Page 6 - World War One Continues: Nursing-Sisters in England and France

ISSUE : Issue 34

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1983/8/1

Operating room, Canadian General Hospital, Orpington, England. Helen Kendall, Anesthetist, at the head of the table. Helen Kendall, Sydney: I was an anesthe? tist. I put people to sleep. I had trained in Montreal--I belonged to the Royal Vic? toria Hospital--they gave me my education. Then I was very handy. Because when you went overseas, there weren't doctors avail? able to give anesthetics. They just were too busy looking after them, and operating on thfem. And they were very glad to have people giving anesthetics. We were well trained, and we were valuable. Our hospital was on the coast, where they brought the people down from the field where they were wounded. They didn't send them on to England until they'd been treated a bit. Any hospitals we had were for casualties. Or there'd be a ward for the medicals--they weren't casualties, but they had what they got--pneumonia or things. But they had to be looked after. Sick. Casualties we looked after, we'd send them as soon as we could, back to Eng? land. We were right on the water. We were on the French side. We looked across to England. (You were close to the war.) We were in a- mong it. (And how did you feel about that?) Oh, great excitement. We weren't scared to death. We were just enjoying. But you know, we were very social. We had a great time. That's the truth of the matter. We were working, but we were also playing. They built a tennis court for us. We could play there. And there was always marvellous saltwater swimming. And we had some boats, because we were right on the Channel there. It was a wonderful life. But we were nurses. Just when we weren't nursing, we were having a good time. It was just a great adventure. A very in? teresting life it was, for all of us. (Yes, I suppose it was. And a terrible responsi? bility.) Well, I don't think that killed us--your responsibility. Because when you're young, you know, you don't let it get you too down too much. You enjoy your? self. And you can do what you have to, but you can also be confident. R.B. MacNeil Ltd. MERCEDES-BENZ & LADA SALES and SERVICE 36 State St., Sydney, N. S. BIP 2W4 NOW YOU CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO TAKE A LOOK .? 664-LADA 5232 *yarns 'crafts* Yarns and Needlecrafts Local Handcrafts Many Other Items Light Industrial Park, Phone 625-2400 Port Hawkesbury, N. S. B0E_2y0 Try an Intelligent, Exciting Alternative! New Maritimes AN INDEPENDENT REGIONAL MONTHLY NEWSPAPER Send $1.00 for a sample copy, or $11.00 for a subscription, to New Maritimes, Enfield, Nova Scotia BON INO

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