Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania - Record Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

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REST CURE I'm all right. Sure I am. I'm fine, I am. I've been a little nervous but I'm all right now. I'm having a restfcure. Thatls what they tell me. I'm having a restfcure and I can't see anybody. Only the doctor, and the day nurse, and the night nurse, and the floor nurse, and the head nurse, and the tray boys, and three or four orderlies. And all I have to do is eat and sleep, and not worry about anything, and rest. And that's just what I'm doing. I may not look it but that's just what I'm doing. And a hospital is just the place to do it in. No one disturbs you. Not till seven o'clock in the morning, they don't. And then all they do is wash you, and give you some breakfast, and wash you, and clean the room, and then you can rest. You can till they wash the windows. And then you can rest till they want to clean the bathroom. You can rest while they clean the bathroom. You can. I can't. Not while the hospif tals use tin basins, I can't. Certainly I'm not jumpy. I'rn fine. I like hearing tin basins banged around. And I don't mind a bit if the nurse sings while she does it. It doesn't make me nervous-it makes me sick, but it doesn't make me nervous. And after they get the floor scrubbed I can rest while they clean the rugs . . . They'll take them outside to clean them, and that's very considerate. They understand. They know I'm asleep, and bring them back and drop them beside the bed with a nice dull thud. But I don't mind. I'm fine. And then I'11 get my rub and that's grand. All up and down my spine and I get sleepy again. And then the nurse tipftoes over and opens the window, and tiptoes over and pulls down the Page One Hundred 'Ten shade, and then she moves all the furniture, and washes a few tin things, and then goes to lunch. Well, supposing she does leave the door open. I can get up and shut it, can't I? I'm not sick, am I? I'm just in fora rest. And after I shut the door I can go fast asleep. I can till they ring the telephone. I know they have orders not to, but anyone can make mistakes. And they have to send up flowers. Even if there is a sign on the door that says Patient Sleeping, it doesn't say don't wake her, does it? I'm not complaining. After lunch I can rest. Unless the doctor comes. Well . . . I can rest! when he goes. I ought to be able to. It's quiet here. It says so in the street, UI-Iospital Street Quiet. There is a little riveting next door, but who minds that? I do but I can't stop it, can I? I can't stop progress, can I? And I can't stop the radios . . . It certainly was a swell idea to put radios in a hospital . . . I wonder who thought that up? I'd like to meet him some day and slip him a nice little kiss. But.I don't mind them, and I don't mind the visitors across the hall . . . They have to shout. That's cheering the patient up. They can't come in a hospital and let the patient think he's sick, can they? They have to be hearty. Sure they do. So stop biting the bedclothes. After dinner you can rest. After dinner, and after your bath, and after your milk of magnesia . . . Then you can rest. You aren't nervous, are you? You aren't going to let a little thing like a restfcure upset you, are you? . . . Certainly Ilm not . . . I'rn calm . I'm swell . . . I'm not screaming . . . I'm resting.

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SOME ONE ELSES WIT A Nurse's Psalm The poor are my patients. I maketh them to lie down in warm blankets, I feecleth them through a glass tube, I teach them the ways of the hospital for their own sake, Yea, tho' they fall out of bed or walk in their sleep, They shall fear no pain, for I am with them, My pills will comfort them, I will annoint their bedsores with alcohol, And keep their kidney basins from running over. I've prepared many hypos in the presence of the doctors, Surely hot water bottles, ice bags and groans Shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall live in the uniform forever. Amen. Page One Hundred N

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