Evening star., 1931-05-05
Measles Get Prompt Care

BY GRETCHEN SMITH.

The May rain, pent up for months,
burst with fury upon Capital streets.
Two blue-coated young women, bear
ing upon their sleeves the insignia i.
v. N. S." hesitated at the threshold OF
the entrance to The Star Building as
;; they looked up at the dripping SKIES.
Perfect weather for flowers and
measles" remarked Miss T to her
companion.
Yes" was the reply. "And this cold
today isn't the best cure for the after
math of measles. either It's going to be
hard on one of my little pneumonia
patients Had measles first. Family
said: oh. it's just measles. He's got
to have measles some day: might as
well have 1t now He was not given
much attention, guess. either during
or after measles, and now he's critically
i'll, poor little fellow Having ear
trouble, too"
Careless Treatment Given.
ITS TOO bad" Miss T replied.
IF only mothers realized the serious
results of careless treatment of measles!
Well. I must hurry. New call in the
Southeast"
The women parted, Miss T board
ing an east-bound car. She was obliged
to walk several blocks in the pouring
rain after leaving the car before she
reached the dilapidated house bearing
the number for which she was looking
The face of little girl or years
old was pressed against window pane,
apparently watching for the arrival of
the nurse. She ran to the door, and as
she opened it exclaimed eagerly:
Come in, pleased Daisy's awful sick
and mammals so worried"
Miss T was led through q cold
damp hall to a room in the rear of the
house. A shabbily- dressed, kind faced
woman arose from the side of a bed in
which lay a girl of IL, her face flushed
and spotted her eyes unnaturally bright.
A fire burned in wood stove and the
room was hot and stuffy.
1t was not long before the nurse had
learned another sad story of trouble and
poverty from the mother, Mrs. S..
Nurse Reassures Mother.
Her husband was dead. For three
years she had been trying to support
her family on a salary Of $50 a month
Daisy, the sick girl, did most Of the
housework and the cooking for the fam
ily, while the mother started to work
at z o'clock in the morning. Daisy's
housework was done before and after
school, and her illness had brought the
family daily program, as well as the
mothers means Of q livelihood, to
standstill.
Miss T treasured the mother
promising to speak to her employer
She then turned to the sick girl, whose
rapid pulse and high temperature sig
nifled her illness was serious.
The mother was advised to send for
a city doctor, and pending his arrival
the nurse busted herself making the
patient more comfortable, opening the
rxyiVa 6Rr1T RvH I11 frlr atN
and prevailing upon the mother to keep
the little sister in another room from
Daisy.
Having done all that was possible at
the time, she left. promising to return
after the doctors visit.
A communication with the medical
man later diagnosed Daisy's case as
measles.
Employer Saves Position.
Miss T got in touch with the
mothers employer. It was pointed out
that whereas measles did not neces-
state quarantine for the entire family,
1t would be better for the child to have
her mother with her. The employer
kindly agreed to give the mother back
her position after Daisy recovered from
her illness.
Then Miss T called the Associ-
ated Charities. Would they send food?
The larder In the s. home was as
bare as Mother Hubbard's cupboard.
After that Miss T-'s real work be-
gan. Daisy's attack was aggravated by
her undernourished condition. The
mother was willing to help, but woe
fully ignorant of the first laws of hy-
giene. Relieved at the knowledge she
would not lose her work, provided with
daily meals by interested friends, she
followed out the helpful instructions Of
the nurse.
Her scanty supply Of bed linen was
Kept clean. Wholesome broths and
nourishing milk dishes were prepared,
under the guidance of Miss T.. The
rooms were well ventilated and the
mother and Mary slept in a room sep
arate from Daisy.
When the sick child was convalescing,
Miss t drew the mother to one side.
Other Patients Described.
you are going back to your work.
now" Mrs s. she said. But don't
Is a serious time for those who have had
measles. Many real ills result from
measles II patients do not have the
proper care when they are recovering"
Miss T. told the mother Of some of
her other patients. The little boy who
must undergo a serious mastoid opera
ton, the girl with weakened eyes, who
would suffer all her life, and the little
pneumonia patient who was not ex-
pected to live; all, children who had
contracted measles and had been care
lessly nursed during their illness.
Don't let her take cold" cautioned
the nurse. Don't let her strain her
eyes-don't Let her get her feet wet"
These, and many other bits of advice,
were given by the Instructive Visiting
Nurse to Mrs. s. who expressed sur
prise that measles could be so mean"
Il guess that's why my eyes are 80
weak" she remarked TO Miss T.. NO
body paid no attention to us when we
had measles"
When Daisy recovered from measles,
she looked pale and undernourished and
coughed badly.
Miss T. arranged to have Daisy
40 fn4n I,lIl %1fh