Evening star., 1952-11-30
Sister Kenny Dies
Peacefully al Home
In Australia al 66
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1hu BOWSub WbuW NJ Wv
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no sign of paralysis. They awaited
outside the Kenny house for the
final bulletin announcing the
death of the nurse who had min
tstered to them.
Honors had been heaped upon
her by organizations and univer-
stiles all over the world.
Yet in Australia her work had
had little publicity. Her Journeys
to and from foreign lands to teach
her nursing methods and her last
critical illness were not 'front.'
page news here.
Chose Vocation Over Romance.
Sister Kenny took up nursing
at Is when she graduated from
college. She once planned to be
a missionary in India. But she
soon found her duty was in
Queensland.
She never married. In her
autobiography she said she was
once engaged to a man she iden-
titled only as Dan. Soon after
her graduation the couple were
starting out for a dance when
a boy on horseback brought word
the pretty nurse in the white dress
with blue sash was needed to at
tend woman in childbirth.
You'll have to decide now"
Dan said. whether you are to
be married to me or to your vo-
cation"
Tears flooding her eyes, Sister
Kenny told the messenger boy:
III have to change my dress"
Controversial Figure.
Sister Kenny. one of the most
controversial figures in recent
medical history, tangled often with
top physicians over the merits of
her method of treating infantile
paralysis.
The controversy was sharp
among doctors themselves. Some
heralded her treatment as boon
to the medical profession. Others
questioned the value of her meth
cd. Some said it had been out
lined by predecessors to Sister
Kenny years before
Sister "a British appellation for
nurses) Kenny was born Elizabeth
Kenny September 90 1886, at
Warrialda, New South Wales,
Australia.
When she took up nursing. 1t
was merely incidental to her
chosen career as a missionary ia
India. A physician friend had
suggested a knowledge of nursing
would be helpful But she made
1t her life's work after discovering
the needs of the husband people
Of her native Australia.
Miss Kenny was % when she
encountered her first case Of in !
fantile paralysis. The 2-year-oldI
victim was contorted in pain. The
young nurse rode several miles onl
horseback to send a telegram asks
ing advice. The reply diagnosed
the ailment and suggested that
she do the best you can with the
symptoms presenting themselves" u
Used Hot Packs.
She tried warm salt in a bag,
then linseed poultice in an effort
to relieve the pain. No relief
came. Miss Kenny was a big
woman. She seized an Australian
wool blanket and tore it to strips.
She wrung out the strips in boil
ing water and wrapped them
around the painful parts.
The child recovered without de- /.
formities. More than 40 years
after that case, Miss Kenny was
still using similar thick hot packs.
She never claimed a cure for
1nfantile paralysis. She did claim
and medical reports backed her
up-that with her treatment
those who recovered escaped
twisted limbs OF bodies and were
straight, with joints that could
move normally.
Some of them had Shrunken or
partially shrunken muscles, how
ever She claimed also that more
children recovered under her
treatment, although some medical
authorities challenged that.
Receives Many HonorS.
But there were awards for her
work. She received the gold key
of the American Council of
Physical Therapy, the bronze
plaque of the minnesota Public
= Health Associ ION. and many
other honors. Including these
honorary degree
Doctor of SC. nee from the
University Of RI hester. doctor
of humane letters iom New York
University and master of arts
from Rutgers University.
On a trip to England she was
presented to the King and Queen.
In 1949 she was honored in Con-
gress in a resolution which al
lowed her to come into the United