No Doubt a County Health Nurse Earns Her Pay, May 5, 1925

How a County Health Nurse Is Needed

Monroe Enquirer

The Enquirer a little more than a year ago published the following, and since that time has had no occasion to change its sentiment:

When I heard that the office of County Health Nurse, of which Miss Katherine Farmers is general manager, secretary, field agent, doctor and trained nurse for the past two years, was to be discontinued, the idea occurred to me that here is where Monroe and Union county are going to save some money—maybe as much as $1,000 or $2,000 a year—yes, sir—save it by not spending it.

On the other hand, I began considering what it might not cost us to do without the wonderfully good service a good health nurse might render the children and the children’s mothers.

In Union county there are almost 13,000 children of school age. These or the large majority, have within the past year received health talks—how to care for the teeth, the advantages of sanitation and personal cleanliness and how to avoid contagious diseases—something many of them will remember and practice so long as they live. The children’s mothers, too, receive much good advice—all costing a mere pittance considering the number benefited and the cost to each individual. The Red Cross money, apparently, which we more or less reluctantly give, goes to other fields to help others. Our own folks may shift for themselves.

Now, folks, sometimes I come to the conclusion that we are either a lot of fools or just plain or garden variety of boobs. We will donate thousands of dollars to hospitals and sanitoriums to cure ourselves after we get sick, but we are unwilling to pay a nickel to learn how to keep well—not to be at the mercy of the physician’s or surgeon’s knife.

Some day—in the sweet bye and bye—it’s going to be a reflection on a man’s or a woman’s intelligence when they become ill. Our Lord and Master never intended us to be down and out—it’s the devil’s doin’s. Right now a farmer is not considered a good husbandman if he does not know how to prepare a balanced ration for his horse. Old Bossy must have so much of mill feed, roughage and green stuff to keep her fit and give milk to sell. The hog raiser knows how to feed his pigs, keep them in fine condition and at the same time put on a pound and a half of flesh each day.

“Oh!” but you will say, “our horses, cows and pigs are animals.”

You’re right, and therefor many of us know better how to care for livestock than for the family in the home, be it in town or country. Some day, too, we’ll learn of the healthier chine, and pay our doctor to keep us well and fit, cutting off his fees when we become sick and unable to pay him.

From page 4 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Tuesday, May 5, 1925

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1925-05-05/ed-1/seq-4/