The School Nurse. A Survey of the Duties and Responsibilities of the Nurse in the Maintenance of Health and Physical Perfection and the Prevention of Disease Among School Children.

New York: G.P. Putman's Sons, 1917 First edition. Scarce, especially in dust jacket. The School Nurse describes the importance of school nursing as a connector between the school and the home, at the time of its inception. Struthers includes instruction on how physicians should treat the common ailments of children as well as suggestions for state regulations. Blue cloth boards stamped in white lettering. Includes a former owner's contemporary inscription. With original dust jacket. C. Octavo. The last 32 pages include example "card system of reports," sample treatment logs, and advertisements for other books on nursing. Includes photo frontispiece and 23 reproduced photographs throughout, as well as occasional illustrations. Chipping to spine and front of jacket. Clean throughout. Very good item, with good dust jacket. Lina Rogers Struthers, R.N. (1870-1946) is thought of as the first school nurse in the United States. She was born in Ontario, Canada and attended nurse school in Toronto. She later lived and worked at the Henry Street Settlement in New York, which consisted of a group of nurses who provided home health visits. They were also active in several economic and social causes, including advocating for women's suffrage and upgraded housing codes. In the late 19th century, the population of New York City was rapidly increasing, and illnesses were spreading in schools. The city health officials consulted the nurses of the Henry Street Settlement about this issue. They suggested bringing nurses into schools to treat children—and Struthers led this mission. In makeshift conditions, Struthers served children in schools as well as doing home visits and educating families. After the success of Struthers's work, other cities began appointing school nurses, including Los Angeles in 1904.