomas's hospital for giving a year's training to women desirous of working as hospital nurses. women desirous of receiving this course of training should apply to mrs. wardroper, the matron at st. thomas's hospital, subject to whose selection they will be received into the hospital as probationers. the age considered desirable for probationers is from twenty-five to thirty-five single or widows; a certificate of age and other information will be required. they will receive, during the year of training, payment in money and clothing to the value of ￡16, on the following footing, thus:—clothing, costing about ￡4; payment at the end of the first quarter, ￡2; at the end of the second quarter, ￡2 10s.; at the end of the third quarter, ￡2 10s.; at the end of77 the fourth quarter, ￡8; and a further gratuity of ￡2 if recommended for employment. should the term of residence be extended beyond the year, payment will be made at the end of the fifth quarter of ￡4.
at the close of a year their training will usually be considered complete, and during the three years succeeding the completion of their training they will be required to enter into service as hospital nurses, in such situations as may from time to time be offered to them by the committee.
the names of the probationers will be entered in a register, in which a record will be kept of their conduct and qualifications. this will be submitted at the end of every month to the committee of the "nightingale fund." at the end of a year, those whom the committee find to have passed satisfactorily through the course of instruction and training, will be entered in the register as certified nurses, and will be recommended for employment accordingly. the committee have hitherto readily found employment for their certified nurses in some public hospital or infirmary, at salaries usually commencing at ￡20, with board (including tea and sugar) and washing. many have, after some years' service, obtained superior appointments.
engagements are not to be made except through the committee, and no engagement is to be put an78 end to without a quarter's previous notice to the committee.
the committee will allow a yearly gratuity of ￡2 to all their certified nurses, to be paid at the end of every complete year of service, succeeding the term of training, up to the third year, inclusive, providing that evidence be given at the end of each year that the nurse has served the whole time satisfactorily.
no gratuity will be paid if the committee have reason to suppose that the nurse intends to discontinue her employment. at the expiration of one month from the date of entry, every probationer will be required to write a letter to the following effect:—
to the chairman of the committee of the "nightingale fund."
sir,—having now become practically acquainted with the duties required of a hospital nurse, i am satisfied that i shall be able and willing, on the completion of my year's training, to enter into service in a public hospital or infirmary, and i engage, in accordance with the annexed regulations of the "nightingale fund"—in return for the advantages bestowed upon me—to continue in such service for the space of at least three years, in whatever situations the committee shall think suitable to my abilities, it being my intention from henceforth to devote myself to hospital employment. i further agree not to enter into any engagements except through the committee, and not to leave any situation without giving due notice to the committee.
i am, sir, &c., &c.
the following regulations are common to both classes of probationers:—
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the term of the probationers' training is a complete year. probationers will be received on the distinct understanding that they will remain for the required term; they may, however, be allowed to withdraw upon grounds to be approved by the committee. they will be subject to be discharged at any time by the matron in case of misconduct, or should she consider them inefficient or negligent of their duties.
the probationers will be under the authority of the matron of the hospital, and will be subject to the rules of the hospital. they will be lodged in the hospital in the "nightingale home," which adjoins the matron's house; each will have a separate bed-room, and they will be supplied at the cost of the "nightingale fund" with board, including tea and sugar, and a weekly allowance of 1s. 6d. for washing; and with a certain quantity of outer clothing of a uniform character, which they will always be required to wear when in the hospital.
the usual times of admission are the quarter days. candidates must be seen by mrs. wardroper, at st. thomas's hospital, albert embankment, westminster bridge, london, between 10 and 12 a.m. only, on tuesday or friday. these regulations may be obtained by writing to h. bonham-carter, esq., secretary to the "nightingale fund," 91, gloucester terrace, hyde park.
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the regulations of the training school for nurses in connection with westminster hospital are very similar, but i think it better to give them in detail.
the committee of the westminster school for nurses has made arrangements for training their probationers in a practical way in the wards of the above hospital. those young women who are desirous to be so trained should apply (personally, if possible, or else by letter) to the lady superintendent of the training school, 8, broad sanctuary, westminster. it is desirable that the ages of candidates should be between twenty-five and thirty-five. testimonials of health and character, according to forms supplied by the lady superintendent, will be required; and when satisfactory, and as vacancies occur, the applicants will be received as probationers.
probationers will be under the direction and authority of the lady superintendent and the rules of the training school; and whilst at work in the hospital they must obey and recognise all the standing rules of that institution. probationers will be supplied with board, lodging, and washing.
if retained, the wages in the first year of a probationer will be ￡16, of which a portion may be retained till the completion of her year of probation, as guarantee of her good behaviour, and subject to forfeiture in case of misconduct. probationers will81 be required to conform to any regulations in regard to uniformity in outer clothing, and if supplied with materials for the same by the school, the cost (not exceeding ￡4 4s.) will be retained from their wages.
it is expected that at the end of a year probationers will be fitted to be nurses, and their engagement will require them to serve two years more in hospital or private nursing, with an increase of ￡2 for each year—that is, ￡18 for the second, and ￡20 for the third.
at the expiration of one month from the date of entry every probationer will be required, in such form as may be in use, to engage herself to continue in the service for at least two years longer than her probation, after which her time will be her own. in the event of her not continuing after the first month no wages will be paid.
the names of the probationers will be entered on a register, in which a record will be kept of their conduct and qualifications. at the end of every quarter the record will be submitted to the committee of management.
the probationers will be subject to be discharged at any time by the lady superintendent in case of misconduct, or should she think them inefficient or negligent in their duties.
the nurse, or probationer, must not only be able82 to read written instructions, and to write, but have had a good english education. the probationer or nurse is to keep her own room neat, clean, and in order, in the home, as well as to assist in the needlework there if required to do so.
the duties of the nurses will be to attend both the rich and the poor, either in hospitals or private houses.
the lady superintendent tells me that nearly half the ladies who come to her leave at the expiration of the trial month, having discovered that they are unsuited to the life, although i believe it is not particularly trying.
