The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-15

pose since in accordance with universal
experience they have found that most of
the distress that comes to the class of
people for whom the fund was intended
comes from sickness and i'll health and
they believed that relief in case of sick
ness would be one of the most effective
forms of relief possible.
They felt, however, the responsibility
for getting the best results out of such
a large expenditure and therefore made
q very careful study of the effects of what
they were putting in operation upon the
people of the community when stricken
with sickness.
They found somewhat to their surprise
that the limitations of the good effects
of the hospital were much greater than
they had reason to anticipate.
Many cases that should have gone to
the hospital did not get there. Many
cases also that greatly needed service in
sickness We're not properly hospital eases
but needed proper care in the home /:
many cases that had had the benefit of
hospital treatment lost most of that BEN
eft from lack of care ON leaving the hos
pital; many cases suffered disability that
could have been prevented at an earlier
stage but were now incurable. and many
eases were the victims of simple igno-
rance or neglect.
Being in an exceptional position TO
know what were the troubles and difficult
ties due to sickness and i'll health that
beset the people of moderate means. few
or none of whom were beyond the reach
of great calamity and distress due to
this cause, the trustees felt that ii would
be farce to content themselves with the
support of hospital without striking
harder at the basic troubles that a hos
pital was supposed 30 remedy.
Nursing System Established.
They, therefore. endeavored to worl
out a nursing and an educational healtl
ystem adapted to the needs of these com
munities that would reach nearer to tn,
roots of the trouble and put the benefi
of the system within the reach of all
for it was practically impossible to he'll
few without helping all.
In doing this they found their powe
of getting the necessary kind of NURSING
, service almost fatally handicapped b
' certain existing traditions and by meth
D fession that produced entirely inadequat
: results, and it was with great difficult
t and only after a number of years of tria
: that they We're able to demonstrate tina
5 other methods We're practicable and coul
5 give to the people the necessary care an
1 Irelief that were not previously obtaine,
d Much of the trouble from sicknes
Y came from ignorance of health matter
0 and lack of care of children in the
G school years The trustees therefore a,
:, sisted the town of Brattleboro to intro
s. duce school nursing into the schools, gil
i ing them at critical time the advice an
s. assistance of skilled superintendent
/ the employ of the trustees.
: In this the school authorities had IL
lie opposition for the time of very influenti
N health authorities in the state Endea'
: ors were even made IN the legislature
IN prevent the use of school nurses BIZ la,
r The Brattleboro school trustees did. hoy
If ever, largely by the demonstrated us
IF fulness of the work accomplished by Il
er school nurses succeed in establishing
in recognized and authorized method
care in the state schools.
1t became very evident to the truste
that in both these lines of work, namel
At the work of nursing in the homes and
OF the preventive educational work in t
e. schools little permanent accomplishing
nd could be effected solely for the benefit
OF an isolated and self-centered communi
us and that the service of able persons cou
not continue to be obtained for develo
his ing and maintaining this work for t
'r- benefit of an isolated enterprise eondu'