The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-24

nlOHy, IL peICIidllce, she can De per-
suaded that arothers happiness is de-
pendent upon her.
AS q private nurse in the homes of
sickness her coming is hailed with de-
light. She receives hearty greetings
from strangers, who are no longer
strangers, but life long friends. Many
a loving mother realizes that affection
end kindness, ind spensable as they
are, are insufficient without skill. I
have heard a mother say: Did / think
my child would ever prefer a drink of
water from other hands than mine; -
The giving of that cup of water re-
quired knowledge, thought, skill, pa
tience and endurance, the result of
experience and practice. The conf
dence and love Of patient brightens
the dark hours and lightens labor
sympathy and tact might be said to be
the browning glory of a skillful nurse.
District, or visiting, nursing is that
branch of nursing which cares for the
sick, poor in their homes, where cir
cumstances are such that it is unwise
to send the patient to the hospital a
prominent philanthropist says: There
is no form of organized philanthropy
that demonstrates more clearly the,
present progressive ideas of social and
economic work among the less for
tunate" Skilled nursing is given to
The poor together with such methods
of instruction as are needed to teach
some member of the family to care for
their sick in the absence of the nurse.
An opportunity is,not lost to give hints
oil general laws of health and cleanli-
ness.
District nursing was first under
taken in Liverpool, where a trained
nurse was sent to work IN one small
district. In flour years the whole of
Liverpool was divided into eighteen
districts, and each was supplied with
a trained nurse. The work soon
spread through Great Britain and Ire
land, thence to the United states
Canada and other countries. as we'll as
to the Isles of the sea; 1T is now being
successfully carried on in many of our
large cities.
Miss Brent, in her paper on district
nursing read before the congress OF
charities, 1904: 'It is a hand to hand
struggle against disease, poverty and
dirt, against the most Ditiful ignor-
ance and inherited prejudice
Florence Nightingale says: Il do
not think there is any human being
who may be as useful as district
nurse, if she is helpful without inter-
fering."
Queen Victoria was so much in SYM
patty with the early efforts of district
nurses in England as to give the
greatest part of the gifts of the fiftieth
anniversary of her reign to this work.
Miss Mary f. Smith, of the district
Visiting Nurses Association, says;
Nurses reach the people during sick
ness. and so have the best oppor-.
tunity of forcing home lessons in n.y.
giene and right living, such as no
amount of talking and teaching under
other circumstances could induce them
to heed"
Follow the nurse for one day, typ
ical one in a large city. The first visit
was to Il dying consumptive where
bath and clean linen We're given; tn"
second, typhoid case was given an
alcohol sponge; third, the dressing Of
Il leg ulcer of q woman who makes
wrappers all day at forty cents
dozen; fourth, baths and clean linen
to four cases of typhoid in one family;
a bath TO mother and babe; arrange
ments made to send convalescent to
the country; case reported to the
Board of Health. sick babe bathed,
milk prepared AMI mother instructed
in the care of her child; man sent TO
home for incurables. Would you see
more, as she climbs flight after flight
of tenement StairSi
How can one endure this, you say,
Because she realizes that indescriba-
Bile something akin to fascination III
being the instrument that brings com
fort to the suffering and at the same
times combines Self-Support with self
sacrifice.
Reader, do. you know that here In
your midst hearts burn to enter into
this work? How can they go, eX-
cept they be sent?" Some noble wo-
men With sufficient means of their
own have undertaken this work with
out compensation.
Follow the nurse into the homes of
tuberculous patients. One nurse of
the Vanderbilt cl mic, visited 339
families in nine months. In her visits
the conscientious nurse not only cares
for the immediate cleanliness and
comfort o. the sick. but the danger
of, and necessary care of sputum is
taught as well as the need of fresh
air, sunshine and rest. Nourishing
diet of milk from one to two quarts
a day, and four to eighteen eggs as
needed, are supplied to supplement
other food.
Rolling chairs and warm clothing
must be provided as needed. That
nurses should be teachers as we'll as
workers, no one will deny. Caring
for consumptives in their own homes
is now being successfully carried on in
llldily idiSG CllleS. HOW 10 uO SO Ill
towns and villages is a question of
vital Importance.
Five years ago. a visit to the nurses
settlement in Henry street, East Side
New York, revealed much of interest.
A cordial greeting was given the
writer by Miss Valid, the founder Of
this work. Here the nurses live in the
midst of the people, not only do they
nurse, but they conduct such social
work as singing classes, gymnasium
drills, dancing schools, concerts and
fresh air work. In their educational
work, sewing, crocheting, laundry
work, home nursing, housekeeping
and cooking are taught. Miss Valid
says: From what we call the settle
ment point-of-view we believe that the
patient should know the nurse as a
social being rather than an official Wis
itor." 1t is good from this point Of
view, that the patient should know
the home of the nurse, and that the
nurse should be intelligent about
housing conditions, the educational
provisions, and the social life of the
neighborhood in which she lives and
works.
Several visits TO the nurses settle
ment in Richmond showed like work.
seth of these were undertaken By
nurses without compensation.
From this vast army of nurses in