Nursing in America i77 bers of the Red Cross Auxiliary, and it was agreed that an effort must be made to perpetuate the army nurse corps and reserve which the war had brought into existence. A strong committee was formed of lay women and nurses, and as a result of their labours an army nursing bill passed through Congress in 1901. Dr. McGee having resigned, a nurse, Mrs. Dita H. Kinney, was appointed head of the army nurse corps. She was later succeeded by Jane A. Delano. After three years' work in building up effectively the army nurse corps. Miss Delano, who was an exceptionally able organizer, gave her services to the Red Cross, for the atten- tion of nurses by that time was concentrated on an effort to develop the best possible working union with that body. The American Red Cross underwent a complete reorganization by Act of Congress in 1904. The shortcomings and feudal character of „ , ^ Red Cross Red Cross nursing systems abroad were nursing well known to American nurses, and reserve they were concerned to avoid those defects here, and to build up a flexible nursing reserve on a thoroughly democratic plan, in harmony with American principles. Thanks to the strong and compact society in which nurses were already formed, they were able 13
