Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-01
She MINISTER'S TO SUFFERERS
Visiting Nurse Tells Story of the
Rounds Of a Day.
FIGHTING WANT AND NEGLECT
Missions OF Mercy Carry Her Into
scenes of Distress In Many Guar
ters-Issue the Annual
Report.

The story Of a typical day with visit
ing nurse Is told by Miss Louise McPher-
son. president Of the Visiting Nurse assoc
istion, In the fourteenth annual report
just issued
The story begins with the nurses first
call at s o'clock TO a mother and her baby,
and tells Of her ministration there Next
there is a typhoid case to be ministered to.
There is then a visit in response to a call
from the truant officer.
Two little boys. brothers have been alb
sent. anS on investigation the association
has been asked to take them In charge,
there being no medical inspection OF
schools here, more's the shame to us" the
report recltes. The nurse finds them at
home and after questioning the mother and
boys themselves. she suspects adenoids in
one case and defective sight in the other.
and makes arrangements to take them to
be examined the following Gay.
Now it is nearly noon, and as It chances
to be one Of the dispensary days at the
Social Settlement. the nurse goes down to
see what the hour will bring forth.
''One woman. with 4 badly burned hand.
is there to have It dressed; another has
been coming In for weeks to have the
broken veins in her leg bandaged and soon
will need no further care; a baby is
brought, whose eyes are in a dreadful con-
diton, and under the doctors direction,
the nurse cleanses them and instructs the
mother how TO guard against the other
children being infected. One man comes
whose crushed hand is almost healed, and
after giving him his final dressing, the
dispensary is closed.
The duties of the nurse in this neigh
borhood, however. are not over because
It happens to be Thursday. and in the
evening the nurse win return for her class
OF eight or ten mothers who come to learn.
by denomination. the simple helps in ear
ing Tor the siok-how to give baths TO fever
patients what TO do in cases of sudden
iaihtness' or OF bad burns or cuts. and so
on-s very useful part OF the days work.
ne afternoon is the one set aside for
visiting chronic patients. One old woman
with broken hip. which will not heal is
alone all day while her son works: but she
has managed to have her clean clothes ana
her Kettle of hot water ready. and the
nurse gives her the bath she SO much
loves and combs her white hair in two
long braids-such lovely wavy hair on a
frail, wasted little body.
The next visit is made to a mother who
Is dying OF tuberculosis, Here the quick in.
telhsence OF the family is shown bv the
way the nurses former instructions have
oeen folowed-lpts of fresh air as much
sunshine as possible, everything clean. and
the patient herself taking every precautlor
not to pass the dreadful plague along I,
those about her. Yet the family is really II
need and the nurse leaves behind her
eggs and milk honey for several DAYS.
The afternoon is nearly over now. bu
an emergency call has come in from on
OF the iron foundries where a man ha
been badly hurt. The nurse hurries to tn
nome address given, finds the doctor a,
ready there and assists him at the nee
essary but unexpected amputation of
finger, and the dressing of minor iniurie,
she finds also, a sick child in the house
"hom the doctor pronounces to have sew
eral typhoid symptoms; so the usual pre-
cautions are followed-the child Is given
bath and put to bed supperless TO see whs
the morning will bring forth
; The sun is sinking as the nurse climb
: on crowded car for home She has I
stand, and her bag weighs a great deal !
the end of the day. and her feet seem So,
erai sizes too small and her sympathy
exhausted; but her rest must be All n
: more peaceful for the weary burdens a.
! mas been able to tighten