Evening journal., 1918-11-19

need OF workers and for the sake OF the Of the
nation is brought out clearly in time Of war; while an
epidemic illustrates convinclngly the value Of preven-
tive and educational work which can be performed by
public health nursing. A community which employs
public health taught how diseases are carried
and how infection be avoided and instead Of learn
ing the necessary precautions after the epidemic well
under way, VIII take them at the rst hint Of danger"
Mrs Bolton adds that equal opportunity for health
is the latest vision Of democracy and be one OF the
aims Of reconstruction. Without II there can be no per-
feet social economic equality The work Of the public
health nurse is step toward this ideal for 1t seeks to
establish equality of nursing The public health
nurse takes the knowledge and skill Of science out Of
books and laboratories and applies in the and
In the workshops Of the people Of the nation She cares
for babies for children at school, men and women in
Industry farms. wherever they may be- By teaching
she educates and projects against illness; she is
rst but friend and teacher well and Of her great
values TO the community is the instruction she is able
TO give as she is called from house TO house.
'The immediate necessity Is for more public health
nurses and this means the establishment OF
to give the special training necessary" Mrs Bolton says
The national organization for Public Health Nursing OF
which Miss Ella Phillips Crandall Is executive
ary is encouraging the establishment Of more courses
for the graduate who wishes TO t herself for this
special service More required than the regular
training because problems Of applied economies and
sociology must be met, and complete s-operation must
be developed with all other agencies In the community
Hospitals which properly equipped TO undertake
this added responsibility and which located in
munlties where suitable field furnished by
public health nursing agencies under adequate SUPER
vsor being urged to establish for the under
graduate nurse in order that the period Of training
short as possible. Many young women not able to
take the training necessary for public health work with
out financial help The national organization. therefore,
seeks scholarships for these courses
"The demand for public health In the period
Of reconstruction and rehabilitation OF soldiers and
their families VIII be lmess. The demand be met
only II the opportunities and value Of this nursing
realized, and courses and funds provided for the
training of young women in this national service"
That is fine work as far as It goes. What need
first Of all In Wilmington. however is prOperly-con-
sttuted Health Department which shall have charge Of
all health conservation olcias and work. and which
shall have ample power 10 enforce It's orders only
upon individuals but also upon other city departments
which display disregard Of the health interests Of
municipality by falling TO keep streets clean
properly flushed and doing the many other things
which make for public health safety and comfort.
Another need is hospital for contagious diseases,
ample In size and equipment for handling the victims
such epidemic that which recently swept
community with such disastrous results.
What is true OF city is equally true Of State.
It, too needs real Health Department which knows
epidemic when 1t and which places proper
valuation upon expedition in dealing with II.
All Intelligent and unselnsh civic agencies in city
and State should unite insist upon such health con-
servation reforms.
BY continuing things as they exist today, people
merely invite future epdemics with their sinister posi-
bilities and grewsome consequences