The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-04-06

A6 40 man huISSS as DOSSlDle lOT
military service and adapting itself to the new war
uine conditions which are bound to follow.
Inc country has shown a determination that It's
oiWers ana sailors shall have proper care, de-
ciares MISS Jane A. Delano, director Of the depart
ment or nursing of the American Red Cross. Miss
Delano has been responsible for the organization
OF the great war nursing service of the Red Cross.
The calls made upon the Red Cross nursing
service by the government have been met up to
this time" said Miss Delano, In discussing the
growing need of nurses. 1.-THE gravity of the situa-
uon lies In the problem Immediately confronting
the country. 1t is inconceivable that our boys and
men. who are offering all they have for us, should
not have the best care that the utmost skill and
devotion can give them. Nurses have responded
splendidly to military service, as soon as they have
realized the enormity of the needs.
"The nursing profession will not fail. But the
fact that must be brought home to everyone is that
every nurse released for military duty leaves a
vacancy In civilian life. And this, too, at a time
when there is an increased amount of sickness and
distress brought about by the very war conditions
which decrease the number of nurses In civilian
hospitals.
by a recent estimate of the surgeon generals
Office not far from 10000 nurses may be needed.
If the war continues, for our army alone, and the
allies are depending on us to supplement their
own nursing service. There are between $4,000
and 10000 nurses registered in the United States.
Approximately 1900 of this number are already
enrolled Red Cross nurses. This enrolment is the
reserve of the United States army nurse corps and
navy nurse corps, and from II nurses are also sup
piled to the United States public health service as
required.
"Since the declaration of war the department of
nursing has selected and equipped for service with
the army nurse corps 4,204 nurses, and with the
navy nurse corps $40. 1t is maintaining several
hundred more directly under the Red Cross, in
Guiding SO nurses in France, II in Roumania, three
in Greece and one in Serbia, and So Red Cross pub
lie health nurses on duty in the sanitary zones sur
rounding the environments. There are also over
1000 nurses organized into units and practically
ready for mobilization.
Though the enrolment of nurses with the Red
Cross averages 1000 a month, not even this num-
Der will meet the constantly increasing needs of
the government" continued Miss Delano. $50 far,
by careful adjustment these demands have been
met without seriously disOrganizing the home con-
dltions. But from now on every possible effort
will have to be made by the general public, as well
as by the nursing profession and nurses training
schools to meet wisely and effectively the crisis
that is created by the rapidly decreasing number
of nurses in civilian hospitals"
When asked how the general public could con-
tribute to bring this about, Miss Delano outlined
several plans of cooperation.
"The general public" she said, "can cooperate
in such vital matters as releasing more private
duty nurses for military duty. 1t can do this def
nitely and Immediately by utilizing hospital faci1-
ties, visiting nurses, and similar agencies where
one nurse can care for several patients; by fam
lilies learning to care for minor illnesses In their
own homes, and by preparing by whatever means
are afforded In their communities to assist In all
matters pertaining to public health,
"a striking example Of how the women Of the
country have already begun to take hold OF the
situation is the fact that over 5O,OOO women have
satisfactorily completed the Red Cross courses of
is lessons each in Elementary Hygiene and Home
Care for the Sick and Home D~ietetics,' which
we're established for the purpose of aiding women
RI care for the sick in their own homes. Several
groups of men. about to move into Isolated dis
tricts, have also taken these courses.
oThen," continued Miss Delano, public interest
e. needed in recruiting the nursing profession. The
country through the surgeon general, through the
Red Cross, through the council of national defense.