Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-09-29


business is to inform themselves as
TO what the concensus of expert
opinion is and then to give the peo-
pie the benefit of it.
"One important function of or
ganized effort. such as that of which
we are a part, is to eliminate indi-
vidualism and control by individuals
and to put in its place concensus of
expert opinion and democratic con-
tro.. There is no one man. be he
administrative officer or case worker
who is sufficiently omniscent to work
out his procedure by himself.
The great advantage of organic
ed effort is that it brings us together
in such conferences as this which
promote the right ideas Of scientific
practice an dof plans of organiza-
ton. We are part OF one of the
greatest voluntary leagues on earth
and we shall succeed Just SO long
as We shall stand together as a ma
ton. state and local movement, free
ly sharing our responsibilities, our
wisdom and our financial recourses."
At the close of Mr.. Spencer's address
DR.. r. E Wodehouse, Ottawa. Canada,
gave the meeting an international as
pect by responding in behalf of the
people Of Canada: Basil G. Eaves, New
York City, campaign secretary of the
National tuberculosis Association.
closed the scheduled program and the
meeting was thrown open for general
discussion. Among those who made
brief remarks We're Dr.. Eugene F. kel-
ley, Massachusetts commissioner of
health; DR.. r. b. Kerr, Manchester. n.
H. secretary Of the New Hampshire
tuberculosis Association; and DR..
rotary of the New Hampshire State
Board of Health The gathering broke
up at noon and the guests departed for
the various hotels in the city.
The nurses held an informal "getac-
auainted" luncheon at u O'Clock at the
Augusta House. at which the hostess
was Miss Edith l.. Soule. State super
vising nurse Maine State department
Of Health Over 30 nurses We're pres
ent at the luncheon.
1.-THE Public Health Nurse"
The afternoon session convened At
the House of Representatives at about
o'clock. where physicians and nurses
combined to discuss The Public
Health Nurse"
Or. Arthur L. Wallace. Nashua. \.
H.. president of the New Hampshire
tuberculosis Association, acted as
chairman.
Miss Gertrude Kinds of Massachu-
sets opened the session by comment
ing on the nurses contact with her
board.
The public health nurse needs her
and she should attend every meeting
possible. IT is possible for the nurse
to educate her committee by means Of
steady, constructive propaganda"
The nurse may find that her board
feels the pressure OF public opinion
and is hampered by outside sentiment
BY working with the citizens of her
community she can help mould public
opinion and make easier the work of
her board. She can also delicately in
struct the board in the ethical points
of public health nursing. In brief, the
contact of the public health nurse with
her board should be to Giplomatical lily
educate them in public health work"
Dr.. r. 8. Kerr
Pr. i. 3. Kerr. secretary of the New
hampshire. was the next speaker. His
topic was the cooperation of the pub
lie health nurse with the medical pro-
fession.
The public hcalt nurse has had n
many instances to bear the burden of
educating the general public, the
health officials and the medical pro-
fossion as to her functions, RESPONSE
bilitics and opportunities for service
in the community" DR.. Kerr declared.
The functions of the public health
nurse and the physician are closely re-
lated and Yet neither encroaches upon
the other. If they do. it is because
either one or the other does not under
stand their respective functions. 1t is
ridiculous for the physician 10 view
the valuable cooperative assistance Of
the public health nurse with distrust
for each has mission to perform and
one is the natural complement Of the
other.
THE broad minded doctor feels the
need of the valuable aid which the pub
lie health nurse can give him. The
physician prestige is not lcssened
one iota by the assistance which this
skillful social worker can bring to him.
His own scientific knowledge Will be
appealed TO in the end and his own
skill and technique will eventually be
utilized.
ITO secure cooperation between the
public health nurse and the doctor
there must be common understanding
Of respective functions and aims and
mutual confidence in each others integ
rlty Of purpose. IL the physicians do
not understa nd the function Of the
nurse in the community it is the duty
Of the nurse to educate them as TO the
public health program in her commu
nifty"
1T is next necessary that the nurse
should he scrupulously careful to
carry out her program with due con-
sheraton as to the rights of the
medical man. Then the physician
must recognize the place of the nurse
in the public health program in the
community and his duty with refer
ence to the same. AS a physician he
should be loyal to the great ideals
Of preventative medicine. AS a citi-
zen he has an obligation in common
with all other citizens to further the
best interests of the community in
which he lives"