The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-28
REPORT ON HEALTH
p. II. n. Entered Year 1922
With pa Patients.
Annual Report Issued by Miss
Mary Alexander.
TOTAL OF 1858 VISITS MADE
Attendance at tuberculosis
Clinic During Year Was $50.
Exceptionally Busy During Last
Month, Report Shows.
TOTAL OF 1858 VISITS MADE

The Topeka Public Health Nursing
association entered the year 1922, with
244 patients under the care Of its staff.
as compared with 212 under care jan
uary l, 1921. There were 1896 pa
ttents, new and readmitted, during the
year, giving a total of 1907 who came
under the care of the association
nurses. OF this number. 439 were dis
missed, as recovered, 558 as improved.
and "a died.
According to the annual report is
sued by Miss Mary Alexander super
visor of the nursing staff of the asso-
citation, 25 patients were sent to hos
pitfalls during the year by the associa-
ton, SO to the tuberculosis sanatortum,
and a total of 49, S3 visits were made
by the staff. OF this number. S'2z9
were nursing visits, 5,568 were in
structive and invesugationaL and 1873
were for business purposes.
$50 Babies Examined.
The total number of patients in at
tendance at the free clinics held by
the association, was 1894 Attic the
baby clinic and the nutrition clinic
were discontinued during october NO
Vember, and December, owning TO the
epidemic of diphtheria, the heaviest
attendance at any clinic was registered
at the baby clinic-630 babies having
been examined there. The next in or
der was the tuberculosis clinic, where
$50 patients were examined.
There were investigated during the
year, a total of 248 birth registrations
There were visited during the year ISL
schools in the county, and three pa
rochial schools.
There are attached to the staff of
the Public Health Nursing associa-
ton, from the Shawnee county Red
Cross chapter two nurses-Miss
Frances Hoy, school nurse, and Miss
Margaret NJ. Kitchener, baby welfare
worker.
Conference With Mothers
Miss Hoy, in the course of her ISL
visits to the schools of the county, ex-
amined 4352 children during the year.
She held eighteen mothers confer
ences during the summer, with an at
tendance of $50. There were found
1888 defects by Miss Hoy IN the chill
dren whom she examined. There were
1 ,048 Shawnee county children under
weight.
Three hundred and seventy-five of
the defects discovered were totally
corrected Miss Hoy-made 1882 visits
during the year 493 of them for bust
ness purposes, 21S to the homes of
children, 166 to physicians offices,
PAS investigative and instructive, and
SO nursing. Fourteen children were
treated by Miss Hoy, 1887 were re-
ferred to physicians, and 1873 to-
dentists.
There were under the direct care of
Miss Mitchenery the baby welfare
nurse, 81 cases when 1921 opened.
There were 225 new and readmitted
cases, and 2f6 cases dismissed. At the
end of the year the nurse had under
her care Sc cases. The total attend
ance at the maternity, nutrition, baby
and summer clinics, was 76S, and the
attendance at the children clinic
maintained during the Free Fair,
reached 3o6 Miss Kitchener made
of Of sit Hnrfnpp
$50 of them for business purposes,
] 800 for investigation and instruction.
She Investigated 404 birth registra-
tions.
Nurses Made 5,27S WITS.
The two nurses attached from the
Topeka tuberculosis association to the
Public Health Nursing association
staff, Miss Charlotte Harkins and Miss
Damaris Payton, made total Of 5,27S
visits during the year. OF this num-
Der. there were LIS nursing visits,
1910 investigative and Institutional
and 1,497 for business purposes.
The attendance at the tuberculosis
clinic during the year, reached $50.
OF this number. 1877 cases were posi-
tive. 148 retained the status of "sus-
pect." fifty-two were negative.
The county clinics resulted in the
attendance of 233, as against the at
tendance of 554 at the city clinics,
which included. in addition to the
regular clinic, a three-months nutri-
ton clinic and summer clinics at Rip
ley Park and Buchanan school.
There were but two positive reac-
tons in the county clinics held. as
against 1877 positives in the city clinic.
There were examined by the Tuber-
culosis association nurses during the
year, 625 children in parochial schools.
The total number of defects found,
numbered 6S7.
Busy During Last Month.
I'VE have been buster during the
last month than we were at any time
in 1921" Miss Alexander says. 1.-The
cold weather and the tremendous
amount of sickness. have made the
work very heavy for a month"
Influenza or bad colds attacking a
single member of a family, are almost
certainly transmitted to all the other
members, in the poorer homes of the
city, Miss Alexander declares.
I'VE find whole families huddled
into one or two beds, trying to keep
warm by keeping close together
Miss Alexander declares. 'Under
those conditions influenza and colds
can't help but spread"
Not all the work of the Public
Health Nursing association is done for
charity's sake, Miss Alexander said.
Frequently the association supplies 4
nurse for some family quite able 10
pay for the service. and willing to dc
so. Families in which the continuous
services of a trained nurse arc not
needed are frequently cared for by the
regular visits. of the "P. H. N" and
paid for.
All the officers of the association
have been reelected for the coming
year. They are: Mrs. Charles B.
Thomas. president; Mrs. Chester
woodward. first vice president; Mrs
Arch Catlin. second vice president;
Mrs. J. r. Burrow, fJr., vice president;
Mrs. H. w Seery, secretary, and Mrs
John Q. Waters, assistant secretary.