New-York tribune., 1903-02-08


likely develop from inattention into dangerous
illness. Such work cannot be done by the meof
ical inspector for his duty is simply to diagnose
the ailment, that the parents may procure
medical attendance The inspector is not per-
mitted to prescribe, and thus on the East Side.
where the majority of parents are too poor to
employ a physician, the child is likely to go
without any medical attention whatsoever
When Miss H H. Rogers, Of the Nurses Set
tlement began her work in the schools of the
lower East Side last October, she was regarded
at first with questioning eyes she made her
rounds She was a sort of novelty, with her
satchel of instruments and salves and rolls OF
gauze In some of the schools there were no
accommodations for her, and she was compelled
10 take a corner of the school yard. which she
converted for the nonce into emergency hos
ptal
The good results of Miss Rogers's work
at once evident, and for her the esteem
and affection of the children to such an extent
that as she walked thu Ough the school yard
the girls ran to meet her and the boys ceased
their rough play to lift their hats. Many
child by a few skilful touches was cured of
it's sore or its cough, and many families thanked
the school nurse for bringing health into their
homes.
Besides her school work, Miss Rogers spent
a great deal of time in the homes of sick Chll-
dren who had been excluded from their classes
bv the medical Inspector Here she would talk
with the mothers or where the EngIlsh IAN
5uage did not afford a common medium, she
would demonstrate by means of gestures now
the child should be treated, and, when neces-
sary how cleanliness was next to SodlIneSS.
The parents at such times seemed to be deeply
grateful for what they learned, and to follow
Miss Rogers's suggestions with remarkable
faithfulness
AS an illustration of how a child without th-
help of the school nurse, may often stay out u
school for months, and perhaps fall so far be
hind in its classes that its parents withdraw
the child permanently child came to the at
tention of Miss Rogers last Week who had beea
sent home because of a malignant sore lip. ON
examination the nurse found that the sore had
been increased by the chid's persistency IL
picking at it and continuing the inflammation
and taking her to the Nurses Settlement, she
applied certain treatment, which permitted lhe
child to return to school at the end OF three
days.
Commissioner Lederla was so pleased with
what Miss Rogers doing that he appointed
her last December head of staH OF twelve
nurses eight for Manhattan and four Tor BROOK
1vn As there are 1S6 numbered schools N this
borough and 134 across the East River. the lit
tie force of nurses found that they could not
meet one-tenth of the needs of the citys school
children: and through the efforts of DR.. Iederle
and President Birmingham of the Board Of Edu-
cation an appropriation was obtained from the
Board of Estimate and AppOrtiOnment which
will permit the employment of thirty OF more at
SO a month. 49,.
After the school nurse has caught up Nl'E
her work only those children will be excluded
from the schools by the medical inspectors who
are found to have contagious diseases or forms
of sickness confning them to their beds. The
rest VIII come under the treatment of the scaooi
nurse. who will go from one school TO anothef
in the district apportloned her WIN certain
..ofice hours in each place. Cases like ira
choma which especially virulent and con-
tagiOus disease Of the eyes, and which has rem
dered half blind thousands of East side chill
dren will be excluded from the schools ana
treated as present, by special physicians ot
the Health Department, in the cid building oI
the GouVerneur Hospital