The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-14
FOR THE SICK POOR IN IRELAND

To the Editor Of The Washington Times:
Sir: May I be permitted through the
medium OF your paper to appeal to tho
Irish people in America for a share OF
their charity on behalf Of an undertake
ing which would. think. recommend
Itself 70 them were they better &C
ouainted with the necessity for It.
speak OF the fund for the establishment
Of district nurses in the poorest parts
Of Ireland. which has been in existence
for nearly year.
In many parts OF Ireland. especially
those known as the .cOngested dis
tricts." no provision IS made for nurs-
Ing the sick poor Ia their own homes.
The population Is purely agricultural
ana acutely poverty stricken, and the
boards Of guardians in these districts
cannot supply even the ordinary ma
teinity nurses The people assist one
another, the poor supporting the destl-
tute; but a rate IN aid OF the Nursing
fund cannot be levied In these districts.
for that would merely be taxing the al
leady over burdened population in one
OH ection TO benefit them in another.
Moreover. as there are seldom any resi-
dent gentry or well-tO-dO inhabitants OF
the middle classes. it is equally impos
sible 10 obtain voluntary contributions
from local sources. During the past
ear sufficient money has been collected
Ia establish and endOw eight jubilee
nurses Four Of these have been at
work some little time; four more viii
be so shortly. But applications from
districts equally poor and necessitous
are coming in constantly, and. unless
the fund receives further assistance. tn 2
answer sent 70 such applications muJ;
be unfaVOrable. j can, perhaps, best
bring the real condition of affairs home
TO your readers by citing one typical
case, that OF Knocknalower, in a west
erI union which 1 have recently visited.
Ia this bleak moOrland district Of 1000
acres there Is scarcely 4 dwelling OF
any kind except the wretched cabins Of
the 5000 small landholders, and so ut
tcIly pOverty-stricken IS the place that
II is difficult to find a doctor who will
remain. no less than ten appointed hav-
Ing resigned during the past five years.
In this district the valuation is only rs.
I'd, while the rates amount TO 5s l0d. on
houses and Is. Sd. on lands.
II will, therefore, be seen that 4;
would not be practicable TO provide a
nurse at the expense Of the rates. In
many parts OF the district the people
have to journey a whole day across the
boys 70 obtain medical relief They
have also had to be kept alive by special
relief works on eight occasions in the
past twenty years
/ feel confident that the work OF sup
plying properly qualified district nurses
for places like this only requires TO be
brought more prominently to the notice
OF the Irish people I'm America to insure
for il no inconslderable measure of sup
port.
/ shall be happy 10 furnish particulars
OF the scheme with an account Of work
done 20 anyoneNwho desires further in
formation. Annual subscriptions or do
nations may be sent to me, or TO the
secretary. the Bank OF Ireland, Dublin,
marked Lady Dudley's Fund for Dis
trict Nurses" Yours faithfully,
RACHEL DUDLEY,
Vice Regal Lodge, Dublin, 4th March,
1904