Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-25
monday evening, Nov. IS, ISIS.
A PROPOSED NATIONAL HOWARD
ASSOCIATION.

resident of Memphis, but now OF
Fayetteville, Ark, is an active mem
Der Of our Howard Association, and
performed faithful services as a visitor
during the recent epidemic, in the
Fourth district a portion of the city
lying between Union avenue and the
Raleigh road, and extending from Ma
nassas street far out into the suburbs
Being a thoughtful, intelligent gentle
man. he made the best use of his Op-
portunities, and not only did all in his
power to relieve the sick and dis
tressed. but collected statistics Of
great value, and has conceived Of a
plan for organizing a National How
ard Association. He has prepared a.
report and a series Of resolutions to be
submitted at the next meeting Of the
Memphis Howard Association. The
resolutions are as follows 8
Resolved frst. That s corps Of nurses
numbering not under q hundred be or
ganized IN The following manner
Frst-Ths president q the association
shall Eupoinf b superintendent q nurse
Seoond-The superintendent Of nurses
shall divide the corps into Glasses hrst.
second and third o A. B and c, accord
ing 70 merL.
Thind-The corps snail also be divided
bv the president assisted b. the superin-
tsndeuf II NURSES. into divisions OF ten
each. in the order Of first second and third,
etc. divisions; these divisions 10 be IN
creased indefinitely, according 70 the eKi-
rsncies Of the service. During epidemics
each Of thesa divisions 70 be taken charge
Of BIZ nurses IS chiefs Of divisions 70 be
selected from the first class, and 70 be sn-
perintended By members Of the association
Chiefs 10 rank according 70 merit by ap-
pointment. and members from the date Of
their election.
Fourth-A physician shall be elected by
t-heiranuusl meeting, and n case Of vac4n-
cies between mestings, 70 be appointed by
the president; the said physician 70 re-
ceive afRlary Of per annum, whose
duty II shall be TO instruct visitors and
nurses in their duty.
Resolved. second, That we invite How
ard Associations Of other cities and towns
Of the Union TO q conference Of delegate
for the purpose Of organizing q National
Howard Association. and also for the pur-
pose Of memorializing congress for an APP
preparation for said organization. 70 be
used in times Of epidemics, and for The
support Of said organization.
The importance Of having trained
nurses in an epidemic can be judged
from facts submitted by Captain
Cooper. In his district ii is shOEr
in his report that of seventy-thre'
patients nursed by inexperienced
nurses f~orty-seTen died and twenty.
six recovered. Another list shows
that out Of eighty-siK cases nursed By
experienced nurses seventy-one rc.
covered and only fifteen died. There
is little doubt that if reeords had beer
kept by all the visitors q correspond.
ing result would have been found il
every district. The incompetency o.
nurses who VOLUNTEERED to take care o.
yellow fever eases merely to get b.
pay and plenty to eat and drink killed
hundreds Of people. Doctors alon,
cannot do much with yellow fever. Il
requires careful, constant and skillfu.
nurses, who know how to keep awak,
and keep sober day and night. 7,
carry out the plan of a National How
ard Association and make it efcctiv
will require an appropriation end stric
conditions by congress. We trust th
subject will be discussed by the How
ards not only Of Memphis but Of othe
cities, and that they will confer to
gether and recommend such nationa
legislation as may be claimed neces
sary, in view of future possible emer
gencies.