The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-02-04
Local People who Wish to Have Part
In This Work Of Benefit to Com
munity Have Opportunity
Now.
MUCH IS BEING DONE
Nurses are Helping Fight "Flu" Epl-
demic and in Normal Times Do
Much to Keep Community
Health Standard High. n

- i
A campaign for more members is
being inaugurated by the Visiting
Nurse association. Additional money
lis needed by the association because
of the increase in salaries to the
nurses, and the cost OF additional nurs-
ing help, made necessary through the
present emergency of "flu'' and pneu-
monia.
The association is supported by the
yearly memberships from the factories
and wholesale houses. These give a
!stated amount each year to the asso-
citation and are entitled to call on the
nurses for services for any of their
employees.
Other revenue comes from the
Metropolitan Insurance company,
which considers the nursing service
SO good that 1t pays fifty cents per
visit for calls by the nurses on its
policy holders who need such services.
Besides these two sources there are
the individuals who give yearly sub
iscriptions ranging from one to flfty
dollars, and the money which is given
rim many cases by the patients them
selves. No money is asked from any
patient, but in many cases where the
people are able they pay for the SER
vice the nurse has renuered. THESE
sums often are small, but they all
help.
The regular memberships of the
association are from one to five dol
lars each.
Work Is Extensive.
Some idea of the extent OF the
nursing activities is gained from the
fact that 500 visits were made in the
last month by the nurses. These
visits are more than normally made
because of the "flu" epidemic, which
has kept the nurses on the jump. They
go wherever needed, and quarantine
cards as in the present flu wave are
inc bar to the ministrations of the
visiting nurse. :
An average month finds the nurses
making nineteen calls a day while in
emergencies they have made as high
as thirty-two.
The Care In "Flu."
The nurse works under the direction
Of the doctor, obeying his Instructions
for treatment in the cases they visit.
Lie pIeScuI ellu Cp10CiuASp ShSy
battle and administer alcohol rubs to
the patient, instruct the family in care
of the patient and in precautionary
measures to guard the health of other
members of the family. Wherever
needed they arrange to take out bed
ding or anything needed and give gem
eral directions for the care Of the sick
persons.
A maternity case which came to the
attention of the nurses recently DEM
onstrates the correlation between the
". N. a. nursing service and the social
service of the association. The fam
iH was poor, there were no provisions
in the house, and no clothing had been
made for the baby. Through the
Christmas community fund, material
aid was rendered, to help the mother
and to purchase clothing for the baby.
In Maternity Cases.
In maternity cases the nurses take
care of the baby and the mother for
ten days after the baby is born. They
go every morning to the home, and
battle and dress the child and see to
II that the mother is comfortable. After
this care the baby is not forgotten, as
the child remains under the supervi.
sion of the nurses for the next two
years.
b Pre- natal care is given to the
mothers when needed, and in some of
the conferences that the nurses hold
during the year, pre- natal care is a
subject under discussion. Conserva-
ton of child life is important and the
". N. A. is one of the most active
agents in community for child well
fare a
The directors Of the association are
appealing to any one interested in
the work to join the association Any