Modern Medicine: 1924

Yes, the reason for the cuffs is that they are not permanently attached to the dress, and thus when they become soiled they can easily be replaced with clean ones. They protect the dress, Ms Nurse would only have to wash her cuffs and collar after work rather than her entire uniform.

That radio reminds me of one of the first crystal radios I made in Boy Scouts. Possibly one of the first crystal radios on the market. For those who don't know crystal radios do not operate under any outside power source or battery.

We used to use the bed springs. They worked well for local stations in Philadelphia. The ground was clipped to the cold water valve, or the radiator pipe in a pinch. (That looks like a headphone condenser between the two binding posts)

I don't see a cat's whisker, either. Maybe there's a fixed galena wired in somewhere.

I wonder if this man has been rolled to a day room for a break, or for fresh air?
It looks like double doors behind the bed, possibly opening onto a porch.

@vrteach: It's not the light switch placement that's awkward, it's the placement of the hospital bed in front of the door.

Or an early Walkman.

The Nurses sleeves are to prevent the patient from getting a glimpse of bare arm and sending them into a frenzy of uncontrollable desire.

Rather bulky compared with today's "robes" that one wears in the hospital. I don't know much about radio history, but that radio looks a bit like a war surplus one.

That light switch seems kind of awkward to get to, but perhaps it is a switch for something else.

However, the nurse is top-notch. Do the cuffs that she is wearing serve some purpose?

With no antenna and no grounding, that crystal set won't pick up too much. As long as that nurse was there, though, who'd care?