Nurse Memoir # 4

     The class of student nurses gathered for the daily physical anatomy class with none other than "Hatchet Face", AKA Miss M.  Each day, seemed like it anyway, "Hatchet Face"  would seek someone in the class room to humiliate, ridicule and make a spectacle of. in front of everyone. Today was my day for those terrible things to sit in my lap. Never was anyone ever prepared for the assault, so I was no exception.

      Today's lesson was on skin and conditons that were common. We opened our books since those years of the mid sixties there were no overhead prompts for visual training. The class of 14 gave Hatchet Face a good array of choices to select from, to use in her daily plan. She circled the room going up and down the isles deciding who she was going to pin point for a demonstration in her lesson plan. There was always wonder from everyone thinking they would be the next victum to be chosen by Miss M.

     As the pages of the book got turned from simple dermatitis, we got to veneral diseases. The graphic pictures of some of those chancre sores to more grossly detailed eruptions made gasps come from nearly everyone. Everything was discussed regarding the prevention, cause and treatment. Medicines were discussed in depth in another class, however,lightly touched on during this anatomy session as well.

      MIss M. delayed at several of the students' desks then finally singled me out for every one to look at the sore on Miss B's mouth. Hatchet Face said the sore on Miss B's face is similar to what you will find as veneral disease sores  in the pubic areas of affected women and men. Great! Now my mouth was compared to the private parts of men and women who have veneral diseases.  Everyone looked at me and with almost unison said a "Yuck".

       I had acquired Impetigo from kissing my dog and the crusty look was prime for Miss M. to use for the day's skin lesson to all. Even though some of my, so called, friends knew what the sore was all about, it made for a disgusting example of a veneral sore and entertainment. Needless to say everyone was free for that day from Miss M's attack, except me.