8
 IV. On the "Certificate" question: (viz. to Nurses leaving)
It does not appear to be quite understood that
it is because "Medical Officers" & ex-"Matrons"
& all sorts of people give Testimonials
(& these T.s. are taken) that the mischief arises.
The rule at one great "Sick Asylum": an excellent
rule: was that the Manager's stamp should
be put on all Testimonials recieved or given.
[but how if other "Sick Asylums" will accept
Testimonials without the stamp - - - - ?]
At that very Asylum, upon a Nurse being dismissed,
very properly, by the Matron for insubordination,
the "Medical Officer" (whose Certificate it is now
proposed to take) and the ex-Matron gave the
Nurse such excellent ? "Testimonials" that she
was immediately taken on at higher wages
at another "Sick Asylum".
As for asking "Medical Officer" as to "Nursing
efficiency" - how can the Matron be the "head of
the Nurses", "the head of her own Department"
if this be done? - If the Matron is not directly responsible
for carrying out the directions of the Medical Officer, -
if the Matron is not the best judge of her Nurses'
nursing, she had better not be there at all.
And we had better give up trained nursing Matrons, &
revert to the old Housekeeping Matrons: the