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History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

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CHAPTER XXIIITHE ILLINOIS TRAINING SCHOOLFOR NURSES*THEBy GRACE FAY SCHRYERhistory <strong>of</strong> nurs<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the West is very largely the history <strong>of</strong> theIll<strong>in</strong>ois Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g School for Nurses which was established <strong>in</strong>Chicago. A small group <strong>of</strong> prom<strong>in</strong>ent public spirited women *1880 <strong>in</strong>orig<strong>in</strong>ateda plan, first, to tra<strong>in</strong> young women to care scientifically for the sick and tomake available to the public a valuable service and, second, to give thepatients <strong>in</strong> the Cook County Hospital far better care than that rendered bythe untra<strong>in</strong>ed and politically chosen attendants then employed.It had been part <strong>of</strong> the orig<strong>in</strong>al plan to enroll the student nurses <strong>in</strong> theCook County Hospital because that great <strong>in</strong>stitution furnished opportunitiesfor study and practical experience hardly to be equaled anywhereand the exist<strong>in</strong>g nurs<strong>in</strong>g conditions were none too good. The first meet<strong>in</strong>gwhich gave hope <strong>of</strong> organization was held at the home <strong>of</strong> Mrs. Lucretia J.Tilton on August 3, 1880. On September 4th, a committee was appo<strong>in</strong>tedto select 25 persons for a Board <strong>of</strong> Managers for a nurs<strong>in</strong>g school, not lessthan seven to be chosen from each <strong>of</strong> the three sides <strong>of</strong> the city, withoutdenom<strong>in</strong>ational or sectional bias. A charter which Judge Lawrence hadapplied for on August 30th was duly formulated, agreed to and signed onSeptember 15th. In October, Dr. DeLaskie Miller, an early and loyal friend<strong>of</strong> the school, approached the Chicago Medical <strong>Society</strong> with the plan.• Because <strong>of</strong> the <strong>in</strong>timate relations between the work <strong>of</strong> the early years <strong>of</strong> the Ill<strong>in</strong>oisTra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g School for nurses and the <strong>medical</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>ession, especially the members <strong>of</strong> theChicago Medical <strong>Society</strong>, it has seemed fitt<strong>in</strong>g and proper to publish the early history<strong>of</strong> the school, which has long s<strong>in</strong>ce become an <strong>in</strong>tegral part <strong>of</strong> the Cook County Hospital.Every tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g school and hospital <strong>in</strong> the State <strong>of</strong> Ill<strong>in</strong>ois has pr<strong>of</strong>ited by theaccomplishments <strong>of</strong> this school dur<strong>in</strong>g the years 1880 to 1900. Permission has beengranted to extract freely from A <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> the Ill<strong>in</strong>ois Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g School for Nurses byGrace Fay Schryer as published by its Board <strong>of</strong> Directors <strong>in</strong> 1930, and the material hasbeen prepared by Miss Ella M. Salmonsen, Chief, Medical Department, John CrerarLibrary, Chicago.—Editor1Mrs. J.M. (Lucy L.) Flower, well known for her work <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>terests <strong>of</strong> childrenand young people; Dr. Sarah Hackett Stevenson, one <strong>of</strong> the few recognized womenphysicians <strong>of</strong> that day; Mrs. Edward Wright (Sarah Peck), considered the founder andorig<strong>in</strong>ator <strong>of</strong> the school; Mrs. Charles B. Lawrence (Margaret Marsden); Mrs. ThomasBurrows, Mrs. A. A. Carpenter and Mrs. Orson Smith.473

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