ing for the bacteriological examination of sputum from suspected cases, for diagnostic purposes, and for the detection of possible meat infection. In 1903, a law was enacted prohibiting spitting on sidewalks and other public places.

In 1905, the New Hampshire State Sanatorium, for the treatment of tuberculosis cases, was created; also, an act was passed requiring that every death from pulmonary consumption, and every removal of a tuberculosis patient, should be reported to the local board of healthin order that the premises may be disinfected.

THE RED CROSS MEMORIAL NEWSPAPER COMMENT

news to

New York Tribune, Dec. 12.

In a double sense it is welcome the nation that private munificence has so complemented public appropriation as to provide for the immediate erection at Washington of a splendid and commodious building which shall be at once a memorial to the women heroes of the Civil War and a working headquarters for the American Red Cross. It would be difficult to name two causes which more strongly appeal at once to sentiment and to practical humanity.

The story of woman's devotion and heroism and practical service in the Civil War can never be overtold. It does not matter whether it was an original inspiration or was incited by the example of Florence Nightingale. The fact is that the mission of womanhood in those four years, at home, in the hospital, in the camp and on the very field of battle, was beautiful and beneficent beyond all exaggeration. It amply deserves a memorial second to no other of all that stirring epoch.

It is fitting, too, that such a memorial should take the practical form of an institution for the promotion of a work which is largely a continuation and an expansion of that same serv

Buffalo (N. Y.) Times, Dec. 14.

At this time, when the sale of Red Cross stamps in every city is both a reminder of the multifold and beneficial activities of the Red Cross organization and a practical means to further a great cause of benevolence, there is especial appositeness in the tidings that the American Red Cross is soon to be the possessor of a building in the city of Washington which shall serve as a working headquarters of the society and a memorial to heroines of the Civil War.

The work of erecting the building is to be begun immediately. Public munificence and private liberality have united in assisting the enterprise.

Never will money be more worthily expended than that which shall contribute to the end in view.

The national Red Cross edifice will be a noble structure, architecturally beautiful and amply commodious for the purposes for which it is designed.

But of far more importance than

the adornment it will be to Washington is its practical significance in centralizing the work of the Red Cross-in giving it a home which shall make the dignity of its environment commensurate with the excellence of its purposes; a headquarters which shall focalize public attention on the Red Cross at all times, but especially in those of extreme urgency, when cyclones, floods, epidemies, fires, marine and land disasters of exceptional magnitude, shall make co-operation of the nation with the Red Cross a matter of paramount necessity.

Boston (Mass.) Post, Dec. 14.

It is practically assured that the project of a memorial building in Washington in honor of the women of the Civil War will be brought to satisfactory completion. The appropriation by Congress of $400,000 was conditional upon the contribution of $300.000 outside. This amount has been raised, and nothing should stand in the way of a speedy erection of the building.

The headquarters of the Red Cross are to be located there. It is a highly appropriate association of historic devotion and immediate philanthropy. This home for the Red Cross will give to that admirable organization a more distinct and definite entity. Undoubtedly it will serve to inspire yet more generous support for an institution which holds a unique place in our social system.

Jersey City (N. J) Journal, Dec. 14.

President Wilson on Wednesday announced the completion of the $300,000 subscription to make the $400,000 Government donation available for the construction of a memorial building in honor of the women of the Civil War.

This building will be the national headquarters of the Red Cross. Even though war may be abolished, the work of the Red Cross will never cease, because its aid is needed and given in every disaster involving human suffering.

Bangor (Me.) Commercial, Dec. 15

Washington will in the future be the headquarters of the Red Cross Society, the gratifying announcement having been made that the subscriplion fund of $300,000 that is necessary to make available the $400,000 appropriated, conditionally, by Congress for a permanent Red Cross building at the National Capital has been secured. The work will be at once begun and rapidly pushed to completion. The fund is guaranteed by Mrs. Russell Sage, The Rockefeller Foundation, Mrs. E H. Harriman and James A. Scrymser, while special endowment funds have been subscribed by other persons of wealth. The magnificent work of the Red Cross has resulted in the confidence of the public being given to the organization, as is shown every time that public assistance is asked.

Washington (D. C.) Star, Dec. 13.

In the designing and placing of the new Red Cross building, funds for which are now assured by a meeting of the Congressional conditions of appropriation, consideration should, and probably will, be had for its virtually official character. It should fit into the general scheme of public buildings and it should harmonize with them in external appearance. The latter point is assured by the stipulation that plans must be ap

proved by the Fine Arts Commission. and it is not to be doubted that the officials designated to supervise the construction will approve only such a site as will insure harmony of emplacement.

An interesting point is raised in connection with the site that it should be sufficiently large to admit of extensions in case of great emergency, such as a war. While it is, of course, to be hoped that no such emergency will arise, nevertheless the contingency should be kept in mind. If this country should become engaged in a struggle with another, the Red Cross would be one of the most efficient agencies of useful

work. It would probably be the national nursing organization, of course in conjunction with the medical departments of the army and the navy. This would entail the develop ment of the headquarters, and additional space would be required.

