Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-13
THOUSANDS OF CALLS
HELP AND COMFORT FOR THOSE
UNABLE TO PAY.
Notable Charity Accomplishes Much
During Past Twelve Months
The Officers.

for twelve months. Statistics IN THIS III
stance as is apt to be the case, fails to
convey the full story of the help and COM
fort which the friendly ministrations. thus
dry1y recorded, have brought to patients
and to households where the trained nurse
is otherwise not only unknown but as I'M
attainable as diamond necklaces. What the
coming of these helpful visitors means in
homes where the comforts of life are few
in number it is impossible to form an ac-
curate estimate. They afford immediate
relief to the fever-tossede patient and com
fert to the loving ones of the household,
whose anxiety in times of sickness is made
more intense by the scantiness of the means
of help at their command and the igno-
rance of what Is best to be done
The skill and tact in such emergencies
which are supplied through the medium of
this society bring instant relief. They also
set going an inuence In households Whlcn
tend steadily toward better things. Nat
ural affection is an apt scholar. ana the
members of the household soon learn from
the nurse many little things which tend to
make the loved patient more comfortable
the services of the agent of the society are
recognized highly important by all the
organizations that have to do with the
poor.
What is Accomplished.
What the nurses accomplish and the So
c1ety hopes 10 90 IS aIreduy kNOWH " iudHJ
residents of Washington. The charitable
recognize in 1t an organized method of as
sisting the sick poor and. at the same time.
Of instructing them in the prevention as
we'll as the care of disease The sick poor
themselves have come to appreciate the in
telligent help and sympathy which has been
at their disposal when most needed And
the society and its efforts have been recog-
nized by physicians and the growing class
of charitable workers who have broad
outlook over the great field of scientific
philanthropy.
The class first mentioned likes to have the
nurses visit care for and report on the
cases that come under their own notlce-old
servants or persons deserving respect. but
made dependent by Illness. The patients
themselves hear from neighbors and friends
of the nurse who made mother and her
new baby comfortable; Of the bandaSed leg
of the old man across the street and how
his daughter was taught how to battle and
care for 1t. The whole neighborhood learns
very quickly where the comfortable chair
came from in which the consumptlve boy
is wheeled into the sunshine every day. 1t
now knows that milk and eggs are to be
had when they cannot be bought by the
sick lads mother, and that now and again
good strong soup is given to bad cases.
Used by Doctors.
There is no doubt at all as to how the
nurses are regarded in their districts. The
doctors work them, the police ask their
help the cIergymen consult them and the
people love them. Sometimes they call them
little mothers.
Much has been done in a quiet way to-
ward sanitary inspection of houses, and
statistics gathered in relation to consump-
ton have been appreciated by the society
for the prevention of tuberculosis. The in
structive work done by the nurses is Valu-
able and is accomplishing much in prevent
ing disease by spreading practlcal lnforma-
people.
Results Not Seen.
ANY result of the nurses work Is often
not seen till after many months, some
times years. One nurse reported certain
case, when first visited at commencement
of work in her district. as dirty and shift
less, surroundings most squalid and I'M
healthy Several months later she was call
ed in again, finding conditions slightly inn
proved as result of former instructions. A
few months ago everything was found clean
and wholesome, and in addition prepara-
lions were made to assist nurse in any
way. OF course. now and then there are
cases of quick Improvement, persons have
just wanted the kindly advice of cheer
full practical woman.
The relations and friends of patients usu-
ally take an interest in carrying out direc-
tons given by the nurses for care of pa
TENTS between visits. Nurses frequently
stand in the light of an old family friend,
being urgently consulted on both great
and small matters after patients and their
families have learned to rely on them.
A nurse must remember who asked for a
cook and which patients mother wanted
laundry work, if any, was heard of-see
about getting children in school, or baby
baptized or notify the health department of
room to be fumigated. lately used per-
haps, by consumptive-in short she must
be a committee of one on all sorts of
ways and means, and abridged edition of
the workers encyclopedia.
Home for Nurses.
The society now has a home for the
nurses at 2001 l street. Here is found The
Office of the superintendent, and there are
made the broths and soups provided for by
the diet kitchen, and distributed by the
nurses as the need points out. Here. too, is
| found the loan closet which supplies the
| linen underwear and infants wardrobes.
Some notion of the beneficial work ac-
| complished by the society's visitors and the
| variety and scope Of their duties may be
| gathered from the following brief ex-
| tracts from nurses record of facts Of
| one days rounds:
San old man lying in bed with right side
| Of body parayzed wife had gone to work,
| having first bathed her husband and made
| the room clean and neat There was no
| fire. and the said he had had no
| breakfast Sent boy to diet Kitchen for
| pint of soup: referred the case to Asso
| ciat.d Charities. whence food and fuel were
| sent.
"A maternity case; bathed mother and
child.
| "A convalescing pneumonia patient; bath
| and clean linen given; chest and back paint
| ed with iodine; cotton jacket changed; re-
| corded temperature. pulse and respiration,
! and proceeded to case.
AN ulcer on the neck. receiving treat
| r,ent at one of the dispensaries; patient
| taught how to carry out treatment pre-
scribed by the doctor there; milk and eggs
| supplied.
| Maternity case; bathed mother and
| child; instructed woman In charge; chicken
| broth supplied.
Three children Ill with measles. and one
| convalescng from typhoid. With the
| sistance Of the mother baths were given
! TO all four. Recorded temperature and
| pulse; mother instructed: milk, eggs, beef
| tea and linen from the loan closet supplied.
| Then came the daily call to the police sta
| ton to get new calls from the physicians
| to the poor.
| The Instructive Visiting Nurse Society
| has entered upon the sixth year of its
| work The board OF managers as fol-
| lows: President, Mrs. Lodge: vice presi-
! dent and acting treasurer. Miss Tucker
| man; secretary, Miss Mary Hopkins: Mrs.
| Ashton, Mrs. Bayard, Mrs. Cowles Mrs.
| Hague, Mrs. Eugene Hale, Mrs. Livingston