The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-04-05
MISS c. EHlERT EXPLAINS
DUTY OF VISITING NURSE
Houghton County NEEDLES Meet
Jointly With Anti Tubercu-
losis Society.
INTERESTING PAPER is GIVEN

The joint meeting OF tn member
OF The Houghton County Medical so
eicty and the Anti-TuberculOsis societ.
At the Y. NJ. c. A. building last eve
ming proved an interesting one. Tu-
berculosis was the subject under dis
cussion by the NEEDLES and many in
teresting features were touched upon
After the discussion which was led 10y
Ors. H. NJ. JOY and NJ. NJ. Kerr, lunch
| ecn was served. one of the interesting
features of the meeting was the pepper
by Miss Caroline Ehlert, visiting nurse
of the Houghton County Anti-Tuber-
culosis society, explaining the rela-
ton between the visiting nurse ana
the physician, Miss Ehlcrt speaking
as follows:
The visiting tuberculosis nurse IL
the doctors messenger and executor.
She not only carries the doctors in
formation and instruction to the pa
dent in his home, but i'm many in
stances executes il. by this, | mean
that she opens the windows, places
The bed or cot in the most suitable
room, gives the patient his bath OF
shows him how to take 1t, and gives
instructions as TO the care OF sputum,
ventilation, dress, exercise and food
In many cases she acts as the So
cial factor cheering the patient up
making him think his present not SC
dark and his future much brighter. 1t
always takes a great deal of tact and
a large amount Of patience to do this
successfully. And it is not always ac-
complishod In the first visit and many
ines not in ten visits. 1t has i'm some
asses taken as long as a year with
onstant repetition of visits TO win
re confidence ana love of the patient
and family. But this is much moro
'asily accomplished Gas strange as ii
may seem) among our poor foreign |
people than among our American or
irish element. But even among our
foreigners it is not an easy task to go |
into a home which is poor and dest- !
tute of life's bare necessities where |
perhaps the e-carner father and |
husband has been stricken down with |
this dreaded disease, tuberculosis, and |
give instructions.
We are often discouraged and UNI
Sometimes ii seems as if |
we could accomplish nothing beyond |
keeping up friendly relations with the !
'amily and being on hand to nip i'm the
)ud any new case of tuberculosis that (
nay develop there. The problem of
ntempcrance and domestic troubles
frequently complexities the situation
still further Sometimes, however,
'omcthing that we have regarded as
lat failures suddenly turns to sue
'css. Perhaps we have tried for
months to get a family TO move out Of
heir dark, damp, poorly ventilated
'ooms with no success. We persist IN
'ur attentions, however, and one d1S
he nurse discovers they have moved,
ma following them to their new ad
lrcss finds them in sunny, airy rooms
nd taking pride i'm the acquisition.
This makes up for many failure and
ives US renewed courage TO pcrseverc
lnder other unsatisfactory conditions.
When a physician orders milk and
Eggs and fresh air, especially i'm the
winter they are both spelt with
MONEY and, in many instances
With a capital NJ. Milk i'm Houghton
county is ten cents a quart ana eggs
ire from forty-five to fifty cents per
lozcn. Why does fresh air cost mon
"? Because ii means more bed /
'lothes and flannel underwear, both Of
which cost money.
Now If the wage Garner is the one
who is ILL., and there are from one to
I've children i'm the family ranging |
rom one to ten years of age, it H.
hardly probable and certainly mo-
practical that the mother, no matter
low well ana strong she Is, should go |
'ut to work. Her place is at home |
airing for her family. therefore. the
county, or, If i'm their district, the AS |
'ociated charities should be called In |
% supply the family with life's neccs-
stiles. This should be kept up unti' |
he babies are either old enough to be |
n school all day or left with the old
n children. The mother could ther
start out to work and help care for her
amily relieving the county or assoc
'iation charities of half If not all re-
II the patient has been i'll for some
inc and more especially IL he is
coughing and expectorating, the whole |
amily should be examined. For II t. |
n this way that we will be able to get |
he cases while i'm the incipicnt stage
'r To prevent those i'm q pre- disposed |
condition from being infected. II the |
'ationt Is in an advanced stage and |
he family unable to care for him at
nome, every effort should be made to