Round the fountain.

Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Round the fountain. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    With breakfast the talk spreads, as the hot tea and the growing light sweep away the sleepy cobwebs. Outside, the day is waking too, the windows are no longer blue-black, and the rain-washed stone of the other blocks begins to show white round the half-awakened Square. The sparrows start such a chattering ; they must surely be all telling their dreams, and none listening. The big mugs are empty ; ii and 7, who are con- valescent, are up and helping to clear away, and the nurses are bringing round the big tin washing bowls. The talk stops, and the sound of w’ater and of washing comes from behind the dra^vn curtains. The washing is over, and the bowls are gone. The clocks betray their ill-breeding once more, and interrupt each other to say that it is seven. The day nurses arrive, and bed-making begins. No. 10 sits on his locker—did ever patient tumble his bed so !— but soon the sheets are smooth, and he is back and covered with a creaseless counterpane. Daddy 6 and Mr. 9 lie abed while the toilet is performed, and so round till the ward stands a double row of symmetry—a very picture-book of bed-makery. Then come “ glasses ; ” pulses are counted, and duly noted in the nurse’s book. The night nurse writes her notes, and as the day wakes gives in her report to sister, and creeps off to her “ evening ” meal. The ward maid has come, and is busy raking at the fire ; the plantigrade scrubber is crawling round beneath the beds ; the nurses, assisted by 7 and ii, are cleaning and polishing ; the w'ard is full of work.
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