Stewart, Isla

Words are inadequate to convey the irreparable loss which has befallen the nursing world on the passing, on Sunday last, of Miss Isla Stewart, Matron and Superintendent of Nursing at St Bartholomew's Hospital. As head of a great training school for nurses, she discharged the duties of her office in a way that brought to it the utmost distinction; in public life she has stood for all that is best, noblest and bravest; to her friends she was a most true, loyal and generous comrade.

With the shadow of her loss heavy upon us, it is, at the present, of her public career that we wish to speak - of that part of her life which belongs to the profession of which she was so distinguished a member and served with such unselfish loyalty. Of Highland descent, Miss Stewart entered upon her life's work at St Thomas's in 1879, and in 1887 was appointed to the position of Matron of St Bartholomew's Hospital, in which position, she has accomplished her great work for the profession she loved. Isla Stewart's claim to greatness lies in this: that she used her high position for no selfish ends, but threw the whole weight of her influence into furthering the welfare of nursing, whether or not the line of action she felt impelled to take seemed for the moment prejudicial to her personal Interests.

She held higher than any personal consideration her public duty, and the fulfilment of the obligations her which her position imposed upon her. A lover of peace she has lived through the troublous times which so often befall a profession during its evolution, and only in the future can the nursing profession fully estimate its great debt to her for her firm stand for vital principles. For herself she could gain no higher position, no greater honour, but with keen insight, and rare unselfishness, she entered the arena of public controversy to further the organisation of nursing for the benefit of the sick, and in order that trained nurses whose work she estimated so highly might have legal recognition as members of an honourable profession. For her work in this profession her work is honoured today throughout the nursing world.

Her end was as she would have wished. At work until Thursday of last week, she left that day for Chilworh for a short rest. On Saturday she became acutely ill and passed away on Sunday last. A great patriot, Miss Stewart was a member of the Nursing Board of Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service and Principal Matron of No 1 (City of London) Hospital of the Territorial Force Nursing Service; a great public servant she was President of the Matron's Council of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the Society for the State Registration of Trained of Nurses, Hon, President of the League of St Bartholomew's Hospital Nurses, a Foundation Member of the International Council of Nurses, an Hon. Member of the National Council of Nurses, the Irish Nurses' Association, the German Nurses' Association and the American Federation of Nurses, while the Assistance Publique of Paris recognised her great services to nursing by conferring on her a special medal.

Her body was brought from Chilworth to the Mortuary Chapel of St Bartholomew's Hospital and taken thence to Moffat, N.B. where she will be laid to rest on Thursday March 10th at 2 o'clock, and at 3 o'clock there will be a Memorial Service at St Bartholomew's the Great, West Smithfield, E.C.

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