The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-12-31
Amestic Science Club
Qp0ses RusseLI's View

being done, then ] would recommend
/ that the mayor and city council pass
an ordinance creating the position OF
deputy city health officer. and that
the said deputy shall be q man we'll
informed in hygiene and sanitary sci
CEce, and shall give his entire time
TO public health work. or course, he
must be under the direction Of the
city board Of health and the city
health officer If a man, thoroughly
trained in pubic health WORK were ap-
pointed as suggested above, then
health affairs in Richmond would COM
mence to move. AS said, this would
have to be done by regular ordinance
which could be drawn up by the city
attorney
THE state board of health will ask
the next legislature, as it asked the
last one, 10 pass a law creating all
time health officers throughout the
state The trouble with the present
syst1m is, doctor must be appointed
wig must earn his living by the prac-
tice Of medicine, and who will attend
incidentally to public health work. No
man can serve two masters, and it is
plain that the present health officers
must look after their own affairs first,
and if there is any time or energy
left, the same can be given to the
county or city as the case may be
The system must be changed, and
respectfully solicit your aid to secure
a change. | think it would be best
for cities not to have a city board of
health, but to have city health of
ficer, he to be appointed from an elig-
ibIe list furnished by the state board
of health to the mayor, he to receive a
living salary and to be properly sup
ported by laws and ordinances. Such
a man could give his entire time to
the work and would produce results.
Unde~ the present system fully one
half the money invested in public
health work is lost. The system is to
blame and not the officers.
Hoping | have been of service to
you, | am Very truly yours,
y. n. Hurry, Secretary"
Describes Equipment.
We have a letter from Miss Flor
ence Boldly, assistant superintendent
of the Visiting Nurses Association of
Cincinnati. She advises us, if possible. !
to employ a permanent worker, but
suggests if we can not do SO, she
might send US one of their nurses for
a short time. She says they sent a
nurse to Middletown, O., to start the !
work there, following the flood, and it
has since been carried on very sue
cessfully by another worker. They |
would ask SIS month and her eX- !
penses. In regard to supplies she |
says they supply their nurses with a
satchel, coat and hat A few drugs I!
are kept in the supply closet, such as
Nho1 hNI
These are paid for by the associa- !
ton, as are the dressing and band |
ages. She says: I'm our supply closets !
are sheets, pillow cases and all ar
ticles used in the sick room, these |
having been donated by various clubs. |
The cost of supply closet is about |
$50, but most of them have been do |
mated. We find them great help |
for so many families having sufficient |
bed linen, etc, in health, have none |
extra for sickness, and at that time |
fnd it impossible to buy them. These |
articles of linen, etc, are loaned only, |
and later Numbered and returned"
Mrs. Roach of your committee Wis
tied Dayton and had an interview
with Miss Florence Evans of the !
Young Women's League, formerly |
with the Flower and Fruit Mission. |
She said the work of the visiting /
nurse was started by request Of the
Associated Charities, and with prac-
tically no money on hands, and has /
grown to the extent of ten nurses,
dollar memberships and char
ity balls, supplies being donated by
guilds, sewing societies, etc Factory
service is another means Of securing
For example, those factories
taking a membership at $2s per year,
would be limited. say to zoo calls, and
the nurse could take care Of the wife
or children of the men employed, when
the father would otherwise be COM
PEELED to stay home and help in sick
ness.
Fights Political conttol
Mrs. Roach also talked With Miss
Elizabeth Fox. superintendent of the
Flower and Fruit Mission, Who is a
graduate of the Chicago Training
School, the Chicago Visiting Nurses
Association. and Johns Hopkins uni
versity. Baltimore. She said that to
organize the work. the first important
step is to secure a trained Visiting
nurse, or social service nurse. Those
who have started with a practical
nurse have had to begin again. The
nurse should be between the ages of
25 and 35. The supplies should not
exceed S25, not including lag or
case in which to carry the needful ar
ticles. They would consist Of syr-
Inges, scrubbing brush, soap box,
soap, disinfectants, ointments hot
water bags, rubber rings. sheets, pill
low cases, towels. wash cloths, in
FAINT clothing, children's gowns, mems
night shirts. women's gowns and
, 10 nh no Dhos / !