The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-25
Public School Nurse to Visit
Homes Is Urged.
Miss NeisWanger Tells of Work
to Prevent Disease.
MORE CAMPS ARE NEEDED
tuberculosis, AdenOidS and En-
Iarged TOnsiIs Found.
Gospel of the Tooth Brush
Preached in Homes.

A Topeka fresh air school for chill
dren afflicted with tuberculosis or
from tubercular families. a day camp
for ambulatory cases of the great
white plague a hospital for the bed
ridden cases, and free medical inspec-
ton of the school children, are some
of the things advocated by the visiting
nurses department of the Provident
association.
At present Miss Laura A. Neiswan-
ger composes the entire force OF the
department, but it is hoped by the
management of the association that
other nurses may be added. Miss
Neiswanger has been made a sanitary
officer by Mayor J. B. Billiard. This
makes it possible for her to enforce
health regulations.
Aside from other work. Miss Neis-
wanger has supervision of thirty-four
families where there are tubercular
cases or have been recently. In every
one CT these families there is infection
but in several cases it is not active at
present. Thirty of the families include
children who are going TO the public
schools. 1t is feared they are carrying
the Infection to others.
She Wants School Nurses.
IF the people could see the eondi-
uons in homes from which these chill
dren come' said Miss NeisWanEer,
they would realize the danger to 9TH
er children and the sovantage of med
ical inspection. There should not only
be a physician employed for this work
but school nurse to follow the pupils
to heir homes.
In most cases the families I visit
are very poor and sanitary conditions
are bad We have put four of the
most advanced cases in tents. In or
der t" secure a separate bed for them
it is necessary to furnish the bed COM
nj Lott Of n r4a-s.
would be sleeping with tuberculosis
patients.
In one family the mother was in
the last stages of tuberculosis. There
were three children 1nder school age,
and three of school age. The Oldest
was fourteen, and she was kept at
horte to serve as houseKeeper. The
mother occupied the same bedroom
with the husband and two of the
younger children. There was a parlor
with a carpet on it. We removed The
carpet, and had the parlor furnished
as bedroom for the mother We
furnished her with milk eggs, and all
the clothing required until her death.
The last few days we furnished her
with special nurse. I visited her
three times a week, giving baths and
the care she needed. The father in
the case drank and didr't care for the
family properly. When we got the
case there was no hope of cure
AdenOids Found Frequently.
I a
able stage We endeavor to send him to
the fresh air camp of the Topeka Anti
Tuberculosis association. We sent ta-o
to the camp recently. The homes are
fumigated.
I'VE find many of the children jr
these homes with adenoids and enlarg-
ed tonsils, and If / can get the paI-
ents to consent have them removed.
The children are sent to the hospitals
and the doctors of our free dispensary
do the operating.
THE number of visits made to the
houses where there is tubercular in
fection is according to how we'll ir-
structionS are followed. In some OF
the homes the Importance of care IS
realized; in other places ii is necessary
to make daily visits.
1--WE try to keep in touch with all
members of families where there has
been tuberculosis. We ask the meru-
bers to have their chests examined
every two months. When the people
are apparently well. it is hard to get
them to do this. We insist that some
of them come to the dispensary in the
Provident association building for ex-
animation and to have a record of
their weight taken. Those having
their own physician are advised 70
have frequent examinations.
aside from adenoids we look aftar
the eyes and teeth. The dispensary
is open Tuesday and Saturday after
moons from 1880 to o'clock. Tho
doctors who give their service free for
this week are; c. Z. Joss NJ. G. Sl1o.
L. V. Sans and w. NJ. Mills.
Preach Tooth Brush Gospel.
"In this way we try to find the
tubercular cases before they have be-
come incurable. The instruction in
the house consists of the ordinary
rules for health and sanitation. we
try to emph a.size the importance of the
tooth brush and the care OF the nails.
and we urge the importance OF breath
ing exercises, particularly for the chill
dren.
There IS grSat need for day camp
especially for ambulatory cases. and
hospital for the incurable or bed rid-
den cases. A fresh air school for chill
dren of tubercular families would be
great thing"
There should be a tuberculos's
nurse for the city. There is plenty CT
work"
Miss Neiswa lger has been connecf-5
with the Provident association for two
years. One year she did tuberculosis
under Or & L CrUU0 hfne