El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-06-18


Need Public Nurses
On the other hand. the need for pub
lie health nurses is great and unified
Our leading health authorities have
been urging the employment OF more
public health nurses for years Julia
Lathrop. chief OF the United States
Children's Bureau declares that they
are Ons OF the most important factors
in reducing the high mortality rate
among mothers and children Surgen
general Rupert Blue says there should
be al least one public health nurse in
each county throughout tle United
states 10 help bring our rur Al districts
Up to the same health stan cards that
obtain in our larger cities The lack
OF hospital and nursing facilities IN
the farming districts today is almost
unbelie Eable- Secretary OF labor VIII
son emphasizes the need OF many more
industrial uulses to protect the health
OF workers Altogether it is estimated
that $1,000 public health nurses would
be none too many TO help keep rs
healthy. and the latest census shows
war however. communities and fac
tories throughout the country have
rapidly awakened to the value Of such
a nursing service. so that TIE demand
for public health nurses is steadily in
creasing-
The National Organization for Pub
lie Health Nursing 5 urging return
ing war nurses 10 enter this field. but
Il feels that II is not fair 30 ask these
women, who have rlslcet both their
lives and futures in the war. TO m
de-take further training at their own
expense to qualify themselves for the
work
Appeal For Funds.
so we ara attempting" SAYS Mrs.
Bessie Amerman Haasis, educational
secretary OF the organization. IL
raise a scholarship fund OF at least
$4,000 to finance as many as posi-
bic OF these young women through the
necessary post graduate course Al
ready $4,000 OF this found is avail
able, $4,000 Of Il being a grant from
the Red Cross. and 500 having
been given anonymously to the na-
tiOnal organization TO prepare women
for the teaching and executive posi-
field"
Is Responsible lob
Public health nursing demands.
many qualifications which are nor
particularly IN the private nurse Too
often the private uarse IS merely a
sort OF higher type Of servant in the
household. who regards her profes-
sion as a stepping stone 10 marriage.
Her chief functions are TO administer
medicines at proper intervals. to give
baths and alcohol RIBS The public
health nurse. employed by the state
or BY big corporation IS public.
and not a private servant Fer mis-
sion Is TO teach as we'll as to nurse.
She issues commands. instead Of obey
ing them: when she enters a home or
when she inspects the health OF a
factory girl she not only relieves SUI
ferins- but she exerts strong social
Influence.
Prevents spread OF Tuberculosis.
TIE public health nurse is a most
inn r. rIN
spread OF tuberculosis She has be-
come a regular tuberculosis sleutli.
constantly bent on discovering clues
10 its Whereabouts and stamping Il
out Experience las shown that such
detective measures are necessary for
the poor tubercular patients instinct
is to keen quiet about his affliction.
to work as long as he is able, and
then 20 settle down and die in the
midst OF his family. IL is a hopeless
situation. both for the patient and the
family. Thousand of families have
been found in the tenement districts
OF our large cities. shelterinE their
tuberculosis victims in unventilated.
dark rooms. The visiting nurse finds
these cases and reports them
IN the factories the Industrial nurse
IS likewise vieilant- One industrial
nurse SAYS thar in her factory month
ly examinations are made OF all en-
Dloyes who are below par either IN
appearance OF N their output or work.
II no symptoms OF tuberculosis are
evident the empiOye Is Immediately
put on the firms matted milk list
This means that he receives a glass OF
matted milk IN the morning and one
in the afternoon at the couuany's ex-
pcnse- It is not as expensive as IL
sounds Investigation has shown that
the AVERAGE workers energy reaches
its highest point about 10 o'clock in
the morning. then it begins 20 de-
cline until noon. After the rest and
food OF the lunch hour. Il again rises
until three in the afternoon. when 1t
once more begins to ebn, reaching
the lowest point one-half hour he
fore closing. Under the matted milk
regime, the energy OF the employs
not decline so rapidly. and the COM
pauy's output has been increased con
siderably. In case an eupl0ye does
continue to lose, after he has been
placed on the matted milk list. he Is
again brought up for medical eNani-
nation. and further measures taken to
increase his strength
These are only a few Of the I'm
Dortant activities ~ the public health
nurse II IS a field which should ap-
peal especially to the returning war
nurse. 10 whom sacrifice an dservice
have become an essential part Of the
days routine
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