El Nuevo mexicano., 1919-07-31

II "A Noble Service
Women have always ~concerne'
themselves with problems Of healtl
and sickness.
In the average family mother 4
1.-The health officer,if ready 70 bin
up q cut finger, administer the nee
legsary remedies fer simple ailments
and firm to impress the necessit,
Tor preventive measures, such al
RI blers and umbrellas.
At school, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS nn{
school n~ursee-proye that health car
be taught and link together The
home and the school in the effor'
10 prevent or correct the physical
defects which the school doctor
points Dub.
The touch Of The trained nurse
With its power to soothe and &c
heal. is second In its comfart in
g clness only 10 the trained eye
and mind OF the doctor To great
masses OF people the visiting or
public health nurse Is a constant
friend and advisor In health and
an Immediate and grateful aid ia
sickness, more intimately In touch
~ith the family and the home than
any other agent of health. Moro
and more. the benefits OF medical
science are being taken TO the indi-
'yidual man. woman and child by
women, either as visiting. child hy-
gtene, school, tuberculosis or indus
nurses.
Yet, though women touch the
problem OF public health from all
its angles, governments have been
slow to recognize their Importance
iii the new national health pro-
grams which have come as part OF
the preparation for reconstrlctioa
England Is now to have for the first
time a ministry Of health, a cabinet
Office on a par with the great Of
fees Of war, finance and foreign al
fairs. But the proposal TO make d
woman assistant secretary OF health
defeated.
In America, however, signs are
not lacking that we may take a
s.ore reasonable and a just
attitude point of view. Bills crea:-
Ing a secretary of health, to head
Il new national department Of health
have been introduced to both the
senate and house. Congressman
NcDuflie Of Alabama, according to a
letter addressed to the national or
g~anization Of public health nursing,
plans to include in his bill provision
for a bureau OF public health nurs-
ing, headed by a woman chief, a
aimed public health nurse. Sena-
tor Owen of Oklahoma who has in
troduced into the senate q bill SINH
lar IN its provisions, has also d.
that he is emphaticaliy in
favor Of the inclusion Of a sub-dt
Of public health nursing, heaa
Ell by a nurse under the secretary
Of health, Senator France Of Mary
land, to whose committee or public
and quarantine, Senator
Ovens bill has been referred, has
stated his Intention to urge either
D bureau of public health nursing,
Dir a woman assistant to the secre-l
airy Of health,
Such a national bureau OF public
health nursing would be Invaluable
II promoting public health nursing
.NIOut7H tuo EpAHAb4 - hhA ~ -
,ouraging nigh standards in the
work done in each local community.
i would be able to assist states,
COUNTIES Or cities whenever they de-
ire it, in organizing public health
systems, in conducting, thru
he nurses, educational campaigns In
sanitation and simple home
ARE Of sickness. In case Of a ma
ional epidemic, the federal govern
rent would be able. were such a
established. TO send forces
nurses. as well as doctors, to the
not where the disease was raging
Best of all, however, such action
would give 10 nurses the kind of
ucognition for service performed
which they, in common with moth
RS and teachers and the millions of
ther women who work quietly and
.ffectively in all cornerse OF our
and. most desire-the opportunity
Oh a greater and more far-reaching