The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-05-30
NEW PHILANfHROPIC MOVE
VISITING NURSES ASSOCIATION
 FORMED HERE.

To Benefit and Assist Those Needing
 skilled Aid in sickness Who Are
 Without Means to Obtain It-AIsO to
 Give Information as to Health and
 How to Get and Retain It-The In-
 eorpOratOrs.
 A new phiIanthropie move to improve the conditions of the poor of New Ha- ven and particularly to relieve the sick without pauperizing the beneheiaries, is now well under way and promises to come to fruition by early fall. The project is that of establishing district nursing system here by which those who are i'll and who for various reasons should be treated at home rather that taken to the hospitals. can have the services of a trained nurse at home up- on the payment of an infinitesinal fee. The plan has been in operation in many other cities for years and has worked most satisfactorily.
 The project provides for the employ ment os a professional nurse who shall go about as required and spend half hour or an hour on each case, dressing wounds or strengthening things out and in aiding the attending physicians to lrestore the injured or the i'll to health. One of the most active workers for the success of the project is Mrs. Har- riet K. Munger, wife of Rev. T. T. Nun ger, D. D., who has already done much to enlist the interest and support of the philanthropically disposed people of New Haven in the movement.
 The New Haven Medical association some time since became convinced of the urgent necessity of establishing a visiting nurse association in this city and to that end appointed a committee to consider and report upon the sub l ject. At the same time Judge L. w. Cleaveland. Mrs. T. T. Munger with others were desirous of carrying out the same project, and beginning the work who gave years of her life as city mis- sionary to the work among the poor of New Haven. The Medical association committee gladly accepted the most valuable aid so efficiently rendered by Mrs Munger, through whose instrument tality funds have been given and d wis iting nurse association incorporated. This association is now soon to issue an appeal for money, and public interest in the work.
 The following extracts Gin substance) from the report of the Medical associa- tion's committee, composed of Drs. Gil bert, Sperry and Townsend, will, it is hoped, awaken interest in this import lant subject.
 The history of district nursing is in teresting. It was first originated ir England in 1875, when William Rath- bone. M. P, employed woman to go about visiting the sick poor in Liver pool The need and benefit of this work Twas so evident that other cities soor followed the example of Liverpool. The first district nursing in this country was undertaken in Boston, where many other useful and humanitarian move lments have had their inception. In 1SS' Miss Abbie Howes of Boston, who had lbeen watching with great interest the work in England, returned to her home idesirous of setting on foot similar work there. At about the same time Miss Phoebe G. Adams of Boston, whc lhad been much interested in day nur. series, became convinced that the mora land physical condition of the childrer lin the nurseries would be greatly i'm. proved if their mothers could be taugh something of sanitation and the care o their families. These two ladies ther annealed to some of their friends con. lnected with the Woman's Education as sociation, who took up the matter, ant a committee was appointed who pu lone nurse into the field. Philadelphia began the work about the same time land soon New Bedford, Brooklyn, Chi lcago Baltimore and other cities follow led suit. There are now forty-two ol more district nursing associations in th' Limited States, employing 150 nurses lone of the last cities to come into lin' lis our neighborhood, Middletown, Hart lford and Shelton have also begun th work.
 The necessity and usefulness of sucl work in our own city must, we think be very apparent. We believe that mos lof our profession see many patients who might be nursed with great ad vantage to themselves, and certainly t Jus in our treatment, if nurse coul' lgo in and make the toilet of the patient see to the administration of medicines get. if possible, some kind woman il lthe same tenement or house to run il occasionally and look after the patient What a help it would be to the doctor Then the nurse having spent half al lhour, passes directions as to the disig fection of the stools, eating utensils etc. Then perhaps she dresses an ulce for the next patient, teaches one of tn daughters how to make and apply ban dages, and do the nursing herself.
 We might go on describing othe supposed cases, but they are familia to us all. There are two classes of case in which district nurse would be par ticularly useful, and absolutely invalu Iable; and one of these is obstetri cases; the other class Is that of tuber