This money was collected by the Pennsylvania Red Cross Branch. The relief committee, in a letter acknowledging receipt of the contribution, expressed its thanks to the Red Cross.
Because of his interest in the great work of the Red Cross His Majesty, the King of Sweden, has graciously conferred upon Miss Mabel T. Boardman, a member of the Executive Committee of the American National Red Cross, the decoration of the King’s Own Medal. The medal is of gold: on one side is the bas-relief portrait of the King, surrounded by his name, and on the reverse side is Miss Boardman’s name and the date. The decoration is worn suspended from a light blue ribbon. The light blue signifying a higher degree of the decoration than the dark blue ribbon upon which it is generally worn. The Dowager Queen of Sweden has always been deeply interested in hospitals and like institutions and her son, His Majesty, Gustavus V, by his sympathy in such work does much to encourage its success and development.
The report on National Vitality prepared for the Conservation Commission by Prof. Irving Fischer, President of the Committee of One Hundred on National Health, is now ready for distribution. Copies may be obtained by forwarding $1.00 to the Title Guarantee and Trust Company, Treasurer, 176 Broadway, New York City. All members of the Red Cross who order a copy of this report before August 1st become thereby members of the American Health League without additional expense, receiving regularly the American Health Magazine. Mention that you are a member of the Red Cross when you write.
CALIFORNIA.
The Nurses’ Auxiliary, a very valuable adjunct to the California Branch, has undertaken to start factory lectures and demonstrations at noon hour, beginning Friday, April 30. Miss Brown, Miss Rutley, Miss Killiam, Miss Smith, Miss Jorgensen, Miss Fisher and Miss McCarthy, well-known specialists in their different departments, are to talk upon hygiene, dietetics, bedmaking, contagious diseases, tuberculosis, medical and surgical emergencies and first aid. Several factories, laundries and department stores are interested in these methods and consider them of practical use to working women. The Y. W. C. A., through the co-operation of Miss Smith, will make arrangements for evening lectures for individual business women in offices and stores. About 150 young women can be reached immediately. Miss Smith also reported that many young married women employed in factories are much interested. There are many wide-awake women in department stores and factories who not only support themselves, but their sick relatives also. Very much good can be done through the settlements and mothers’ clubs.
The Woman’s Auxiliary of the Relief Column has inaugurated a series of talks on home nursing and prevention of disease under the direction of Dr. Clara Williams.
The work is capable of infinite expansion on almost any scale. It bids fair to reach sufficient magnitude to make the problems of organizations, permanence, finance, equipment and membership of importance to the future of Red Cross work. We cannot forget the essential functions of the Red Cross are gravest in time of war and calamity in relation to great masses of humanity, but there is as much patriotism expressed in teaching the individual in time of peace to attain maximum efficiency and resistance to disease.
CANAL ZONE.
Of the fourteen districts into which the Canal Zone Branch is divided, seven have perfected their local organizations.
Entertainments for the Red Cross Fund have been given at Ancon, Corozal, Paraiso, Culebra and Las Cascadas.