New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-08
DISTRICT NURSING.
Hoe 1t Can, SAGE the Great Middle
Class Mach Suffering.

saw may the blessing Of skilled nursing be
.,nrht within the reach OF the great middle class?
~. very poor ere always taken care OF: but upon
=, ,s-nlies Of the Industrious and self-respecting
.s,as people Of the country the problem Of sick
..s weighs very heavily. for they VIII not accept
-$-s.V or make known their needs and they are
e++s-1v unable to pay the salary now demanded by
-. trained nurse
T,t nroblern Is stated IN the current number OF
s-nsrgtjes" which came out on Saturday, and IS
-,s-ed with account OF the work being done by
9 r7,strtct Nursing Association OF Concord n H
-,r,.ed and incorporated In 1899. This association
-. onlv cares for the destitute sick but by charg-
- Zee for its services Is able TO reach the class
- discussion. where It is desperately needed.
800 the tdea OF charity is go Iktle associated with
-. instruct NyrrfnE Association OF Concord that
- ~ its problems has been to exclude those who
&C. elIly able 70 pay for a regular This has
80, accomplished by keeping the staff of nurses so
Iii that they cannot answer all calls and taking
stons n order OF financial necessity. Thus well to
- os.1ons get crowded out, and are obliged TO
.-,r,ov regular nurses.
OF VALUE IN CHRONIC CASES.
The work Of tho nurses has been found TO be OF
s-estest value II chronic and obstetric cases.
remarkable chronic case treated" says '-Chari-
res was that OF industrious. self-respectng
,,achs-tc afflicted with cancer of the throat and
.,q,s The family consisted OF the man. wife and
,r9 children while another baby was soon expected.
co. e'-ae tsrre unable 70 work and IN terrible
,,-6it.on. his suffering both OF mind and body
re,,g rttttI to see. The fact that he unable to
,,-rort his family f7etted him than his ply
ss,al suse-!~gs. The nurse visited him twice daily
@- rou-rs 10 treat his throat and tongue and take
~, ,--ishlng broths from the diet kitchen Mean
,yra he baby came. and his wife also nursed
through her illness. No one ever expected the man
oor5 recover and Il even seemed at times that 1t
y,,1d be g mercy Il he could be taken away instead
z,.,%
rn-t os every one he began after awhile to improve
s,s frary. after seven months the daily visits
were discontinued he resumed his work. and IS now
o7oe more supporting his family. II is nearly a
vea- since the last visit made, It would
&C - --a Improvement could be considered perma-
rer- This IS & case which before the days OF the
visiting nurse must inevitably have resulted
fatally accompanied by suffering which one cannot
bear even 10 .EcaEtne
one Of the most important branches OF the work
is TIE Instructions given 10 the family, and in
chronic cases this instruction Is OF great value
To the pa-alytic, the cancerous rheumatic pa
re-t the er1fere- from tuberculosis or some pain
nj uterine disease, the visit Of the district nurse
thus becomes the greatest help and blessing. Often
sou-e member OF tbs family Is instructed that
Ire nurses visits be gradually decreased until
sometimes IS able leave the entirely IN the
hands o. the family. In cases OF tuberculosis the
preventive measures is OF the greatest value, not
only 70 the patient, but the nelghoOThood
CHEERFULLY SUPPORTED.
The association is supported voluntarily and
cheerfuIIy BY public subscription, and has never
had 70 resort 70 the usual devices for raising
money. Every one who contributes even 10 cents
becomes q voting member, and. therefore, the
whole town feels interest in the work and more
Or less responsibility for its support
The association has q regular staff OF three
uu7ses-a head nurse and two pupil assistants from
the State Hospital Training School. There IS also
Irregular volunteer STAFF OF nurses, who give
their services when not otherwise engaged, The
cost q maintaining the work last year q 575 81.
The population Of Concord is about 1000, It is q
quiet conservative, prosperous country town, IN
which there seemed before the organization OF The
District Nursing Association TO be no crying need
Tor such work. There were unusual conditions
Of dktri5uton, Illness unsenitary housing, and
only comparatively little poverty. But the asso.
c-atOn. which was started through the instrument
talty oe the physicians Of the town, found wide
field for work and Il any one were 10 attempt now
70 ce5,-tve the people Of Concord Of its services
theTe would be such an outcry as could not be
Uifed-