The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1919-03-20
Needed-A Nurse in Ever,
Home.

one hopeless optlmlSt has pointed out
that the Minnesota fire, in few days,
cleared hundreds of acres for agricultural
use that man would not have made pro-
ductve for many year, if ever. The in
fluenza, gathering it's toll of over six
million lives and creating pitiful COM
pany, in this country alone, of thousands
of orphans, must be made to yield US
some blessing. And costly as the lesson
richng of life in the end, if we act to
correct those conditions disclosed by the
epidemic.
In many localities there was found to
be no nursing resources whatsoever, In
+ isolated communities, families were al
lowed to die almost unattended because
; the fear of the disease ran so high that
neighbors refused to go near the patients.
At tremendous sacrifice, one fact has
been established couclusivelv: The wom-
en- of the country are not adequately pre-
pared, in the absence of professional care,
to safeguard their homes from contagion
and to nurse their families in minor i'll
neSSeS.
The shortage of graduate nurses, due
to their necessary release for military
service, is not temporary thing, to be
remedied Immediately upon the signing
of the treaty of peace 1t is hoped that
many of these nurses will be essential
for rebuilding the health of war-devas-
tated European countries. Those who
do return in the near future will be need
ed far more for community and public
health service than for the care of in
dividual cases. Hospitals are tending to
minister almost entirely to cases seri-
ously or chroncally ill and to surgical
needs. Since the prevention of con-
tagiouS diseases, and those minor i'll
nesses which leave the patient greatly
reduced in vitality and resistance, is al
most entirely a matter of home hygiene
and nursing, the challenge comes to
every woman in the country to join
great crusade against the negligence and
ignorance which permit such conditions
to continue unchecked
In order that they may for this new
warfare be better equipped with knowl
edge of personal and household hygiene,
and of elementary nursing procedures,
the Red Cross hopes to place before
every woman in the country, during the
next few years, an opportunity for in
struction in home hygiene and care of
the sick and il home dieteticS.
/ ltnerant nurses, capable OF instruction
in rural problems and in helping establish
high standards of community health,
with Ford cars and portable equipment,
will be sent into the rural and isolated
communities where it is almost impossible
to secure skilled professional nursing ser
vice. In many such localities, the wom-
en- are very often, as was the case in the
early pioneer days, the sole guardians of
the lives of their families in time of sick
ness. If to their native self-relance and
initiative might be added the professional
knowledge of home hygiene and care of
the sick, great advancement in commun-
itv health might be accomplished.
To every woman in the country, be she
rich or poor, city or country bred, this
training will bring tangible results in
terms of human happiness Emergencies
cannot always be met by money; and
while the city woman may not so greatly
need to be self-reliant, lapse of time in
giving first aid is often fatal. The sani-
tation of the home needs constant and
Intelligent supervision to provide the
ounce of prevention, worth so many
pounds of cure; and women with their
increasing interest and power in State
and city affairs, need above everything
the training that will enable them to
take an aggressvely intelligent stand in
regard to constructive work and legisa-
ton for the public health.-From the Red
Cross Magazine.