Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-16
NURSESEQR THE SICK
Meeting of Union: Mission Directors
to Consider the Question.
THE PLAN suC&sSuL ELSEWHERE
Views Of Prominent Ministers and
Other Workers.
DETAILS OF THE SYSTEM

DETAILS OF THE SYSTEM
The board of directors of the Central
Union Mission will have a meeting this
afternoon, at which time the matter of
further considering plan for District
nursing for the poor will, 1t is understood,
be brought before them by President Bal
ley, and it Is believed that either the nee
essary steps will be taken to put a practi-
cal scheme of the kind in operation in the
Fear future Mr.. Bailey will be author
lied to take such action to bring about
tie result desired as he may deem proper
Letters which have reached Mr. Bailey
from every portion of the city, written by
representative citizens of both sexes in
various walks of life. have. it is under
stood, convinced him of a unanimity of
opinion throughout Washington that train
ed nursing ought to be made available to
the sick poor at the earliest practicable mo-
munications who go into details say the
Central Union Mission people are the
proper persons to have the direction of the
movement.
1t Is anticipated that President Bailey.
acting upon authority conferred upon him
by the board of managers of the mission
will invite a number of leading ministers,
phiianthropists and others to meet him in
conference at the mission rooms in the
near future to discuss the subject.
System Successful Elsewhere.
Three ladies who recently came to
Washington of them from Bethle-
hem, Pa, and the others from Philadel-
phia-have outlined to a Star reporter their
observations in regard to district nursing
hn ct L., tn
of which it has been completely successful.
I'm Bethlehem" said one, ."the work is
comparatively in its infancy yet it has
been in operation long enough to show
that 1t has met the fullest and most en-
thuSiastic expectations of those who have
the matter In charge.
There the work is in charge of a dea-
coness, who resides at the parish house as
does also the only nurse at present en-
ployed. The expenses are borne by the
members of theEpiscopal Church solely and
a charge or 10 cents per visit is made for
the services of the nurse who goes to any
place at the suggestion of the doctors OF
the city. While the charge Is 10 cents. the
patient can pay more If he or she wishes
The salary of the nurse Is SIS per month
and all expenses. The sick are cared for
by the nurse, whether they are able to pay
anything or not equal attention haine
given and all money collected NV the nurse
Is turned over to the deaconess for the So
clety by whom the work is carried on
Inc nurse starts upon her rounds at 8
d. an, M ana she Is on duty until 6 p. m, it
peing understood that she will remain until
a later hour If the condition of the patient
demands 1t. The nurse takes every mea no
IN her power to instruct the family of the
patent or any neighbor who may be in
charge, now to make the patient as COM
Portable In all RESPECTS as possible
High State of Protection.
In Philadelphia said another of the
hQ
said, district nursing has been brought tn
high state of perfection, and the system
there Is regarded by experts as one of the
best in the world 1T Isl really the mot, of
many of the society and charitable people.
anu tne societies OF the city, who furnish IT
Win liberal supplies Of money, as well as
great quantities of clothing, provisions and
delicacies for the sick
THE society was organized in 1897 nn5a,
the name Of the Visiting Nurses Society
me city was divided into districts. and
each nurse took care of all cases in her
ulstrict' no matter what was the disease.
PROVIDED 1T was not of a contagious charac
ter. Later, however, it was found better
70 aiVlae the nurses into four classes, as
maternity surgical, cancer and chronic.
ana TINS is the plan now followed
Inc nurse is paid $25 a month and ex
Eenses' including car fare, and she is ex-
pecteo to collect from 10 to so cents from
each patient according to their ability to
LAY. II anie to pay anything. The head
quarters of the Visiting Nurses Society are
at No. 1910 Lombard street. where fron,
elght TO ten nurses live, and whence thew
proceed On their daily duties. The house
Is Just on the border line between the rich
and the poor sections, the service heinp in
tended for the poor, though sometimes the
rich send for the nurse and nav her accord.
ingly. 0'o'u-
remember one month In which a nurse
was sent lot nine times and for each visit
ne hs Oh
all other collections, handed over to the so
ciety.
The nurse is expected, when proper to
40 SO, 10 !nculcate lessons of cleanliness,
now TO COOK food for the sick properly and
other matters of that character, and She is
also MADE the almoner for the dispensing
of provisions and clothing to all in need
who come under her observation
In hundreds of cases. more particularly
those OF maternity the society provides
complete new outfits for the sick room"
Local Comment.
Referring to the proposed movement by
the Central Union Mission here, Rev. DR..
BlttiEger, pastor of Westminster Presby-
terrain Church., said to Star reporter:
AS to the plan itself of providing nurses
1of the sick OF our city, everything is to be
said In its favor. Any means or agency nv
which the condition of the sick, especially
.nS poor SICK may be alleviated is to be
welcomed and commended
more than ever before are realized the
Dehents or good nursing as a supplement to
the skill or the physician, and in certain
diseases not only the comfort, but also the
recovery, OF persons is largely dependent
Upon the care and nursing which they re-
ceive. why, then. should not some plan he
adopted In our city by which the desirable
result fe may be attained? For whatever diff
ference OF opinion may be expressed as to
the details of the movement, all must he
asieeu as 10 the movement itself. 1t Is in
the line OF religion, approved by enlieht-
eheu philanthropy and the suggestion of
the instincts OF our common humanity.
Mrs. Platt Pleased.
Mrs. M B. PlattGa president of the Wo-
mans Christian Temperance Union of the
District OF Columbia. slid: 80
- 7 am much pleased with the article in
the Star of Thursday entitled Care of the
SICK, Surely no class in the world stands
In greater need Of the sskillful service of a
framed nurse thant thosB to whom by force
OF circumstances, such Service is least rem
dered, that is. the sick among the families
Of OF the very poor. OF OF that large proper
tlon OF our populatfcn who are neither yerv
poor nor yet rich. sin such homes the wife
anu mother, yxf,o