South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-15
VISITING N URSES
HANDICAPPED HERE
BY INDIANA LAWS
Organization Acts to Find Way
Round Obstacle-Ask
Cooperation.

In the face OF increasing cases Of
scarlet fever, and a lack Of nurses to
cope with the epidemic. stands
state law, put on the statute books
when such a thing as public health
nursing was unknown, which pre-
vents the Visiting Nurses association
from. caring for the sick To work
for the repeal of this law, and to
decide whether or not TO ignore il
and carry on their work Of mercy in
spite Of il, was the question discuss
ed Tuesday morning at a meeting OF
the trustees of the association at the
y. w c. A.
The Nurses association has re-
ccived calls for help all during the
last month which they have not
been able TO heed" Mrs. w. K. Lam
port. one Of the board OF trustees
said The calls come from people
in all walks of life, who are not able
on account of the scarcity Of nurses
or who cannot afford to pay for
nurses to take care of their sick
Many Of these people have subscrib-
ed to the South Bend Federation Of
Social Service in its drive for funds
for social service organizations, OF
which the Nurses association is one,
and they feel that they have a right
to help which a visiting nurse can
give them.
Law Stringent.
MANY large organizations in the
city have subscribed large amounts
and yet when their employees become
sick they cannot have the care
necessary on account Of this law
They have complained both TO the
Federation and 10 the Visiting
Nurses association
The law which stands in the way
Of the work which is done by the
nurses is one which states that
nurse cannot take care Of more than
one victim of a contagious disease at
time.
\ doctor Is not hindered by any
such law. Mrs Lamport pointed out.
He IS allowed to go from one sick
room to another, no matter what
the disease.
IF this law was consistent and
applied to physicians as well as TO
nurses" she said. that would mean
that when a doctor took a scarlet
fever patient or a diphtheria pa
tient, he had 10 give up all other
work and neglect any other cases
that came under his consideration.
In cases of epidemic such as we are
/ threatened with in South Bend,
there would not be enough doctors
10 60 around"
See Solution.
According 10 Miss Mabel Monroe
Of the nurses association. there is
no reason why the nurse cannot take
the same precautions that a doctor
does in going from house TO house.
She can have a separate apron
which would cover her street cloth
es, a cap for the hair, rubber gloves,
and II necessary. a gauze mask for
/ her face, one set OF garments TO be
used In each house, and sterilized
when the case is closed. II has been
demonstrated that with these pre-
cautions. there is no danger Of car
rying the disease from one house TO
another. These are the precautions
that are taken in a hospital when
nurse goes from one patient 70 an
other.
"It IS vitality necessary Mrs.
Lamport pointed ont, that the
nurses be allowed 10 fight this cpl
demic which Is threatening Us.
There are only eight nurses. and
more viii be added 70 the staff II
necessary. but these will have to go
from house TO house. spending an
hour or so with each case a day, in
order 10 take the proper care OF the
patient. consult with the family and
see and advise them and the care OF
he sick during the nurses absence
This work is iust as important as
that OF the doctor.
Take Action Today.
IF we have the cooperation OF
the public. and the health depart
ment. we are prepared 20 ignore the
state law which should no longer
he in erect and which has been re-
nealed by many states in the union,
and continue with the work Of the
visiting nurses Al act OF this kind
would lead 20 the repeal OF the law.
DR.. II. c. Bosenbury will meet
with the trustees this evening az 8
o'clock at the Chamber OF Com
merce building 20 decide what steps
shall be taken. DR.. c. A Hppin-