Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-04-09

II
'i''iE service and adapting itself to the new war
ltne conditions which are bound TO follow
ne country has shown determination that IFS
'"eiS ana sailors shall have proper care, de-
MISS Jane A Delano, director of the depart
Ih1ht Oh nursing of the American Red Cross Miss
ei'ii' mas peen responsible for the organization
VI Tue great war nursing service of the Red Cross
me calls made upon the Red Cross nursing
service by the government have been met IN to
inns time, said Miss Delano in discussing tbe
growing need OF nurses. "The gravity of the situa
tlon lies in the problem immediately confronting.
tile country. 1t is nconcevable that our bovs and
men, VINO are offering all they have for us should
not nave the best care that the utmost skin and
oeFouon can give them. Nurses have responded
splenddly TO military service as soon as the, have
realized the enormity of the needs
Inc 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 q 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 NAV be needed
If the war continues, for army alone and the
allies are depending us to supplement their
own nursing service There are between 10000
and 10000 nurses Registered in the United States
Approximately 1900 of this number are already
enrolled Red Cross nurses. This enrolment is the
serve 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 rs
required
"Since the declaration of war the department of
nursing has selected and equipped for service with
the army corps 4204 nurses and with the
navy nurse corps $40. 1t is maintaining several
hundred more directly under the Red Cross. in
ceding 80 nurses in France II in Roumania, three
in Greece and one in Serbia, and So Red Cross pub
lie health duty in the sanitary zones sur
rounding the cantOnmentS There are also over
1900 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-
her will meet the constantly increasing needs of
the government" continued Miss Delano. $50 far,
by careful adjustment these demands have been
met without seriously disorganizng the home
ditfons But from every possible effort
will have to be made by the general public, well
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 releasing more private
duty nurses for military duty. 1t do this def
nitely and Immediately by utilizing hospital facili-
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 $4,000 women have
satisfactorily completed the Red Cross courses of
Is lessons each in Elementary Hygiene and Home
Care for the Sick aud Home Dietetcs 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 Delano public interest
Is needed in recruiting the nursing profession The
country through the surgeon general. through the
Red Cross through the council of national defense