The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-19
THE CIVIC LEAGUE NURSE.
Years and Statement Of Present
Needs.

/ Ileu lor d year. SUBSCRIPTIONS from
public spirited citizens made pos
sible a salary Of sixty dollars per
month for the excellent nurse fund
to inaugurate the work BY the end
OF the year there was no question as
to whether the work should continue;
1t was established and no one enter
tained an idea of disseminating it.
Those in charge had much to learn
and as the work spreads they have
still to learn. They admit their in
experience and that some Of the criti-
cism levied against them may have
been just They have made mistakes,
but they have always been willing to
learn and have always done their best
to rectify them. They now and at
all times invite questions concerning
the work and advice.
The move for a visiting nurse met
with great deal of opposition at
hrst but surely that has passed since
good results have been seen from the
work. The benefits from district
nursing are being recognized more
and more; begun and practised for
years only in the slums Of cities. the
small town is now taking up the
work and daily one might read of an
other district nurse added to the list
Apart from the philanthropic idea of
| bringing comfort and order and help
| into the sick room of the needy,
| there Is the material side Of the uues-
ton; the healthy citizen versus the
weak; the baby given the right start
In life and helped to fight the battle
of those first few summers; more
sanitary treatment in the sick room,
less danger from the spread Of dis
ease. The great danger so often an
outcome in charitable work was fear
ed in this, that the recipients would
take advantage Of free nursing and
make unnecessary demands upon the
nurses time. There is a good oppor-
tunity this year Of judging that phase;
the same excellent nurse who began
the work has taken it up again after
lapse Of about four years and she
says she does not find that the pa
tients try to impose on her any more
than when they were unaccustomed
20 this help.
Now and at all times since the be-
ginning of this work there has been
long struggle to meet the expenses
connected with it. The subscriptions
pledged at the annual mass meetings
have never held out for the year.
Many of the subscriptions have never
been paid and many paid only in part
Some of this has been due to a con-
slant change in collectors, not an
arbitrary arrangement on the part OF
those in charge as many subscribers
seem to suppose, but due to the diff
ficulty in collecting small monthly
payments and often having to make
many trips to collect one quarter of
a dollar. The attitude of the subscrib-
er to the collector has often caused
the resignation of a good collector.
This all must come from a misunder-
standing on the part of the public of
Sumter, who no doubt endorse this
work and wish it to continue and
realizing the needs of the work will
= oar FOR tic
INinety-five C$95.OO) dollars seems
to he the least this work can run on
per month; $500 salary for nurse:
$500 rent (there must be some place
for the nurse to keep her supplies and
to have as headquarters), $1,000 in
cidcntals, including necessary equip
ment of supplies, cost Of keeping up
bicycle, certain medicines, and eX-
elusive of necessities and punishment
for i'll patients. Expenses for the
past month have been, Nurse $500,
rent, $500; sundries soc; drug store
bill S9.65, and per cent commission
to collector. To meet these expenses
Tor this year We have subscribed only
$l95.65 yearly, an average Of $16.30
month plus $1S.25 monthly sub
scriptions, giving a monthly income
of $34.55 minus the $1.73 for col
lecting. In addition to that there is
$1,000 per month paid out for the
League funds ana $1,000 per month
allowed by the county from it's fund
for the suppression Of tuberculosis in
| recognition of the splendid work of
the city nurse in keeping down this
disease. \ total of $52.S0--a deficit
of $42.1S.
1t is often asked how is this n Civic
League Nurse, the people Of the town
pay for her? The League did not
set out with the intention of doing