The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-05-11
VISITING NURSE. C0MBATANT OF
 WHITE PLAGUE One Person Dies Each Minute in This Country of Dread Malady ANOTHER NURSE NEEDED Mrs. Knapp Declares That More Funds are Imperatively
 Needed.


 chamber of the City Hall, the directors being addressed by Dr. N. B. Wordin who has made a thorough study of the subject of tuberculosis; by Dr. D. c. Patterson, who makes all the tests at the local dispensary; by Miss Frances Ladd, the visiting nurse; and by Miss Schott of New York, who is connected with the Henry Street set clement in that city.
 It was quite apparent that the as- sociation is in need of greater re- sources to carry on the work, and do it right, in the city. The association represents an earnest effort on the part of the women of the city to in- struct the public on methods of pre- vention and cure of the disease. To properly do this work a nurse is main- tained at the dispensary in the Police and Charities building, but that one nurse is not sufficient to tend to the entire needs of the work. It is the intention of the association to add nurse within a short time, but at the present time, the necessary funds are not available. It is hoped that sub scriptionS will be made generously by business men, manufacturers, and all others who can afford to contribute.
 It was brought out that in the past year there died in Bridgeport 154 of
 
 mark from the president of the asso- ciation, Mrs. Herbert M. Knapp, that had such a number of deaths been caused within the year. by scarlet fev CT, the city fathers could not come to aid quickly enough. but as it is just tuberculosis, nothing is done.''
 Mrs Knapp received the stamp of approval when at the close of the meeting she said, "We must have more district nursing; we must have another nurse to look after the general welfare, one who will go to the peo- pie and explain to them the sanitary mode of living. It is entirely city affair, a civic duty; it must be done. We have heard of suffragettes, but it is the woman's place in this sphere not to vote, but to look to the general cleaning and the moral uplift of their city"
 During the course of his remarks tuberculosis runs riot throughout the world. Especially is this so in this city, where ITO deaths occurred from the disease last year, in the state l. 800. It is a subject which We may we'll concern. The deaths throughout the world through the ravages of this disease in one year are over enc mill lion, or 5000 every day, or q every minute. In the United States 100000 die yearly, 1,700 daily, and one every minute. The record according to the United States census of 1900 showed that S9.305 died during that year, one third of all the deaths between the ages of 15 and 60 years are result of tuberculosis. 10, ,00O,0 ,00O of 75,000, 900 will die of it. We are loath to spend money for the prevention of the dis ease because we do not know the econ omic value of health. There died in New York city in 1902 18,883. The dis iC fny Q in it may last three weeks, it can last for 40 years. The average duration is two years. No race is free from it's ravages. Its inroads are greater among the Indians and Negroes than the white man, more among the Irish and Teuton than the Latin or Greek. It is especially prevalent among the young Irish immigrants who come tosI this country.
 "It's hold upon the sufferer is lik- ened unto a room with movable walls, which will soon crush it's victim. Post persons have been subject to the dis ease, but have been cured. This and other things have shown that the dis ease is curable. But it is not cur able through patent medicines and quacks, but by fresh air, sunshine, and by abundant and good food. The n1Sgdes mSnieatiVe Vas If T it is % communieaele it can be prevented. How? By isosating the patient. One of the principal ob- jects is to teach the nature Of its treatment, and how it may be prevent ed. The cause of the disease is a lit tie germ, the smallest known thing. It is possible to place 150 on the head of pin These germs in innumerable quantities are found in the sputEm of patients. Tuberculosis Is disease of the home, of the tenements, l of the poor. It is in the power or man to banish the disease forever"
 Dr. Patterson said in part. The Wis iting Nurse association are deserving of a great deal of credit for the way they have taken up this work. They 1 deserve the support, both moral and financial of every one in the city Pa- tients come to us at the d1spensary, l their sputum is examined Tor tlper- cular germs The patient is then en- rolled in one of the classes attending at least once a week. Records are kept of their weights. The most lm- portant work is carried on outside, by the visiting nurse. The conditions of the city are such that something must be done. It is really alarming to note some of the conditions Under l which people live. Physicians report | cases of need to the dispensary, the 1 visiting nurse looking them up. She does what she can for the patient, or patients, often leaving food and cloth ing. They are taught how to prevent | the furtherance of the disease and to l keep it away from the rest Of the | family. There is a big field for. this work, it being impossible for one hurse to do the work and accomplish 1t rightly
 Miss Frances Ladd, the nurse at the l dispensary, stated that she had made l BOO calls during the past two months. She had 20 classes in instruction. She had looked up eight new patients and | two old ones, the latter being lost 1 through moving. Has been supplying l six families with pure milk and has 1 distributed 125 dozen of eggs. Three 1 natients have died within the past 1 week. and six within the past two l months. All of these needed bedside | attention.
 Miss Schott who is connected with | the Henry Street settlement in New | York spoke on the start of that organi- 1 zation in the metropolis. The district | nursing in that city is under half a | dozen heads and uses over 50 visiting | nurses. Their work extends over the 1 full area of New York, from the Bat tery. through the Bronx, to Yonkers. They have also colored branch for the special treatment of colored pa- tients. The nurses are very enthusi- astic in their work, knowing the good that is accomplished. The best re- suits are obtainable by having friend lv. relations established between the nurses and their patients. The nurses are maintained partially through vol untary contributions, though the pa tients pay part of the salary of the vii foI nd