Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1923-08-17

The public health campaign Of the
present day is becoming more and more
clearly an educational movement dom
mated by the motive Of improving The
hygienic conduct Of Individual life,
through the aid Of preventative, adj
visory medical service.
In teaching the individual the prln-
ciples OF healthy living, especially in
the schools, and 10 bringing the indi
vidual into timely contact with the
medical men OF the county, the public
health nurse stands today, not as an
experiment but a reality, as the most
useful agent at our disposal.
So we'll has this been realized in
Maryland, thai every county In the
State with the exception Of the three
lower counties OF Southern Maryland,
have employed from one to i've public
health nurses, In this effort to provide
a scientific and widespread education
in the prevention OF disease.
The public health nurse Is an essen
tial agent for the performance OF the
following functions
1-AcUrE CONFERENCE.-The DISEASES.
Home visitation to such cases. by
permission Of the attending physician
or request of the family, for the pur-
pose OF systematic instruction OF at
tendants in carrying out the directions
Of the doctor in regard to diet, proper
methods OF isolation and bedside dis
injection. Taking OF cultures and pre-
liminary examination Of contacts, es-
pecially in diptheria cases, with in
struction in the common sense and val
ne OF vaccine and serum therapy.
2-TUBERcULosIs.
Systematic visitation OF all active
cases, endeavoring to bring all con
facts and suspicious cases TO the atten-
tIon of q medical man, and instruction
of patients in their home care, where
unwilling to go to sanitorium.
3-scHooL WORK.
Weighing and measuring children,
testing eyesight and hearing, ezamin-
ing throats. for the purpose OF sending
cases OF enlarged tonsils or adenoids
to the family physician for treatment.
Following up the eyc cases, to urge
parents to send the child 70 a compe-
tent eye specialist to be measured for
glasses, instead of depending upon the
travelling faker to supply them.
Creating health centers in schools,
with half hour talks at intervals to
parents, teachers and scholars, up
on matters of every day Importance 10
creating and maintaining healthy
body.
4-CoMMUNITY WORK.
Organization OF classes OF women
for instruction in first aid and bedside
thermometer, giving Of baths, bed ma
king. to prepare them for taking proper
care of sick person until the doctor
can be called. or to act as nurses If
trained nurse cannot be obtained.
In county as large as Charles, the
above mentioned program would ubil-
ize a large proportion OF the nurses
time, for which reason it may be we'll
to state as clearly as possible some Of
the things public health nurse cannot
be expected to do.
She could not be expected to do ac-
tual bedside nursing. Her time and
duty would have to be conferred upon
helpful instruction to one or more at.
PENDANTS along the lines mentioned
under Community Work.
She could not be expected to nurse
in maternity cases, but she would be
available, If the mother so desired, to
instruct an attendant how to care for
the new born baby and how to prepare
the proper food for the mother until
she was able TO be on her feet again.
In other words. the public health
nurse is simply an educative agent,
able and willing to supplement- the
doctors directions by visits to see
that such directions are properly car
ried out.
She would also haye knowledge of
where and how to obtain proper sup
plies for the sick room, especially for
INDECENT persons unable to purchase
them, and give instructions for their
use.
The State Department of Health has
been able to place public health nurse
in Charles county for limited time
and Tor specific purpose. Her work
has been appreciated by all those with
whom she has come in contact, and to
them at least, she has demonstrated in
a practical manner, the benefits to be
derived from a continuation of her
services.
A budget Of about So, 900 per annum
is needed for this purpose. The State
Department of Health, through its Blu
reau OF Child Hygiene, will contribute
$500 OF this amount, leaving total Of
81, 500 to be raised BY public subscripA
tion.
The question now arises, does
Charles county want public health
nurse 1t has seemed to some of us
that this question can best be answered
by calling public meetings in the near
future, one for white, the other for col
ored citizens of the county, at which
the matter can be discussed and if con
sidered favorably, volunteer commit
tees could be appointed to solicit sub
scriptions for each election district,
these committees to report at later
meeting. With the required funds in
hand. the State Department of Health
will supply the nurse.