The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-28
War ON M0OCHER
Health Nursing Association LIS
Being Imposed Upon.
People Able To Pay Want
Service for Nothing.
OTHERS OBJECT TO CHARITY
New Plan Is To Pay Ac-
cOrding to Means.
Money Collected VIII Go to
Association Funds.

War on the rich and well-to-do
moochers who have taken advantage
of the Public Health Nursing associ-
alton to obtain free nursing has been
declared by Miss Louisa Duncan
Shaffer, superintendent of the Public
Health Nursing association. Miss
Shaffer has discovered that general
impression that nursing is supplied by
the association to all classes, free of
charge, has caused an evil which must
be overcome at once.
Absolute charity is bad thing for
all concerned, especially those who
receive it, said Miss Shaffer. ut
brings selfishness to the forefront, it
makes others shiftless and still others
dishonest"
In the first place. Miss Shaffer de-
clares that the association is not
buiIded on a foundation of charity.
Its work never was intended to be all
cases attended by the blue garbed
public health nurses for which the
association never expects money, these
cases are few and far between.
Make Every One Pay.
I'VE want to make everyone pay
according to their financial ability
takes the odium away from a visit to
some homes by our nurses, whose
owners believe everyone else believes
a public health nurse is doing charity
work. There are many home owners,
old people for the most part, who need
nurse to call on them once a day,
who won't call them for that reason
altho they would be glad to pay 25
cents, SO cents or even 4 dollar for
the attention they need and yet
couldn't afford to pay a graduate
nurse $25 a week for services
while there are many people who
are too proud to even make people
charity there are others who will take
anything for nothing and we are be-
ing imposed on dozens of times every
day by people who can afford to pay
a nurse something for services re-
ceived. That is going to stop. There
are many people on our visiting lists,
however, who have the money to pay
for services and gladly give it to the
nurses"
Hospitals Make Kick.
Topeka's hospitals also have a kick
coming, which Miss Shaffer believes is
justified. The motives which actuated
the Public Health Nursing Associa-
ton to enlist Topeka surgeons in
wholesale free adenoid operations dur
ing the Winter mas caused many sell
fish people with means to take ad-
vantage of the free service.
The surgeons are glad to render
public service of this nature to the
children of people too poor to pay for
operations but they are kicking hard
on moochers who in recent months
have taken advantage of free opera
tions in the hospitals. Those in
charge of Topeka hospitals are reg
istering similar protests. 1t is de-
clared on good authority that a family
owning a large touring car took ad-
vantage of these free operations and
had the nerve to drive their child to
the hospital in the car the day the
operation was scheduled
From now on said Miss Shaffer,
we will investigate the finances of
those applying for operations"
Miss Schaffer also intends to place
a special nurse in service who will do
nothing but make calls on people who
need nurses care for half an hour
or an hour a day. The money is
turned over to the association to GOV r
current expenses