Marie Farquhar

Reprinted from "It Just Goes to Show", by Marie Cleland nee Farquhar

               Marie's recollections of her days as a recently graduated nurse in 1927 - published 1970

Children's Surgical Ward - night duty

Sister Chapman-Taylor was in charge of this ward - a very responsible position; and a well-chosen Sister to fill it.

Wee suffering patients!  Cleft palates; intussusception victims; sufferers from peritonitis; appendicitis; osteomyelitis; otitis-media, and the so many afflictions even of youth, hernia, etc.  Always there arose the question; why should these wee children have to so suffer?  Why should a baby have pyloric stenosis?

There was a Children's Theatre where so many children underwent tonsillectomy and removal of adenoids, as well as all the unfortunate emergency operations of one and another with more serious conditions.  It was a busy and remarkable experience to nurse in this ward.

Children's Medical Ward - day duty

As Staff Nurse, this was my last duty, Sister Radcliffe in charge.  Here were enough suffering children to fill one's heart to overflowing.  The Nurses loved them all.  For Meningitis there was no cure, nor for Hydrocephalus - we saw extreme 'cases' of both.  We had some 'bright spots' when blood transfusion gave life to a dear little girl who had rheumatic fever with heart complications.

We saw pneumonia relieved by antiphlogistin poultices;  we saw Dr Ewen work wonders with diabetic children, many children recover and return home - and we were amazed that ricketts should so easily be abated with orange juice and codliver oil.  We saw gastroenteritis respond to correct usage of humanised milk, after treatment; and many a healthy baby was handed to parents, at discharge, which on admission was at death's door.  Nursing in this ward was truly rewarding - for here were the helpless helped - it surely crowned my nursing days at Wellington Hospital.