their own interests, in ease and comfort; next, those of their order, and of the servants on the establishment personally connected with them; and, last of all, those of the patients.  On an unprejudiced examination it will be found, that a body so constituted as the soeurs, are extremely unfit for the performance of such functions as are entrusted to them in these establishments.  It is essential to the good performance of the duties of a nurse, that she should be responsible to the medical officer for their omission.  The soeurs are entirely independent of any such control, and their usual answer to any complaint is, ‘Je reponds a mon crucifix.’”

“It is a great mistake to suppose that these nuns are enlightened, or well born, or well educated.  In general they are ignorant women, too poor and too deficient in personal qualities to find husbands.  They are proud, arrogant, and bigoted; and, with a few interesting exceptions, it may be said of them, that they become nuns for want of better occupations; that they are characterized by the ill temper of disappointment, at the world having neglected or rejected them, rather than by any sublime elevation of feeling, which could have led them to reject the world.  It is a delusion to suppose that all the more important duties, on the due performance of which the success of medical treatment mainly depends, devolve upon the soeurs.  The fact is, that it is one of the most serious defects of the French hospitals, that proper persons are not procured to perform these services:  such as waiting upon the patients, changing their linen, moving them, and administering to their little wants, in a proper manner.  In Paris there is a class of men, the refuse of the working classes, who, when all means of support fail, apply to the hospitals, and become infirmieres.  It will scarcely be believed, that to these men are entrusted the important duties to which we have adverted, and which the Doctor seems to suppose are chiefly performed by the soeurs.  These infirmieres receive for their services only six-and-eightpence per month, besides their board and lodging in the house; and, as they can earn more at any other occupation, they seldom remain long in their situations.  The infirmieres, or female servants, are much of the same description:  badly appointed, badly paid, negligent and rapacious, often pilfering a portion of the allowance of provisions and wine prescribed to the patient for his recovery.  The general interference of the soeurs is prejudicial.  Frequently, on the strength of their own medical opinions, they will neglect the prescriptions; frequently they harass a patient about his confession, when a calm state of mind is indispensable for his recovery.  They also often exercise their united influence against a medical man, to protect favourite servants.  They encumber all exertions for improvement, so that, whenever any change is discussed, one of the first