The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-16
EXPANSION
Of WORK
IS AIM
Mrs. Herbert Hoover Lauds
Objects of District
Society.
By GEORGE FRANKLIN.


Commerce Hoover, to be doing
one of the greatest works under.
taken in the humanitarian field
in the District of Columbia, and
endorsed by all of the leading
physicians of the city as the most
effective disease preventive edu-
cational agency in the city, the
Instructive Visiting Nurse Society
opened its campaign to secure
100000 needed by the society
for its 1923-1924 budget. This
is the first time since 1921 that
the society has conducted a cam
paign for funds.
Work Is Lau6ed.
Familiar as l am with the
work of the visiting nurses, the
Rreat good accomplished by them
not only in attending the sick. but
IN spreading the doctrine of pre-
vention Of disease by sanitary in
gtructions where such advice is
most needed, I can only say that
the Instructive Visiting Nurse So
ciety desreyse the fullest support
of the citizens Of Washington" was
Mrs. Hover's comment when dis
cussing the campaign opening to-
day.
situation as compared with other
cities when the character OF its
population is studied. Here we
have thousands of Government en-
ployes, many Of whom cannot, when
sick, afford the service Of a nurse,
but who under such circumstances
need it possibly more than any
other class The calls of the visit
ing nurse of the society in such
cases is the most practical solution
to a problem which otherwise seems
unso1yable.
PaFt-Time Service.
''Then we have a large element
In the population in circumstances
which do not permit the employ
ing OF nurse all of the time when
sick. The family income does not
permit it without entaiiing great
prfvations in other directions! To
them the visiting nurse comes as
q blessing. Truly. knowing the
work being accomplished by the
society and realizing how rapidly
the demands are increasing for the
service OF it's nurses, cannot too
strongly endorse the campaign to
raise the 100000 needed to meet
expenses in 1924.
''I do not doubt but the response
to the appeal made by the society
WIN be liberal when the public I'M
derstands that il is being put forth
by e society entirely devoted to
preventing disease and caring for
the stricken. 1t is such a strictly
home, city-wide. activity that the
appeal must be generally felt"
Among organizations doing hu-
name work in the city the society
II accorded a foremost place by
local authorities. Since its or
sanitation twenty-five years ago It
has been instrumental IN providing
professional nurse service IN hun
dreds Of thousands OF cases of III
ness where the victim Of disease
was as much dependent on the
nursing care received a. on the
sections Of the city and is at the
command OF the public seven days
o week.
Saved Grippe Victims.
Health authorities concede that
during the grippe epidemic the So
Mety rendered service unparalleled
by other activities along the SAM
line. During the entire period tho
society did not fan 70 respond to q
single call.
In numerous instances where
whole families were stricken and
where the father, as q result, was
foroed to quit work TO nurse those
at home, the soe4etys nurse step,
ped In and relieved a situation
which otherwise would have de.
veloped into a pitiable tragedy. In
such instances the visiting nurse
virtually carried the hospital into
the home, With the result that
scores Of sufferers recovered who
otherwise would have fallen victims
to the disease, while the bread win.
ner was able to turn to his wokk,
More than 5000 visits to disease
stricken victims were paid by nurses
Of the society during January,
With the present epidemic of
measles making it's demands, the
month Of April promises TO make
a record SURPRISING that of Janu-
airy.
A steady increase In aaiis on
'Ine society mas Deen fAAd9 during
the past year. 1t is now neces.
sary TO enlarge the staff of nurses
and provide other facilities than
than at the command OF tha So
c1ety in carrying Ga its work.
With the expansion of the city
and the growth of population the
work OF the nurses is extending
over an everincreasing area
Motors Are Needed,
The need for motorized equip
ment is keenly felt. The employ
ment OF q number of motor cars
Will cut down operating expenses
while 1t will materially increase the
eIIlciency or the nurse staff by
making 1t possible for each nurse
to Wait q greater number of cases
daily This Is one OF tbs facilities
Observation-Disclosures SSS1SsSsosssoS