F. W. G. (Hospital Nurse).—You would not be required to know much arithmetic in order to be admitted to a hospital; but at the same time you ought to know something of the subject, otherwise your notions of the portions of drugs to administer, and other such matters in which an accurate mind is essential, will be very hazy. During the period which must yet elapse before your admission you had better be trying to improve your arithmetic. Your writing, about which you ask our opinion, is sufficiently legible and clear, but it would be improved with practice. There is a slight disposition to make the letters slope too much.
Independence (Nurse-Companion, etc.).—A nurse-companion is usually expected to have been trained at a hospital. The training need not have been sufficient to qualify a woman for regular hospital employment, but it ought to have covered a period of six months at all events. You do not mention that you have been in any hospital, and we therefore think you had better give up the idea of becoming a nurse-companion. Perhaps, as music appears to be your best accomplishment, you would do most wisely to seek employment as nursery governess. Your general education we judge by your letter to be fairly good. But try to improve yourself by every means within your power, as you cannot long remain a nursery governess; and you must either advance so as to become a fully qualified governess, when you are older, or devote your attention to the practical duties of looking after young children. In the latter case you would, of course, term yourself a children’s nurse. It is possible that you might be well advised to advertise yourself as a children’s nurse from the first, seeking a subordinate position to begin with, in order to gain experience. Your handwriting is satisfactory.
A Clydesdale Lassie (Hospital Nursing).—Paying probationers are received commonly for a period of three months at a time, for which thirteen guineas is paid in advance. You could not enter a general hospital on these terms just at present. Twenty-two is customarily the lowest age for admission.
Wee Wifie (Fancy Work).—It is almost impossible to obtain a sale for fancy articles which are only made at home and in small quantities. Little novelties which can be produced cheaply and in large numbers may often be sold direct to wholesale and retail dealers in bazaar and fancy articles. We should recommend a lady who must live at home either to do work on these lines and treat her home as a small manufactory, or else devote her time to the making of fine underclothing, which she could sell to the drapers and outfitters. Shops where embroidery is sold usually keep their own workers on the premises, for the simple reason that orders have to be executed promptly and in exact obedience to the demand of the moment. It is not possible for work of this kind to be sent to workers who can only be reached by correspondence.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Fruit Farmer.—No, strawberries are not indigenous to England, according to Haydn, in his Dictionary of Dates, where he says that they were brought to this country from Flanders in 1530. Against this date, we refer to Shakespeare’s Richard III., in which we find them spoken of as growing in the Bishop of Ely’s garden in Holborn, which shows it was cultivated as early as the latter part of the fifteenth century. A hundred years subsequently four kinds of this fruit were cultivated in the garden of a barber-surgeon, Gerard by name, also in Holborn.
Deaf.—Had you not better consult some missionary, or the friend whom you have out in China, so as to find out what the children in China may be likely to want? Have you seen the small scrap-books made of old post-cards, or of cards the same size, and tied together at the side, so as to form a small long book? Pictures are pasted on the back and front of each card. Perhaps you could make these; but we think you will do well to inquire about it.
W. M. B. D., Heather, Lauria, etc.—We have seen several copies of this snow-ball letter from New South Wales. The addresses in each are rather different, and we, like you, cannot imagine what the philanthropist wants with so many stamps, nor do we understand why the Government should give an endorsement. We should let it alone, and return the letters. The address seems insufficient, and we have failed to find any one of the places mentioned in the most recent Gazetteer. These philanthropic people who require a million of stamps are often difficult to find; and they might as well give the money at once.
C. Brown.—To fix prints upon wood, and remove the paper, care must be taken that the surface of the latter be perfectly smooth. Then moisten a piece of thick drawing-paper, and apply a layer of thin glue on its surface; leave it to dry; give it two or three more coats, leaving each to dry separately. Coat the paper then with several layers of spirit varnish, and prepare the wood in the same way; and then apply the print. We should have said that the wood must be previously prepared by a slight coat of glue, and when dry, rubbed with glass-paper, and a white alcoholic varnish applied. When dry, about five or six more coats of the same will be required. Cut the edge of the print closely round, lay it on a table face downwards, and moisten the back with a wet sponge, and then place between two leaves of blotting-paper. Apply another coat of varnish to the wood, and, before it is dry, lay the face of the print down upon it, wiping the back in such a way as to drive out the air so as to form no blisters. Lay a sheet of dry paper upon it, and pass a soft linen cloth over it to press it firmly down. Then leave it to dry, and when thoroughly so, moisten it with a sponge, and roll off the paper with your fingers. Great care must be taken in this process not to remove any part of the paper upon which the impression is taken. After this rubbing it must be left to dry. When dry, one more coat of varnish must be given over the delicate film of paper left, and it will be left perfectly transparent. When quite dry, polish with Dutch rushes, steeped for three or four days in olive oil, which latter must be removed with a fine linen cloth, and then sprinkle with starch or hair-powder. Rub this off with the hand, and apply three or four more coats of varnish, leaving each to dry as before, and in three or four days polish with a fine woollen cloth with whiting of the finest kind.
Mercy B.—The names of the hospitals for which you ask are as follows:—Newcastle Hospital, Hull Royal Infirmary, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds Fever Hospital, and Lincoln County Hospital. For the last-named, over four hundred applications are refused yearly, and about fourteen are accepted. Address the matron in all cases. We could not give any idea of the time you would have to wait, of course.