[ London Hospital, Whitechapel, on eve of First World War. ] Three printed items: pamphlet by Sydney Holland and Eva Luckes opposing 'State Registration of Nurses', leaflet on 'The Nurses' Insurance Society', syllabus of 'Cookery Demonstrations'.

Author: 
Sydney Holland, Chairman, London Hospital, Whitechapel; Eva Luckes [ Eva Charlotte Ellis Lückes ] (1854-1919), Matron of the London Hospital ]
Publication details: 
[ London Hospital, Whitechapel. ] Pamphlet on 'State Registration of Nurses' undated; leaflet on the Nurses'' Insurance Society headed with date of 1911 act; syllabus undated.
£150.00
SKU: 20772

The three items are from the papers of Winifred M. S. Parry of Plumstead, who was enrolled as a probationer in 1912. ONE: 'State Registration of Nurses'. Pamphlet in small print, 'Reprinted by kind permission of the Editor of The Nineteenth Century and After'. Printed by 'SCHOOL-PRESS, 5, Rupert Street, London, E.' 24pp., 8vo. Stapled in brown printed wraps naming the authors as 'The Hon. Sydney Holland, Chairman, London Hospital | Miss Eva C. E. Lückes, Matron, London Hospital'. Internally in fair condition, on lightly aged paper, in worn and chipped wraps with rusted staples. Arguing against the proposal, and beginning: 'The State Registration of Nurse is brought forward by its advocates as a sort of panacea for all the real and imaginary grievances against nurses, and we are asked to believe that the laudable desire to protect the public from the incompetent will be effectually accomplished by this means.' The conclusion sums up the argument: 'Registration could be no guarantee even of technical fitness. It cannot be any guarantee of character: - that being so, the whole bottom of the balloon comes out, and it would be perfectly and absolutely useless. It wound not only be useless, but a positive danger, because it would be a false guarantee. It would lull the public into a false sense of security in leading them to think that if they engaged a Registered Nurse they would get a good Nurse. A false security is worse than a known danger. It would be useless to Nurses, and so they have found out in the State of New York where but a very small proportion of Nurses have Registered.' Scarce: no copy traced on COPAC, and none at the Wellcome. TWO: 'The Nurses' Insurance Society. | Head Office: 15, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C. | Instructions Issued by the Insurance Commissioners'. Headed 'National Insurance Act, 1911. | Health Insurance.' 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium leaflet. The NIS is described as 'the “Separate Section” of the R.N.P.F. to carry out, as an Approved Society, the requirements of the National Insurance Act'. Gives details of 'Contributions', 'Benefits', 'Administration of Benefits' and 'Alternative Benefits'. Details of the 'Committee of Management' on final page. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn, with closed tear at foot of gutter. THREE: 'London Hospital | Training School for Nurses. | Syllabus of the course of TWELVE Cookery Demonstrations followed by an equal number of Practice Classes given to Pupil Probationers. An Examination is conducted at the end of the course by Mr. C. Herman Senn, Director of the Universal Food and Cookery Association.' 1p., 4to. Giving details of twelve meals, from 'I. Milk Jelly. Custard Pudding. Beef Tea (3 ways). Scrambled Eggs. Wine Whey.' to 'XII. Grilled Chop and Straws. Fish Soufflée. Canary Pudding. Poached Eggs.' Aged and worn, heavily-annotated in pencil.