Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-09
SPEAKERS LAUD WORK
OF NURSES IN DISTRICT
Growth of Instructive Visiting
Society Noted at Its An
nual Meeting.

The annual meeting of the Instructive
Visiting Nurse Society of this city was
held yesterday afternoon at the residence
Of the president, Miss Emily Tuckerman,
1872 II street. In addition to the regular
reports addresses were made by DR.. VIII
liam Henry WEIGH of Johns Hopkins Uni
versity. Baltimore: Health Officer Will
liam G. Woodward of the District of Co.
lumbia- and Gen. George r. Sternberg,
late surgeon general of the army. and
president of the District of Columbia AS
sociation for the Prevention Of Tubercu-
losis. The influence of the district nurses
OF the society was illustrated by the SUI
perintendent, Miss Isabel Strong, who
related some incidents.
Mrs. Arnold Hague presided. and, after
welcoming the members and visitors,
briefly outlined the objects of the society
and referred to it's growth in twelve
years from one nurse to sixteen and
superintendent, all of whom are busy.
The nurses, in their blue garb, were pres
ent at the meeting.
Report of Secretary.
Mrs. A. P. Gardner, who gave the
retary's report said the diet kitchen
and the Nathan Straus laboratory had
made it possible TO supply the mothers
with pure milk and the nurses had taught
them how to prepare and use it. Among
the poorer classes many babies are born
with ophthaImia and other diseases OF
the eyes, and it is due to the nurses
watchful care that in large proportion
of the cases the sight Is now saved.
The secretary in concluding her report
expressed the gratitude OF the society to
the sources contributing to it, expressing
special Indebtedness to All Souls Uni
tartan Church, which supports nurse,
the Church Of the Covenant for its con-
tribution to nurses salary, an anony-
nous friend who supplies ice through the
summer and the following societies: The
First Needlework Guild, the Christ Child
Society, the Fruit and FoWer Guild, the
Friday Morning Sewing Circle the st.
Vincent de Paul Society and Catholic Aid,
the United Hebrew Charities, the Army
Canton Flannel Club, the Associated
Charities, and the Board of Charities.
Receipts Were $14,9s3.2s.
The report of the treasurer, presented
by Mrs. HI. s. B. Beale. was to the effect
that the receipts of the society for the
last year had been $149 % and that
nearly all of this had been expended, the
Incorporated balance being S162.11
DR.. William Henry WEIGH, who spoke
from his observation of the district nurs-
ing system in Baltimore, said there were
three fields OF activity for the District
nurse. More important than the mere
treatment Of individual cases, he said,
was the function of preventing the spread
Of diseases by instruction in the homes
and finally IN the field of social reform.
The nurse was probably the most effec
tive agent for the prevention of diseas sc
in the homes, said DR.. WEIGH, and as she
is brought right UP against fundamental
defects in society in this work it leads on
to the broader work of curing certain So
cial conditions
He urged that Congress supply the
means for taking over such work from
once demonstrated it's value and useful
ness to the community, as Washington
In this matter of nurses I'm the public
schools and for the public good should
serve as model to the rest of the
country.
Praise From DR.. Woodward.
DR.. Woodward commended the District
nursing system, because it showed the
people directly what should be done.
DIR. Sternberg praised the service rem
dered by the District nurses in aid Of
the work carried on by the Association
for the Prevention Of tuberculosis. He
agreed with the other speakers that it
was more difficult to get legislation Of
the kind desired in this city than In any
other in the country.
Miss Strong superintendent of nurses.
said 400 new homes had been entered
by the nurses OF the society last year.