Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-17
THE FIRST STEP TAKEN
Central Union Mission Appoints Committee
to Arrange for District Nursing
Movement to Provide for Proper Care
of INDECENT Sick People-The
Work Elsewhere.

The board of managers of the Central
Union Mission took practical steps at their
meeting yesterday for the establishment
of a system of district nursing for the
sick poor. This was in compliance with
the sentiments of many of the representa-
tive citizens of Washington, as stated
through the columns of The Star at vari-
Gus times during the past week, and also
to carry out plan long cherished on the
part of the mission to widen the influence
of the organization.
committee, composed of President
Bailey, Mr.. o. B. Brown and Mr.. w. C..
Tyler. was appointed to take the whole
subject of district nursing into considera-
the details of management, and the COM
mittee was requested to bring in a report
at the regular meeting of the board next
week.
time had arri 5ed to put the system in OPP
Grafton President Bailey, in speaking of
the advantages of good nursing. related a
case which came under his observation.
friend of his. who was sent to a hospital
for treatment. and was given up to die.
When the doctors announced that they
could do nothing to save her life the head
nurse of the institution took the patient in
hand. and she recovered.
Meet. With Success.
After the mission board adjourned a lady
of this city who has become much inter-
ested in the projected scheme. received
a letter from friend in a northern city.
in response to request for information
regarding district nursing in the latter
place. The letter, which will be furnished
to the committee of the mission appointed
for the purpose above stated. is in part as
follows:
I'm spite of grave nfisgivIngs on the
part of the managers in regard to means,
when the society was started. 1t has al
ways been able to meet the calls upon 1t
by those in need. In some cases 1t could
not do all it wished. but in the main it
has accepted all work that was presented
For example, when there was an cpl
demic of measles, and the society was
asked to send nurse to such cases, IL
engaged one especially for that purpose.
as the society could not let it's regular
nurses attend contagious diseases. The
special nurse paid 263 visits and cost the
society $50
"A physician of our city said some time
ago that the time for sending all patients
without discrimination to hospitals is
passing by. Perhaps in the future We may
hope for good home care in many cases"
For our neighbors, living perhaps not
many rods from us, where very likely all
comforts are wanting, We can hardly i'm
aeine the change a nurse can effect. Clean
mess ana Order Win her aid can be main
tanned even in overcrowded quarters.
Rest for Breadwinner.
If the patient is very i'll woman is
sent to sit up, for the breadwinner of the
family must have rest and cannot work by
day and watch by night. Such watches
are paid by the family using them, except
in cases of great poverty, when no charge
is made"
A copy of the list of donations during the
past year for The work of the Visiting
Nurses Society of Philadelphia, to which
mention was made in The Star of yester-
day.. has been received in this city. The
list shows that the contributions ranged in
amount from 81 TO sou, besides which two
requests of $1,000 and $1,000 respectively
Were received.
Among the contributors were vast num-
Der of private citizens. some of whom
though giving high as $500, refused to
permit the printing of their names
churches, Sunday schools and chapters of
the Kings Daughters are also in the Est
of donors.
The statistics for the year showed that
during the twelve months $50 physicians
awaited themselves of the services of the
nurses employed by the society; that l. 463
cases were visited, and 1885 visits paid.
ana that of all these patents but seventy
five died.