New Britain herald., 1930-02-17
STRESS CITY NEED
 OF HYGIENE CLINIC
Visiting Nurse Committee Sends
 Statement to Council

Information concerning the social hygiene clinic has been transmitted 10 all members of the common coun- cl by special committee of the Visiting Nurse association, al the re- quest Of Alderman David l.. Nair, who has taken a deep interest in the establishment of the clinic in this city. The information was originally sent by the association to Alderman \air, who recommended that copies of the statement be mailed to his associates in the city government. The statement follows:
 At the meeting of the board of directors of the Visiting Nurse asso- rlation on February 1, great inter- est and concern was shown in the delay which has occurred in opening inc New Britain social hygiene clinic. The directors recognized the fact that the board of finance had scncr- ously appropriated 5000 in April, 1929, to be devoted during this fiscal year to the purpose of establishing this particular city clinic.
 'Thcy were also cogniZant Of the fact that because of the delayed opening of the clinic and the appar- ont need to use the 5000 appropria- ton for other purposes, the health board had reduced it's requirements for the social hygiene clinic 10 a minimum
 The board resolved, therefore, to cP the common council to consider with favor the present proposal Of the health board. concerning the social hygiene clinic, and 10 take the nec- rssarv legal action to make their recommendation immediately effec- tive
 "The following points were those considered by the board of directors of the Visiting Nurse association, and l commend these to you for your consideration.
 Attention was called to the need for this type Of clinic in our own community, not because it is so diff icrent from other cities, but because It IS so typically like other communi- lies of its size in which the problems Of Ncnereal disease have been more adequately met. We were led to won der why our city had not developed its medical resources to take care of l's normal physical growth, instead of continuing 10 accept Hartford's aid
 Tn thus particular field, the visiting nurse is often times the first 10 suspect the presence Of Nencrcal disease, because she is a person trained 10 observe symptoms and to secure treatment for the patient ac- rordlng 10 his ability 10 pay a pri- raic doctor or to receive free care,
 Not infrequcntly las the nurse. suspecting Vcncrcal disease. secured Inc necessary tests through trc board of health Of the New Britain hospital, for patients who cannot af- ford to go 10 a doctor. Treatment, however, has been a different ma.- Ter. Except for a few people whom | ihe hospital could take as out pa- 'lcnts. the Hartford Social Hygiene | Clinic has been the nearest place | 10 which such patients could be | sent.
 Regular weekly treatments for a | mother and a family are next 70 impossible where the nearest free | clinic is ten miles away Such d trip means an all day experience, | car fare and lunches to provide. the | loss or time from school to consid- | CT, together with necessary absences | rom treatment because of the frl- | Huent III health of the family. 4 | child known to the Visiting Nurse | Association rot long ago, would | have had to remain untreated, if | he nurse had not found a means | by which he could be transport, sd | 10 Hartford for free treatment. The | Welfare association and their vol | rnteors throughout the community have spent whole mornings taking patients to and from the Hartford ,Nenereal Disease Clinic.
 The patients treated without Dharcc to them, at the Hartford i'linic. arc paid for in part by the city of New Britain, while the medi- cation is provided by the state, as cial hygiene clinic. 13 New Britain patients with Vcnereal disease are at present under care of the Hart ford Social Hygiene Clinic; New Britain patients are under care at the Hartford dispensary; IS patients