Her dictum “Matron recruits a very nice type of girl” meant that they came of respectable middle-class families, had received the benefit of grammar school education, wore their skirts knee length or longer, and were properly aware of the privilege and responsibilities of being a student nurse. The last student in the class was a very pretty girl, her blonde hair worn in a fringe as low as her eyebrows above a pert, contemporary face. She was attractive enough for a recruiting poster, thought Miss Beale, but somehow it was the last face one would choose. While she was wondering why, Nurse Dakers came to the end of her recital.

“Right Nurse,” said Sister Gearing. “So we are faced with the problem of a post-operative patient, already seriously under-nourished and now unable to take food by mouth. That means what? Yes, Nurse?”

“Intra-gastric or rectal feeding, Sister.”

It was the dark sulky-looking girl who answered, her voice carefully repressing any note of enthusiasm or even interest Certainly not an agreeable girl, thought Miss Beale.

There was a murmur from the class. Sister Gearing raised an interrogative eyebrow. The spectacled student said:

“Not rectal feeding, Sister. The rectum can’t absorb sufficient nourishment. Intra-gastric feeding by the mouth or nose.”

“Right, Nurse Godale, and that’s what the surgeon has ordered for Mrs. Stokes. Will you carry on please, Nurse. Explain what you are doing at each step.”

One of the twins drew the trolley forward and demonstrated her tray of requirements: the gallipot containing sodium bicarbonate mixture for cleaning mouth or nostrils; the polythene funnel and eight inches of tubing to fit it; the connector; the lubricant; the kidney bowl with the tongue spatula, tongue forceps and gag. She held up the Jacques esophageal tube. It dangled from her freckled hand obscenely like a yellow snake.

“Right, Nurse,” encouraged Sister Gearing. “Now the feed. What are you giving her?”