The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-05-04


| military service and adapting itself to the new war
| tlme conditions which bound to follow
| Inc country has shown a determination that it's
solders and sailors shall have proper care, de
cares Miss Jane A Delano director Of the depart-
ment of nursing of the American Red Cross Miss
| Deano 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 "The gravity of the situa-
ton lies in the problem Immediately confronting
the country. 1t is inconcevable 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.
1.-THE nursing profession will not fail But the
fact that must be brought home everyone Is that
every nurse released for military duty leaves
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 continues, for army alone, and the
allies depending on Us to supplement their
own nursing service. There are between 10000
and 10000 nurses registered In the United States.
enrolled Red Cross nurses. This enrolment is the
reserve of the United States army nurse corps and
navy nurse corps, and from it nurses also sup
piled to the United States public health service as
required
"Since the declaration of the department of
nursing has selected and equipped for service with
the army nurse corps 4,2O4 nurses, and with the
navy nurse corps so. 1t is maintaining several
hundred directly under the Red Cross in
Guiding SO nurses In France, II In Roumana, three
in Greece and one in Serbia and So Red Cross pub
lie health nurses duty in the sanitary zones sur
rounding the environments. There also over
1000 nurses organized into units and practically
ready for mobilization.
Though the enrolment of nurses with the Red
Cross averages 1000 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
dtions. But from every possible effort
will have to be made by the general public, as we'll
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
tribute to bring this about. Miss Deano outlined
several plans of cooperation
1.-THE general public" she said "can cooperate
in such vital matters releasing more private
duty nurses for military duty 1t can do this def
ntely and Immediately by utilizing hospital facili-
ties, visiting nurses and similar agencies where
one nurse for several patients; by fam
lilies learning to 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 10000 women have
+;cr. il,- IN Rad g
II lessons each in Elementary Hygiene and Home
Care for the Sick and Home DietcticS,' which
were established for the purpose of aiding women
TO care for the sick in their own homes. Several
groups of men, about to move into isolated dis
tricts have also taken these courses
Then" continued Miss Deano, public interest
is needed in recruiting the nursing procession. The
country through the surgeon general, through the
Red Cross through the council Of national defense,