Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1918-10-11
NO Change IN CARE
OF The CITY SICK
Health Board Won't Close
Country Club to New
Patients
WOMEN WANTED MORE
AT HOMEOPATHIC

Mrs. Joseph Bancroft and Miss Emily
p. Bissell representing the Bureau OF
Hygiene Of Delaware, and the nurses
and aides Of the bureau, appeared be-
fore the Board Of Health at its meeting
yesterday and said that the HomeO-
pathic Hospital, emergency wing, could
be turned into an inflrmary for crltl-
cal cases OF pneumonia which have
been very numerous during the past
few days The representatives OF the
Bureau Of Hygiene said that the ventil-
alton at the Homeopathic Hospital was
better than al the Country Club, due to
the closing in Of the verandas, and that
n in future the serious influenza cases
were brought TO the Homeopathic Hos
pital. emergency wNg. instead OF to the
Country Club, this change would do
away with the unnecessary danger TO
which the nurses were subjected and
would relieve the pressure at the COun-
try Club, while nursing the sick. The
Homeopathic Hospital, emergency wing,
they stated, is situated In a far better
pOsitiOn with regard 10 sunshine and
ventilation, and would afford better
protection TO the nurses, whom they
said they would not urge 10 go TO the
Country Club because Of the heavy re-
possibility they thus took upon them
lelves.
The board took no action in tie mat
ter but after careful consideration, fol-
lowing a lengthy conference between
HE Red Cross workers and President
zllegOod, it was concluded not TO make
any change at this time, when the cpl
iemic is under control and the organ
lzatlon at the Country Club Is working
smoothly with numerous patients on
the way TO recovery.
At present. according TO the Board Of
Health. information, and Mrs NJ T.
Lockwood, who attended the meeting,
there is a shortage OF nurses and aids
at the Country Club, and should the
Red Cross refuse 60 send any more
nurses, the health authorities VIII de-
pend on the volunteers who have so Tar
performed splendid deeds.
10 is also likely that as q result OF the
conference between the Health Board
and Bureau Of Hygiene authorities, the
pick IN this city will be divided into
two camps-those critically I'll with
pneumonia and those suffering from
influenza and the recuperatlng.
The Bureau OF Hygiene representa-
tives stated that the Homeopathic Hos
pltal Emergency Wing could take care
OF 100 patients. When the epidemic
frst broke out, ten or more days ago,
and the Board Of Health made its ap-
peal, Il was impossible 10 find sufficient
nurses who would attend to patients at
the hospital.
They have since been called by long
distance and telegraph and are coming
in as quickly as they can leave their
cases. It Is now definitely known that
no nurses from Washington are COM
ing, and II Is necessary that the Bureau
Of Hygiene should conserve It's nursing
forces as far as possible, for the work
still ahead.
Mrs. Bancroft said this morning that
any criticism OF the splendid work
which has been done at the Country
Club was far from the thoughts OF
either herself or Miss Bissell. She ap-
preciated the good results achieved and
thought the death rate was extremely
small compared with the number OF
desperately sick patients admitted. Mrs.
Sancroft herself has worked at the club
during the epidemic.
she said she was looking TO the
future. Her suggestion would not upset
the present conditions at the Country
Club, as patients now there would re-
main. But with 100 beds ready in the
Homeopathic Emergency wing, ana
ideal conditions OF ventilation, she
thought It was better for patients ana
nurses II new cases were to go there. |
The old patients at the Country Club |
would remain there, in her plan, |
through cOnvalescence, and new cases |
would be sent out there as soon as con-
valescent. The diet kitchen at the |
Homeopathic Hospital was better suited |
for the sick. and the Country Club |
kitchen better for convalescent. Mrs. |
Bancroft said she did not go before the |
Board as representative Of the hed /
Cross. as a local paper had stated.
When the influenza epidemic flrst ap-
peared In Wilmington the board OF dl-
rectors Of the Wilmington Country /
Club was the first organization to offer |
its building as an emergency hospital, |
which was done Immediately upon re-
ceipt Of the clty's appeal for aid. The /
Red Cross sent equipment and nurses,
and leading men and women OF the city /
their services freely. For /
nearly two weeks, nurses and aids have
worked night and day with hundreds OF
cases OF persons desperately sick when
they reached the hospital. There were
many patients so deliri0us they had 10
be held in their beds; there were many
pneumonia patients. Splendid and he
roic work has resulted in saving the
great majority Of the cases