The Benson signal., 1919-04-26
RED CROSS NURSE
IS COMING HERE
Public Health Nursing and Home
Hygiene instruction Part Of
Peace Time Program.
SPEAKS AT cHAUTAUouA.
"Nurse the Most Needed Woman In the
World" Says Miss Jane A. DeIano,
Director Of the Department Of Nurs-
Ing Of the American Red Cross.

TO place the public health on a
higher plane than 1t has ever been is
the object Of a national program un-
dertaken by the American Red Cross
as part Of its peace time plan. From
coast to coast and from lakes to gulf
the Red Cross is spreading the gospel
OF good health and Of the proper care
Of the sick by fostering the study and
practice Of nursing, both by organized
public health activities and by mem.
bers Of the family In every home.
Through the Chautauqua an official
representative Of the Red Cross De
partment Of Nursing will soon tell the
people Of this community the story Of
what Is being done and will ask their
cooperation.
One of the great lessons Of the world
war Is found In the unnecessarily low
standards Of physical health revealed
This was brought out most forcibly In
the great number of reflections OF
young men called to the colors under
the Selective Service Law. Record.
show that throughout the United
States one-third of the young men ex.
amined for military service were dis
qualified from bearing arms for their
country through minor physical de-
fectS, a large proportion of which
might have been avoided by compul.
sorry school examination and proper
medical and nursing care.
Urgent Need Of Nurses.
further proof Of the general urgent
need Of " omen trained In nursing was
supplied by the epidemics OF Spanish
influenza that have caused terrific
loss of life and suffering throughout
the country. Hundreds Of thousands
Of persons died, and In many cOmmu-
mites the plague spread without any
adequate means Of checking 1t because
of the impossibility of obtaining won.
en- capable Of caring for the victims.
Reports show that many persons ac-
tually died without attention because
the 0verworked doctors could not
reach them all. nurses could not be
found who knew what to do, and
neighbOrs feared to 60 near the help
less patients
The uselessness and danger of suci,
waste Of "human power" Is only too
apparent, for the health and strength
of a nation can only be measured by
the health and strength Of Its people
Recognizing the fact that the crux OF
the whole situation. lies In giving every
community the means Of building up
its own nursing strength, the Amerl-
can Red Cross, In cooperation with
the various Chautauquas, Is sending
broadcast the message that none can
afford to ignore.
Phases Of Public Health Nursing,
Public health nursing includes many
phases, such as bedside nursing, IN
which the nurse :Sts the patients
and gives them hourly care as neces.
'Sary; school nursing: care Of expect
ant mothers, babies and small chill
dFen; work In factories and Industrial
centers; rural nursing, and lns:ruc-
ton In Red Cross courses home hygi-
enc. home dieteticS. care of the sick,
and various other forms Of conimu-
nifty service.
10 all American women the Ited
CrGss sends this message:
''if you are. interested In nursIn"
AZ II profession enter one OF the train
ing schools for nurses. many of which
offer scholarships. md specialize In
public health work. II you are al
ready a graduate nurse and anxious
10 enter this field. the Rcd Cross ha:
scholarships and loan funds which
will equip you for this work Wives
and mothers are urged To take the Rec,
Cross Course Of instruction in Home
Hygiene and Care of the Sick so tia!
they will be able to maintain to the
highest degree the health and To nurse
members of their household In time Of
minor Illnesses"
Throughout the length and breadth
Of the land the American Red Cross.
spreading the gospel OF good health. is
sounding call TO American women to
adopt the study of nursing, either TO
Join profession which is daily be-
coming more highly valued or to fit
themselves for nursing in the home
The Red Cross lecturer soon TO ap-
pear her will help her hearers visual