Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-25
VISITING NURSE
TO Be EMPLOYED
HELEN r. ANDREW CLASS STARTS
A WORTHY MOVEMENT FOR
clTY'S HEALTH.
WILL VISIT THE SICK
Her Mission VIII Be to Give Instruc-
tons How to Prevent illness
and to Aid in the Recovery
of the AFFLICTED.

Through the earnestness and en-
thusiasm8 of the Helen R. Andrew
Bible class, an association has been
formed to support visiting inspective
nurse among the sick of Ottumwa. The
association feels that If it were pos
Sible for the public to attend meeting
and listen to a few cases, a nurse can
tell, they would realize more fully the
need of the work and the rich field
here for such. Wherever the work has
been explained and help solicited the
response has been cheerful and ready.
There will be at the disposal of the
nurse supply Of linen and bedding
from the loan closet. On their visit to
Davenport and Burlington the promo
tiers found the doctors and women in
terested, and druggists responded gen
erously in giving things needful and
even the liyerymen provided carriages
for the nurse on her rounds
Work Began In England.
The work began in Liverpool in 1859
In Boston and some other places it Is
called the Instructive District Nursing
association, because of the great stress
laid on the instruction given by the
nurse in the different homes. In most
cities the work is operated or under
taken by individuals, churches, Kings
Daughters, board of supervisors, city
council, and different lodges on nom
sectarian basis, having support Of all
phllantrophic elements of the COM
munity. In fact the public will search
long before 1t will find so large a re-
turn for the money it invests as in
helping to send into the destitute
homes trained nurse to give the
same skilled care that the rich can af-
ford. The visiting nurse entirely meets
the situation. Its main object Is to
provide competent nursing for the sick
poor, gratuitously or at q small COM
pensation, in their homes, and through
| the nurse instruct families to care for
| their own sick in the best possible
way and impress upon them the great
necessity Of cleanliness and teach
them the simple laws Of health, help.
ing them to avoid future illness, suf
| fering and expense.
viii Be Busy.
1 Beginning each morning her daily
round of visits, carrying her necessary
| supplies, the nurse goes from one pa
tient to another, mounting many
flights of stairs and going to the out
skirts Of the city making beds, Civ.
ing baths, preparing nourishment
bandaglng or applying dressing and
leaving notes of temperature and gen
eral conditions for the physician. She
will also see that the medicine and
needed nourishment are all properly
attended to. Doing everything in her
power for the comfort Of her patients
and always leaving cheerful word
behind her. Were it not for the time
ly.jvisit Of this nurse, death would
rob many a home Of a dear one
through ignorance and negligence.
J Many cases could be cited to prove
the necessity and value of this or
ganization. The medical society OF
Wapello county, the Ministerial assoc
iation and many other organizations
have endorsed the efforts to secure a
nurse and any assistance Of any ma
ture will be gratefully received by the
organization.