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Influenza Encyclopedia

ï~~ NATIO AL OFFICERS NATIONAL WOODRO SON RED CROSS WAR COUNCIL PRESIDENT BY APPOINTMENT OF THE PRESIDEN ROBERT W FOREST OF THE UNITED STATES VICE-PRESIDENT JOHN SKELTON WILLIAMS TREASURER THE AMERICAN RED CROSS HENRY P. DAVISON, CHAIRMAN JOHN W. DAVIS JOHN D. RYAN COUNSELOR CORNELIUS N. BLISS. JR. STOCKTON AXSON C. D. STIMSON, MANAGER GEORGE B. CASE --- SECRETARY NORTHWESTERN DIVISION HARVEY D. GIBSON WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT SEATTLI-E, WASH INGTO N CHAIRMAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE E EX-OFFICIO ELIOT WADSWORTH HARVEY D. GIBONVICE-CHAIRMAN ELIOT WADSWORTH GENERAL MANAGER October 29, 1918. N.W. 52 To the Chairman of the Chapter and Chapter Comnttee on Influenza: Reports received indicate magnificent cooperation by the Chapter with local health authorities in 'ractically every community seriously affected. This letter should be read in connection with l@! 48, 49 and 50, - bearing con stantly in mind that the primary responsibility is upon the local health authorities but that the Red Cross is obligated to supplement the resources of local health authorities as to supplies and nursing personnel, whenever prompt action is otherwise impossible. Appeal for Division assistance should be made only as a 1 ast resort and should always be made through the local or county health officer to the State Board of Health. He1 to Families Chapter committees on influenza should be alert and resourceful to render locally any variety of useful service turgently needed and not provided for by other agencies, - always with the approval of the local health officer. For example, some chapters have fouad it advisable and necessary to prepare suit able hot cooked. food. for families deprived by influenza cases in the family of the means of serving themselves; to distribute this food by motor service to homes where it is needed; to send volunteer hosekeepers and caretakers for children to homes where such help i s noede be cause of influenza; to establish and main tain a Red Cross office wher thusne wishing to volunteer as nurses aids anid. as emergency housekeepers can repoQ t and. receive orders; and to seek constantly suggestions from competent nur sing and medical author ities for needed service. The use of commnon sense, applied in the Red Cross spirit to problems arising, will guide the chapter aright in the exercise of the authority and discretion granted in the several letters from the Division Office on the subject of influenza. Use of Nurses Naturally the need for nurse s is greater than can po ssibly be met exccept by the utmost conservation of nursing resources. Graduate nurses should be used to oversee undergraduates; cases should be "specialed" only when abso lutely necessary; where conditions are acute cases should be concentrated in ho spit als rather than cared f or in scat tered pr ivatea home s. The name and address of every nurse, graduate and practical, who is available for service outside the C hapter jurisdiction should be reported at once to Miss I y S. Loomis, R.N. Director Department of Nursing, Northvestorn Division, White Building, Seattle. S3AIHO V 1VNO~LVN 3H1 LV Gj0flGbdd 3 0

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Published: Ann Arbor, Michigan: Michigan Publishing, University Library, University of Michigan.

Courtesy of: 803.08 Epidemics, Influenza, Reports and Statistics, Northwest Division, 688, NARA, Washington, District of Columbia

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