Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20
RED CROSS W|DENS
RURAL ACTIVITIES
New Policy Adopted to Meet
Vital Medical Need, Says
Annual Report.

Showing a lack of medical facilities
In rural United States, which has caused
the adoption of a new policy by the Red
Cross in an effort to meet the vital
need thus created, and indicating in
general a material increase in the pub
lie health service and life-saving acttvi-
ties of the Red Cross, the annual report
of the organization is made public to-
day through James L. Fieser, vice
chairman.
The vital need in at least As per cent
of the counties of the United States
for public health work has caused the
change in policy, he announced.
Formerly, it was explained, Red Cross
public health nursing was for demon
stration purposes to interest municipah-
ties or communities in providing this
care for citizens. During the past year
the Red Cross Public Health Nursing
Service has been organized to remain
permanently in this field, with particu-
lar attention to extending nursing care
in rural communities.
Doctors Becoming Fewer.
Mr.. Fieser stated that surveys show
approximately As per cent of all coun-
munity use, that the supply of doctors
is steadily decreasing in rural areas and
that there are probably at least 1000
counties without any public health
nursing
Red Cross chapters now have 766
public health nurses in active service
and during the past year the national
organization and its chapters expended
$747,477 TOR this work
1T may be worth while recording the
principal activities of the nurses at the
present stage of our work." Mr.. Fieser
said. School nursing on a county wide
basis still remains the primary activity
in a great ma jority of the Middle West
ern and Far Western States, while Wis
iting nursing holds first place in the
town services in the Eastern States
Among the lesser activities, two stand
out in particular. The slogan to free
our children from diphtheria has been
spread all over the Nation by State
health departments and many Red
Cross nurses have had much to do with
the actual work of getting the children
immuniZed.
Summer Work Cited.
Another activity is the Summer
roundup; everywhere our nurses have
joined with the authorities in making
physically At as many as possible Of
the younger children before their entry
into school.
"A small beginning has been made
in hourly nursing and maternity service
by few Of our chapters, and we lend
every encouragement to growth of this
work" Total enrolment of nurses is
9,153.
Mr.. Fieser also called attention to
two other vital public services main
tanned by the Red Cross. These are
the home hygiene and care of the sick
instruction courses, in which 1851
nurses were engaged in the past year,
and the nutrition service. Nutritionists
conducted 4,739 classes during the year,
teaching better food habits and COM
batting such ailments as pellagra. The
home hygiene instructors gave 1924
certificates to adults and minors who
were trained in this course, making a
total of 543,337 persons who have
graduated since 1914.
Life Saving Service.
The Red Cross and life saving and
first aid courses. which have been
familiar to the public since their in
auguration in 1910, reached q greater
number Of persons this past year than
in any former year. The life savers
entitled to wear the insignia of the Red
Cross, showing they are trained in
resuscitation and other means of life
saving, now number 22O, 404. The first
aid advanced courses have graduated
$50, 491 persons.
Mr.. Fieser pointed out that the pur-
pose of these two courses Is to teach
instructors, in order that they, in turn,
may hold classes.
They are all supported by the annual
roll call for members in the Red Cross,
which is held from Armistice day to
Thanksgiving day." he said.