From The Spectator, 31 October 1914:
THE following are extracts from the diary kept by a Red Cross probationer this autumn:
Tuesday—A rumour has gone about that we are to have wounded here one day this week. I wonder! Instead of dusting, I polished all the twenty electric-light switches all round the ward this morning, besides doing the taps. Far more amusing than dusting and much better exercise.
Wednesday—One of the patients—No. 8—ran quite a bad temperature to-day, and seemed in great pain. It was wretched to see him suffer; he seems unable to eat or sleep, and gets no rest from his pain. Such a wet day! For the first time we got soaked coming home. Our bicycle lamps threw a little circle of light which only served to show how fast it rained, and showed us our way so little that I twice nearly rode into the ditch.
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