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Western Mail, Thursday 9 February 1933, page 2
Nursie Puts One Over.
(By "Eff Hay," Kalgarin.)
We have often heard what hard-doers some of the lads were in the way they put the roughies across, but some of our nursing sisters could put it across too, but in a more classical style.
For instance, I had to undergo an operation at the Base Hospital about the end of 1919, and chatting with some of the lads in the same ward, they kindly informed me that while a man is under the dope he gives away all his secrets. The day before the operation, two of the Sisters came to me. "Cheer up, Snowy." one said "we are going to get all your war history to-morrow, all about mademoiselle and that English girl."
What with the tale of the lads, and then these two Sisters, I didn't know what to buy for it. To crown it, in the evening the Matron came along with the two Sisters, and she cheered me up by saying, "Well, Snowy, all fit? You have to be good now because we are going to hear all your lovely history to-morrow. Goodnight!"
As I came to the next day I saw the Matron and the same two Sisters in attendance. Later on the trio came to my bed, all business of course. One pulled out a book, which, horror of horrors, was a Pitman's shorthand note book. The Matron, bless her, said, "Do you understand shorthand, Snowy?"
"No. Matron. I do not," I replied.
Turning over six double pages of that confounded note book she went on: "Well, my lad, here is the history of your last few years. What shall we tell your wife?"
While they were there I could see a mischievous look in their eyes, but I could not see through the joke. It was only through reading "The Diary of a Doctor" in "The Western Mail" of December 8 last, (12 years after) that I discovered that speech under anaesthetic is impossible.
I now understand that those Sisters put one across me!
Those in the story:
Narrator "Eff Hay" = Unidentified