But it is a mistake to suppose that the Red Cross depends as an organization for its chief activities upon a disaster, an epidemic or a war. It is working all the time, constructively, preventively, giving the American people an incalculable benefit in the form of instruction and training.

The administrative work connected with this educational propaganda is large and grows steadily as the funds of the organization are enlarged and its usefulness is correspondingly increased. If the present movement for the endowment of the Red Cross to assure it of a stable maintenance fund succeeds, it will go into the new home equipped to carry on an invaluable health-promoting service, efficiently co-operating with the exclusive governmental agencies and with the various State and municipal official safeguards.

Mrs. Whitelaw Reid, long identified with various nursing interests in this country and abroad, is the present Chairman of the Committee on Town and Country Nursing. At a recent meeting of this committee it was agreed to include as members representatives of three national organizations of nurses, namely, the American Nurses' Association, the National League for Nursing Education, and the National Organization for Public Health Nursing.

The committee, as now constituted, is as follows:

Mrs. Whitelaw Reid, Chairman.

Miss Jane A. Delano, Chairman National Committee on American Red Cross Nursing Service, Vice Chair

man.

Miss Mabel T. Boardman, Chairman American Red Cross National Relief Board.

Miss Lillian D. Wald, Henry Street Settlement, New York.

Mrs. William K. Draper, Member National Relief Board, American Red Cross.

Miss Annie W. Goodrich, Inspector of Training Schools, New York State. Mr. John M. Glenn, Director Russell Sage Foundation.

Mr. Wickliffe Rose, Administrative Secretary the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission.

Dr. Winford Smith, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Md.

Dr. J. W. Schereschewsky, United States Public Health Service.

Miss Mathold Krueger, Representing the American Nurses' Association.

Miss M. Adelaide Nutting, Representing the National League for Nursing Education.

Miss Ella Phillips Crandall, Representing the National Organization for Public Health Nursing.

Miss Edna L. Foley, Superintendent of Visiting Nurses of Chicago.

Professor Thomas Nixon Carver, Director of Rural Organization Service, Department of Agriculture.

Mrs. Larz Anderson.
Mrs. Willard Straight.

INSTRUCTION

In order that the equipment necessary for the visiting nurse in rural districts and small towns of the country may be more advantageously studied and facilities for such preparation may become more adequate and more generally available to nurses in various sections of the United States who may wish to qualify for this work, a sub-committee on education has just been appointed by the Committee on Town and Country Nursing. Too much cannot be said in behalf of the institution of such courses of instruction as will equip nurses to meet the broad demands of public health nursing. A wonderful opportunity is theirs, and the extent to which they may fill the important place now open to them will depend largely upon the degree to which they are prepared for the work. With several organizations at present interested in education for public health nursing, it is to be hoped that more opportunities for this may soon develop, and that the nurses who wish to enter this field will realize the necessity of a thorough preparation to meet the varied needs of the smaller communities and will make every effort to obtain the best instruction available.

MR. SCHIFF'S REMARKS

At the recent annual meeting of the Red Cross, Mr. Jacob H. Schiff, in a brief address, referred to the time to come when a world peace would prevail and the services of Red Cross nurses in time of war would no longer be necessary. He spoke of the time when advancement through scientific investigations and the inventions of more methods to promote safety and prevent recurrence of

disaster would lessen the consequent need for nursing as a measure of emergency relief. In the process of a nation's growth new needs constantly evolve, and one which is fast developing concerns good health, and to meet which the visiting nurse is destined to play a most important role. Whereas, the call for war and emergency relief in course of time may grow less, the Red Cross nurse now enrolled for a continuous work in time of peace finds a rapidly increasing demand for her services as a visiting nurse. Care for the sick and suffering in the scattered and neglected areas of this country will help to bring about measures that, adding to the welfare of the individual, may increase the glory of the nation. Mr. Schiff spoke of what a wonderful thing it would be if the visiting nurse could be found in every community, even the most isolated within our boundaries, and sala that he looked expectantly to the time when this would be a reality.

Each

The organization of the Town and Country Nursing Service of the Red Cross was made possible by the generosity of Mr. Schiff. What could bear stronger testimony to his belief in a national need for that which such a Service is destined to accomplish? Certainly there are few communities, whether mining or agricultural, or engaged in other industrial pursuits, or simply residential, where there is not some work to be done by the visiting nurse. locality presents its own problems, which often call for a nurse equipped with special training or experience. Location, climate, nationality, occupation, heredity, habits and customs and numerous influences due to natural or other causes enter in to create varying health situations, some of which, peculiar to certain sections, may vary diversely from those to be found even in contiguous country. It would be difficult to select any one section of the country and say here the visiting nurse is needed above all other places. After listening to a recital of the health situation in the Southern mountains and the conse