PLAN No. 672. WOMAN BECOMES ISOLATION HOSPITAL NURSE
This woman was thrown on her own resources and had to devise ways and means of making a living. The only field open to her at the time was to take care of “Flu” patients. She was not a trained nurse, but found that she could do this work very well. She worked hard for a few months, and word was brought to the health officer of the city concerning her work. They finally called upon her, and offered her a position in the Isolation Hospital, to take care of smallpox patients. She went into this work, not caring whether she got the small pox or not, and fortunately, even though she had never been vaccinated, she seemed to be immune, and for almost a year took care of the worst cases, and never contracted the disease.
For these services she received $75.00 a month, including room and board, and had a day off each week for herself. There was no night work in her service, because the people who came to the hospital did not pay any fee. Her salary was paid by the city.
In this hospital six or seven nurses are employed, so there is quite a field available for women in this work. Grateful patients gave her tips which ran as high as $25.00 to $30.00 a month.