New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-18
MAY REPLACE NURSES
Medical Societies Demand That
Inspectors Be Restored to Jobs.
EXPERIMENT A YEAR OLD
Lederle Will Ascertain Which
Glass of Employees Gives the
Better Service to City.

Although II was only about wear ago
that the Department Of Health, in view OF
recommendations by the Bureau OF Munich
pal Research and with the approval OF the
Board Of Estimate. substituted a number
of nurses for medical inspectors, protests
from the medical profession have caused
Commissioner Lederle TO take UP an inyes-
tigation Of the plan. The Health Commits
sioner said yesterday that he had ecslvcd
protests from certain medical societies
pointing out that the field of practice was
being invaded by the department
ITO get at the truth OF the matter said
the Health Commissioner. "the department
will confer with representatives Of the mod
teal societies. II after thorough investiga-
ton it is shown that the medical inspectors
accomplished more than the nurses, the
facts will be embodied in a recommends
ton TO the Board OF Estimate
Wehn the department dismissed last
year thirty or more medical inspectors re-
ceiving a salary Of 100, and substituted
larger number Of nurses at "A salary OF 800.
there were many protests from the rank
and file OF the profession. Since then the
County Medical Society and the Eastern
Medical Society have appointed committees
10 investigate. The discharged medical IN
spectors We're giving four or five hours
day to such work as they were called on
by the department to do. They attended to
their own private practice during the re-
mainder OF the time.
The Bureau Of Municipal Research advo-
Gated the change on the ground that the
greatest amount Of good 10 the largest
OF no oppOpnnii shed
through the nurses, who would give seven
hours a day to such work and on an aver
age would be able to make about twelve
calls
When the matter came up before the
Board Of Estimate the Health Commission
or said he was willing TO try II. The bu-
reau said an experiment in four schools
had proved that the nurses were able 10
perform this work
Henry Bruere. OF the Bureau OF Municipal
Research said yesterday that the report
Of the Health Commissioner would lie
awaited with interest because the bureau
as yet had not undertaken an investigation.
Mr. Bruere said that II the nurses were
able to do more for the health OF the
community by devoting all their time TO
the work assigned them 1t was not up 10
the city to take care OF the private practice
OF physicians.
Mr. Bruere pointed out that II was not
intended that the nurses should attempt 10
usurp the places Of diagnosticians OF the
department but that after diagnoses were
made the nurses who could devote more
OF their time to seeing that sanitary precau-
tions and quarantine regulations were car
ried out, We're preferable 10 medical insp"c-
tors. and the city would also save money
by such an arrangement
As the Department Of Health budget csu-
mate must soon he submitted, there VIII he
an early report on the work Of the nur7 q
and inspectors
While large number Of the more radical
members OF the medical societies are severe
in their criticisms Of what they call a
plan that is taking the bread out OF the
physicians mouths there are many others
who do not feel so
In its report on the work that could De
accomplished by the nurses the Bureau OF
Municipal Research pointed out last year
that cases picked out boy teachers I'm the
schools as having suspicious symptoms
could. as a rule, be decided by the nurses
as well as by the medical inspector. The
competence Of the nurse to exclude children
found with infectious skin and eye diseases
formerly excluded by inspectors. was de-
monstrated il was maintained.