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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 Excerpt:...had been adopted at Kaiserswerth; then to superintend others, and thus to help him in his earnest endeavour to raise the moral tone of one of the most important of our national hospitals. The paper was signed by five medical officers, and circulated extensively. It did not elicit a single offer. "I confess," said Sir Edward, commenting with some sadness on his complete failure, "I have never been able to arrive at any definite or satisfactory conclusion as to the best mode of meeting the requirements of a Protestant community." Let us contrast this with Kaiserswerth,--a Protestant institution, be it remembered. An appeal being made in 1853, that more voluntary nurses were wanting in the hospitals, it was answered by 150 applicants, of whom 70 were accepted and put under a course of instruction. One fact more. The Bishop of London publicly expressed his regrets that he had seen, one after another, all the plans for this object fail utterly. As to the reason for it, he seemed as much at a loss as Sir Edward Parry. It would have been said, in truth, but a few weeks ago, that no cause could be more hopeless, than that which I am now advocating. The obstacle seemed to consist, not in the want of charity, but in the want of moral cou "Hospitals and Sisterhoods," p. 41. rage and the most obtuse ignorance. Opinions are believed in simply because they are echoed round us. The conscience is trained to obey the pressure of an exterior force, rather than trust to the promptings of an internal impulse: and the convictions and the will of a generous and powerful individual nature sink into inertness for want of self-reliance. How many women, widows and unmarried of a certain age, would have gladly responded to the appeal from Haslar Hospital...