The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-06-16

Care of the Sick, Home Dietetics, and Prepare
ton of Surgical Dressings. 1t will be seen that
the first two courses are designed to make every
student more efficient in her own home as well
to prepare her for possible voluntary service
with the Red Cross. The instructors in the first
two courses are trained nurses or other experts
approved by the national organization. For the
third course, that in the preparation of surgical
dressings lay teachers, approved by the Red
Cross, are supplied. These teachers are usually
graduates of the classes who have proven them
selves proficient.
From the women bearing certificates of pro-
fciency in the first two courses the nurses aids,
who will see real war service, are being selected,
but always from those eager for the service
There is no compusiOn upon anyone who has
taken the courses to volunteer for active hospital
work, nor even any obligation upon them to do
so. Nevertheless, the Red Cross is not en-
barrassed for want of volunteers for such work.
The problem is rather of selection among
those clamOring to enlist.
The surgical dressings course viii have to be
repeated to many thousands of American
if the war proves to be serious for our Army
It is probable that before many months there
will be in almost every city and town of the
United States women with certifcates-of COM
potency to teach classes in the preparation of
bandages. The work is spreading out like an
endless chain of letters From each class a few
are given authority to teach others, and the ex-
pert knowledge spreads quickly.
Just now the service of the Red Cross in war
is engaging the publics attention. but it should
not be forgotten that if the Red Cross never
went to war It would still justify its existence
and its official status by the good works which it
renders in time of peace. 1t has an emergency
service ever ready to speed like FIRE depart
ment to the scene of disaster. This work is car
ried on entirely by the professional paid enlist
ment of the Red Cross.
The organization carries on a wide frst-aid
campaign, instructing men in mines, shops,
quarries, and on the railroads, how to save their
own and their fellow-cmployees lives It main
tains volunteer lifesaving corps of swimmers
along the rivers and coasts to save lives from
drowning.
Last but not by any means least it has in
augurated the promising work of rural visiting
nursing In this it is extending to the poor and
ignorant in the country districts the care which
people in the cOngestcd quarters of our cities re-
ceive from the visiting nurse associations. The
health statistics show that the rural districts
need such a service more than do the cities At
present this service is still in its infancy but it
seems safe to predict that the day win come
when it will be of the most effective social
service movements ever undertaken in the
United States.
The Red Cross came into existence through
the desire of nations to soften the hardships
and suffering of war. 1t was an act of mercy,
of humanity. But now, thanks to the develop
ment of modern surgery and nursing, while re-
tanning all its merciful qualities the Red Cross
has become important factor in the defense
of nation, in the nations ability to endure
In our own Civil War when a man was
wounded that usually ended his service with the
army. 1t was just effective for the enemy to
wound man as to kill him. But the Red Cross
and the sanitary forces of modern armies have
ended that condition. Germany has been re-
turning as many 80 per cent of her wounded
to the trenches, and the Allies have been doing
nearly as well In large part the expert surgical
and nursing care of the wounded explains the
ability of modern armies to keep I'D their
strength of numbers in spite of the heavy
casualties.
American nursing has no equal anywhere
else on earth, and American surgery is not sur
passed. Thus the American Red Cross becomes
doubly important from the strategic point of
view, from the selfish point of view of winning
the war. If our troops engage the enemy in
Europe to any large extent, it would not be sur
prlsing to learn that a higher percentage of
wounded Americans are restored to fighting con-
dltlon than was ever known before in war,
thanks to the Red Cross at the front supported