Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-06-28
SCHOOL NURSES REPORT


Makes 1892 Visits to the Homes OF
the Children in the City During
Last School Term.
The following report submitted to
Cameron Club by the school nurse will
be of interest to all. Her excellent
work is well known and cannot be
accounted for by cold figures and sta
tistics. Only time and the lives OF
i the future, men and women can tell
of the extent to which this work will
reach. 1t seems wonderful that after
! the time SHE has spent in the schools.
the clinics and operating room and
hospitals with her little charges, that
| she still should find time for one
thousand three hundred and thirty
II two visits to the homes Of the child
rem. Miss Monroe has failed to men
tion the number of talks she has
been called upon to give to classes
of girls and to different organiza-
tions in the city. These, too, have
been most helpful. Her report fol-
lows:
Report of School Nurse.
The past term of school nursing
for 1867 was in many ways more
interesting than the one preceding.
Every year strengthens the friend
ship and intimate relationship be-
tween the school nurse and the hun
dreds of childreh with whom she
comes in daily contact, until every
big girl and little girl, big boy and
little boy has become to her person.
nal friend. A gratifying phase Of
the work Us time passes is the way
the girls and boys, and also their
saothers, have conferred with the
nurse in regard to physical conditions
which they did not deem Of sufficient
Consequence to call to the attention of
a physician. Yet in several instan-
ces these conditions were of a serious
nature and neglect of proper medical
attention would certainly have re-
suited in serious after effects. Where
ever these cases have been brought
to the attention of the nurse and
the services of the family physician
have been advised, as well as where
the school physician has referred
them to their own physician for any
physical defect, the parents have,
almost without exception, been will
ing and anxious to follow the ad-
vice. and results have been most
gratifying.
Free surgical work has been Sc
cured only when the parents were
absolutely unable to pay for it them
selves, therefore SO many children
with defective topsils. and the usual
accompanying growth of adenoids,
have been operated upon during holi-
days and with out any personal SUI
perviSion from the nurse, that it is
impossible to keep account of all
Of these cases but the improved con-
sdition resulting there from is con-
stantly in evidence. In the free work
we have had four adenoid and tonsil
operations; one adenoid and tonsil
with def. turbinate; eight dental
, treatments; six visits to throat, nose
and ear clinics; sixty-hve visits to
eye clinics; twenty-four children
have been fitted with glasses. In
nearly every case the parents have
been able to pay or partially pay
fer the glasses. One little girl, thir-
teen years old, with deformed
fdot { condition existing since birth)
WAS enabled, through the generosity
of one of our leading business men,,
tb undergo an operation, which was
performed by DR.. Baer, at the Child
ren's Hospital School in Baltimore.
The operation was perfectly success
full and we brought her home last
week after eight weeks in the hos
pital.
Interested and generous friends
have helped the school nurse in so
many ways that her work has indeed
been pleasure; the several gifts of
money have helped in the purchase
of glasses for those unable to secure
them and have made possible many
services of assistance and relief in
sickness and emergencies where
Otherwise her hands would have been
( led. Quantities of excellent clothing
= sw and second hand, have been sent
Mn and il is needless to saw it was