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general storekeeper, upholsterer, almoner, purveyor, Lady Bountiful, head dispenser, and medical comforts shop. A District Nurse can rather less than a hospital nurse be all this. Though, where things are wanting and wanted for recovery, she or her Head knew how and where to apply for them. There are agencies for all these things.
'Upon the written order of the parish doctor, we generally obtain from the workhouse authorities, for those patients whose state requires such nourishment, a supply of meat, brandy, wine, &c., and when we have found a difficulty in obtaining these from the parish authorities, the clergy, district visitors, and charitable missions have supplied us with them, as well as with linen and other necessaries. In some cases the nurses have prepared such nourishment as beef-tea, light puddings, and cooling drinks at the homes of the patients; in others they have been prepared in the Central Home; but usually medical comforts of this kind have been made (as well as given) by the district visitors. In no case has any nurse given anything to the patient beyond the actual nursing rendered them; but if as a nurse I am capable of judging nurses' work, I feel I may fairly say that this service has been of a higher character than that rendered by any other nurses in the kingdom,'—Extract from First Quarterly Report of Miss Florence Lees, Superintendent-General.
One may pretty safely say that, if district nurses begin by giving relief, they will end by doing nothing but giving relief.
Now, it is utter waste to have a highly trained and skilled nurse to do this; without counting the demoralising and pauperising influence on the sick poor, who have too many such influences already.
How often a drinking man will go all to drink, if you support as well as nurse his sick wife, is perhaps little thought of—as also what efforts such a man will make not to drink, when his wife is sick, if you help himself and her; to maintain his independence—and if you make his home by cleanliness and care less intolerable.
