A NEW EXTENSION OF VISITING NURSING

Abstract

AMONG the many definite and vast projects which have been operating for the betterment of humanity in this first decade of the twentieth century, there is none which commands more serious and respectful attention of all thinking people than the varied efforts to promote health by improving all conditions that conduce thereto. Both the organizations and their activities differ widely, ranging as they do from national, state, and municipal agencies to philanthropic and educational organizations, both public and private. Some are concentrating all their power upon one problem, while others have laid out a more comprehensive though not necessarily more effective plan. A comparatively recent incident in this universal movement for physical regeneration is the discussion which took place last spring at the meeting of the Association of Insurance Presidents, and later took practical form in some of the companies represented there. Quoting from a letter written by one of the officials of that association to the Committee of Hundred: One large company is mailing to its millions of policy-holders pamphlets dealing with the prevention and cure of consmnption. Another company is conducting a campaign of education for improving the sources of our milk supply. A third has established a Health Bureau, which, among other things, will arrange for periodical examination of policy-holders. No mention has been made in this connection of an experiment now in process by one of these companies which is to give nursing care to its sick policy-holders of the industrial department as an additional benefit attached to their policies. The suggestion of the nursing service came originally from Miss Wald, head worker of the Nurses' Settlement, New York City, to Dr. Lee K. Frankel, manager of the industrial department of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. She saw in it a very great opportunity for extending the service of district nursing, thereby bringing the nurse to numerous people who might not otherwise apply. Inasmuch as visiting nursing is educational, and therefore preventive as well as curative, the nurse's work in the homes of the people does undoubtedly reduce mortality, control infection, speed convalescence, and send the wage236