Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1922-11-03

'eiio\'h. All dIIlDulitOTN ucntaI
clinic is in operation. \ pavilion IS
by 80 feet has been added to the
! Community House for the care of
undcrnOuriShcd children. This was
built by the Grcenbricr County Wo-
mans Association which OWNS the
Community House and which alb
sorbed the former civic league of
Lewisburg. The tuberculosis Christ
mas seal fund was also used in build
ing the pavilion. Its equipment is
furnished by the Red Cross while
its management is entirely under
the direction of Miss Mellichamp.
One day out of each week is given
over to operations on children of
the county. The different doctors
of the county perform these opera
tions. The following is only a small
part of the work of the county
health nurse in 1920: Ninecy-one
patients given bedside care; 81
visits made to homes for social ser
vice work, for informing parents
about removable physical defects
found in children ut school and for
giving instruction in nursing care;
-NiSS lIdS uleSScu
groups, held 10 office Conferences be-
sides many Informal conferences
not recorded, and delivered 40 lee
lures on oral hygiene; seven days
given over to dental clinics in the
different districts Of the county;
and % children and four adults
were treated. The office value of
the work done was S148.S5, while
the amount collected was $685., 50
most Of the work was free of charge.
| The cooperation of both Doctors
and Dentists has been splendid. Out
of 1858 children examined, 1905
were found TO have defective teeth;
1448 with removable physical de-
fccts; Gal with enlarged tonSilS and
nasal distractions; 65 with dcfcc-
tive visions; 100 with maInnlrition;
81 with thyroid enlargement.
Miss Mcllichanlp has organized
the first parent teachers association
in Greenbrier County, and several
Junior Red Cross organizations. She
has given lectures on oral hygiene
with dental drills, distributed liter
ature on the care of the teeth and
the proper feeding Of children. She
has made five bedside calls. giving
prenatal and postnatal care. 4 gen.
eral sanitary survey Of every home
in the county has beenstartcd and
advice given along lines of santa
ton and drainage.
A number Of school teachers in
the county have a limited concep-
ltion of health education and for
this and other reasons Miss Mclli-
Champ contcmplateS organizing
parent teachers associations in each
school, with the hope that such an
organization will give impetus to
needed educational reforms, includ-
ing consolidation of schools,
kcener appreciation of health in
struction, supervised recreation,
the early correction of physical de-
fects and clearer understanding
Of the health officers work and
plans.
In order to accomplish the above
Miss Mellichamp travelled in an
engine cab II miles, an open hand
car 20 miles, by horse and buggy
50 miles, by train 234 miles and in
her car approximately 1000 miles
exclusive Of trips made out of the
county.
These are only some Of the things
our public health nurse has done
and when you take into cOnsidcra-
ton that Greenbricr county is large
rural, with an area of 900 miles,
with 269 schools and a population
of more than 10000 and that from
November until April the roads arc
almost impossible so that . car cam
not be used except on the % mile
of hard road in the county, her ac-
accomplishments have been splendid.
Miss Mcllichamp is not satisfied
with her present work and is am
bilious for still greater activities.
She is always building air castles
for service in Il larger and more
useful way. Surely one who is SO
full Of enthusiasm for the better
lment of our childrcn'S health should
have the cooperation Of every citi-
zen of the county. =
was startled when ! read d few
days ago That q committcc represent
ing our two largest educational ana
health associations reported that
lover half of the children of this
country arc attending rural schools
and said that the country school,
house is the worst. the most unSani-
tary and inadequate type Of build
ing i'm the whole country, including
not only buildings for human be-
ings but also those used for domcS-
tic animals. Rural school chileiven
arc less healthy and arc handicar=
ped by more physical defects than
are the children Of the cities, in