The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-13
TO TRAIN NURSES
Local Red Cross Chapter Will
Open Glasses.
Many Are Needed To Take Care
of Sick at Home.
KNITTERS TO WORK ON SOCKS
They Are Needed Worse Than
Sweaters Now.
41,3O1 Pieces Stored and Ready
To Be Shipped.

Topeka and Kansas women are
needed for nurses in the homes, and
the Topeka chapter of the American
Red Cross is now prepared to teach
home nursing. The Red Cross and the
government have taken the qualified
? nurses as rapidly as possible for the
hospitals in France, and the result is
that the country is sadly in need of
competent women for nursing service
in the homes.
A course of study in elementary
hygiene and home care of the sick has
been established in Topeka under the
supervision of Louise Bredel chair
man of the nursing commi tee and
Emma Ward, trained nurse They
will be able to teach three classes each
day. The charge for the course is
three dollars for each student. but
Miss Bredel and Miss Ward have an
bounced that the fees which they re-
ceive for giving the instruction will be
turned into the Red Cross funds The
committee Oh the Topeka chapter is
composed OF Miss Bredel, telephone
2G90 red; Mrs. J. D. Freeman tele-
phone 1906 and Mrs. W. o Clark,
telephone 1886. Any of these can give
specific information about the courses.
The same course of study as provided
by the American Red Cross nursing
service will be given to the women of
Topeka. 1t is intended that the
women trained should be able to do
nursing not only in their own homes,
but they mag be called upon for nurs-
ing service IN other homes in the city
during the shortage of trained nurses.
After the home nursing courses are
completed it IS planned to provide also
courses in diatetics.
The Topeka chapter of the Red
Cross had 41,301 pieces stored in the
shipping room April l, which it had
been unable to ship because of a lack
of boxes. The high school toys are
building the boxes for the Red Cross
from lumber donated by Topeka lum-
Der dealers. They did not get st-rted
on the work early enough to COM
plete all the boxes needed for the
March shipments The boys have
made nearly fifty boxes thus far in
which the Red Cross supplies are
shipped. The boxes are all built to
Specifications by the American Red
Cross and the packages exactly fit the
boxes when packed solidly in the cars
and in the holds of the ships which
carry them to France.
Miss Carolyn Thomas. head of the
shipping department of the Topeka
chapter of the Red Cross, reported
that the March receipts of supplies
from the different divisions was:
Garments 15,406
Knitted articles ........... I,l3O
Surgical dressings ........... 6O,676
Total ......... $3.50
Topeka women who have been
working so hard knitting sweaters
should now turn their attention more
to the socks until they have knit two
pairs of socks for each sweater. In
structions to this effect have just been
received from the headquarters at the
southwestern division at St. Louis.
The bulletin said:
Every knitter should now make
one of each kind of knitted garment
with the single exception of socks.
There shorld be at least two pairs of
socks for every sweater, muffler, he'll
met and pair of wristlets. We are not
yet making enough socks to provide
our men in the trenches. Unless a
man has dry socks for frequent
changes, the dangers of trench foot
are multiplied The cold, too, is very
penetrating and one continually hears
that men wear two pairs of socks at a
time-if they have the socks 1t will
take some time for our men to become
acclimated and it is important that
we have enough warm wooden gar
ments over there to safeguard their
health.
I'VE must again repeat that Red
Cross funds may not be used for sup
plying knitted garments to individuals
or to groups. The Red Cross field
agent in every cantonment makes a
requisition for what is needed in his
cantonment. Every man may have
his full knitted set by applying to this
field agent. He has to be as respon-
sible for these Red Cross garments as
he is for his uniform. 1t IS readily
seen how duplication may occur and
there isn't enough wool to afford
duplication at this point in our at
fairs