Evening star., 1937-01-07
PUBLIC NURSING
FACES FUND CRISIS
|. v. N. S. Appeals to Chest
to Increase Allotment for
Carrying On.

Facing a serious emergency due to
the reduction Of its funds for public
nursing service, in the face of the
great local population increases OF the
last few years, the Instructive Visiting
Nurse Society has appealed to the
Community Chest for . reconsidera-
ton Of its 1897 allotment, 1t was an
nounced today.
The Executive Committee Of the So
ciety, at an emergency meeting held
yesterday. drafted IN appeal to Thom-
as Morgan, jr, chairman Of the Budget
Committee Of the Chest, for . recon-
alteration Of the needs Of the society
and for IN opportunity for . rehear-
ing. It was pointed out that there are
reserve funds available In the Com
munity Chest.
Yesterdays emergency meeting, held
In the headquarters ONCE in the Albee
Building, was called Ito consider ways
and means Of carrying on the work Of
the organization under q crisis pre-
cipitated by curtailment Of its expense
budget for 1887" 1t was announced.
Mrs John w. Davidge, second vice
president, presided.
All Not Provided For.
II was pointed out that only 81
field nurses are provided for under the
1887 budget, whereas the Community
Chest approved an expense budget for
81 nurses five years ago. The STAN
reached its maximum OF "a nurses IN
1895.
The Community Chest curtailed the
expense budget Of the Visiting Nurse
Society in 1896 when the public assist
ahce division Of the Board Of Public
Welfare stopped payments for nursing
care for patients on the relief rolls,
1t was explained. The shortage was
made up by q donation from an un-
named supporter of the society, who
provided funds for the maintenance
Of six nurses during that year. The
visiting nurses gave care to 26,20S pa
tients and made 168,647 visits In 1886,
it was reported. The six nurses sup
ported by the philanthropy Of one
donor made $1,000 visits.
It was pointed out by Mrs. Emory
s. Land that the decrease In the size
of the nursing stan has taken place
in spite of steady growth in popula-
ton during the last five years and In
spite Of q warning by the District
health officer that there Is grave need
for additional public health nurses.
DR.. Rutland, Mrs. Land said, has
stated frequently at public meetings
there Is great need for additional
nurses both in the ofncial agency, the
Health Department, and in the pri-
vate agency. the Visiting Nurse So.
ciety.
Mrs. Davidge deplored the fact that
the sick and INDECENT patients OF the
District could not receive adequate
stan.
Many New Cases.
Mrs. Charles r. Wilson reported
that new cases totaled 100 on Monday
and 100 on Tuesday Of this week,
many Of them being grippe and pneu-
monia cases. She said she did not
know how the staff could continue to
do good work under the influx of the
new cases, in addition to the heavy
case load Of medical, surgical and ma
ternity cases which the nurses carry
throughout the city.
It was pointed out by Joshua
Evans. jr., treasurer Of the society,
that the kind Of work done by the
society both in actual nursing care Of
the sick and in the protection Of pub
Lie health. through cooperation with
all agencies, Is Of vital importance to
the city. In case Of an epidemic. he
said. the society is the only organ
ization giving bedside care to pa
tients In private homes.
Those present at the emergency
meeting. in addition to Mrs Davidge
and Mr.. Evans. were George Hewitt
Myers, chairman of the Finance Com
mittee: Mrs. Land, Mrs. John J.
O'Connor. Mrs. John M. Sternhagen,
Mrs. Wilson, Charles w. Pimper,
Richard Wilmer and Miss Gertrude
W. Bowling, executive director.