The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-01-09
lars month during the winter

lars month during the winter
months.
Our members were to consist of
girls who believed in our purpose
and were willing to work. but when
Mrs. Board proposed the name OF her
little granddaughter we decided to
add a junior roll. This consists OF
babies whose names are given US by
some one interested In our work. We
now have nine names on the junior
roll.
We decided that good way to
mothers meetings. We also agreed
to finance baby week.
The most important thing we have
done was the employment of a spec
ial nurse during the summer. The
idea was suggested by the prevalence
of infantile paralysis near Keokuk,
and by some OF the unsanitary con-
ditions existing here. Miss Sollars
began the work but was unable to
continue. Miss Henke was engaged
for six weeks. She made thorough
investigation Of the entire town and
as a result committee from the ".
N. A. conferred with the city officials
and the worst places in town were
cleared up by the city and q report
made.
Another thing Of permanent value
is the tabulated report made by Miss
Henke of all the children living In
the poorer parts Of town and contag-
ious diseases they have had. We as
sisted in the Christmas work and In
the sale OF Red Cross stamps. We
have decided to supply milk tickets
during the winter to undernourished
children, and will assist in canvass
ing the town for sale OF tickets for
Ramona.
AS the Baby Welfare league is not
year old, we feel justified in being
proud of what we have accomplished
IN the length of time we have been
organized and have plans for bigger
and better year next year.
MADELEINE McGRATH.
Annual Report 81 District and Met
ropoIitan Nursing Service.
December 81, 1916. closes the fourth
year OF the v. N. A. in Keokuk. Dur
ing the past year there have been
two nurses working regularly except
during the three summer months,
when one carried the work alone, as
each nurse took vacation Of six
weeks.
It has been a busy year. We
have had 1871 patients in the district
and sixty-nine in the metropolitan
nursing service. On. these 256 Pa
tients, 2,1O6 nursing calls alone were
made, 1884 in the district and ~
on the Metropolitan patients. We
have also made 662 instructive and
24S friendly calls. We have had
cases for the factories
and wholesale houses which con-
tribute to the work. think 1t is
quite generally understood that over
twenty Of our factories and whole
sale houses contribute regularly to
the association, thus furnishing the
nursing service for their employees
and families. The Metropolitan Life
Insurance Co. pays fifty cents call
for nursing service for their indus
trial policy holders. and many OF our
patients pay individually. These
three paying sources help to make 1t
possible for us to take care OF our
less fortunate patients. This year
we have had forty who paid indfvid-
ually and while we are always grad
to go wherever we are needed, the
pay cases are great help.
During the yearwe have had forty
two maternity cases; thirty-five cases
of diseases of the respiratory system
twenty-three cases of gastro-intestlnai
trouble Gncluding four cases OF
typhoid; nineteen cases to whom we
gave post-operatiye. care after they
were dismissed from hospitals; four
cases of tuberculosis, and many 9TH
ers too numerous to give space to IN
this report.
or the tubercular cases, two were
fatal and both were so far advanced
when reported to us that all weNcould
do was to try to make them a little
less uncomfortable and impress upon
the patients and those around them
the precautions necessary to prevent
the spread of the disease. OF the
other two cases, one seems to be
almost stationary and the other,
small child, seems to be improving.
Only seven Of our welfare babies
were unfortunate enough to be so
seriously sick that they had to be
carried as ". N. A. cases. We saw
very little summer complaint among
the babies and with one or two ex-
ceptions the cases were not severe
and were easily checked. Every year,
we find, shows a greater appreciation
of the fact that three very ordinary
things. cleanliness, care in feeding.
and abundant fresh air are most pot
ent factors in clearing up the babies
troubles. but more especially in pre-
venting them. This is equally true
of the adults and more and more ev-
cry year we hear the emphasis put
upon prevention and education as the
keynote Of public health work.
In April of this year, both OF the
nurses attended the annual conven-
ton of the Iowa state association or
registered nurses, which was held at
Burlington, and from the sessions
of the public health section we de-
rived a great deal Of inspiration and
help. In October we went to st.