Evening journal., 1913-04-25
NURSE ASKS
CITY FOR S23S
Quarantined With Destitute
Scarlet Fever Family, She
Says, and Asks for Pay
BILL GOES TO THE
BOARD OF HEALTH

Mrs. /. b. Hockert a trained nurse
Of Philadelphia, in a communication
TO City Council last night, asked that
body to pay her S2SS, at the rate OF
81 a day, for nursing a destitute fam
uy, the members Of which were
stricken with scarlet fever. aud two
Of whom died Mrs Hockert claims
that she was called in by the Board
Of Health 10 nurse the family. and
vas quaranuned for more than
month The family WAS destitute, she
writes, and she was OF the opinion
at the time that the city would pay
her for her services. When she ap-
piled to the Board Of Health she
learned otherwise She now appeals
/ 10 Council. but that body. after hear
ing the letter read. directed that IL bo
referred the Board of Health.
The letter follows.
Mrs. Hockert's letter gives a de-
tailed account OF the entire case and
is as follows: 1On March II. 1913.
7 was summoned by telephone from
the Board Of Health having register
ed my name there as a nurse for
AolltdNlOur Uloturto W Nurse a fbct
Of scarlet fever at - ! received
the call too late in the day TO report
al fhe Office and as tho case was ur-
gent | WENT direct TO the house that
night where / was qnarantined until
April "A. thirty-four days
SATURDAY, April 10, ] called at the
oahce of The Board Of Health and the
secretary informed me that there was
! no fund for such cases. therefore
submit TO your honorable body my
claim for services rendered on this
case. The family consisted OF a
mother widow without any means
OF support, boy of is, boy of "A. a
girl Of ~, third hoy offs, and a. girl
baby 20 months old,
when arrived on March II the
mother and two youngest children
were in bed with scarlet fever. The
older OF these children died that same
night. The next day another OF the
boys developed the disease and on
the succeeding day the remaining boy
Waa stricken. The baby died on
March 2S, During my stay ] nursed
and took care of these sick persons
and the little girl who was kept in a
separate part of the house. No one
was permitted to come in except the
doctor, and consequently was
compelled 10 work day and night at
tending to the wants of these patients
"Whnn terminated my stay on
This case the remaining three
patients had recovered from the dis
ease The doctor In attendance was
Dr. Joseph Pyle, Eighth and West
streets, who can testify TO the fore
going My bill for services rendered
for this case which was taken at the
request OF the hoard OF Hdalth is
S23S at the ratio of 81 day for "a
days.
Mrs Hoclert gives her address as
1884 Arch street. Philadelphia
Secretary Ellison OF the Board Of
Health, said last night that Mrs
Ilockert was called by the health de.
partlnent, but the call was made un.
der the plan adopted by the hoard A
registry Of nurses is maintained in
the Office he said of all nurses who
will take contagious diseases tc
nurse, but this bureau is maintained
simply for the convenience Of the
public It is thought Mrs Hockori
was under the impress on that tho
city paid the nurses whe they ar,
called from the health department
whereas there are no funds for such
purpose and the Board of Healtl
simply keeps list of such nurses
for convenience.