Wednesday, October 4, 2000
|
Wednesday, October 4, 2000 |
|
Fayette's first nurse had long row to hoe
By CAROLYN
CARY
When Geraldine Adams Stinchcomb became Fayette County's first public health nurse in 1949, she had to roll up her sleeves. She faced enormous tasks with few resources. Mrs. Stinchcomb recently was given special recognition as local health officials had a tea in her honor. Following an outbreak of diphtheria in 1948, the County Board of Health and the state health director met to organize a county-wide immunization clinic. There were approximately 8,000 citizens and they received their shots in country stores, churches and the American Legion Post House. This took place over a three-month period and, after this, the county Health Department was formed. "The shot lady" as she came to be known, had an office of sorts in the building now known as Jackson Insurance. The office was in the part of the building facing the south end of the courthouse. It contained a roll top desk, and she found an orange crate for a chair. The Fayetteville Woman's Club scouted around and collected other articles such as a used refrigerator, a table and a few chairs, an examining table and baby scales, and the Health Department was in business. They also painted a beer box with black paint and put a handle on it so she could carry her supplies around. Clinics were offered in the schools and there were 21 schools at that time, scattered throughout the county. Transportation was very limited, and some of the schools were in areas inaccessible by car. In those clinics, Mrs. Stinchcomb was met at the side of the road and driven to the school in a one-horse wagon. The driver would wait until the clinic was over and take her back to her car. On those days that each school was having its clinic, the students considered it a holiday from lessons. Later she added a maternal child health clinic, but the only things she could offer in the realm of prenatal care were blood pressure checks, urine tests and nutrition information. Mrs. Stinchcomb was married to the late Hugh Stinchcomb, who was sheriff of Fayette County. Often, along with giving shots, she was also checking in a prisoner. Her children include Harriett S. Hazelton, who has been a public health nurse for 21 years, Jerry, an educator who was Fayette County school superintendent at one time, and Sandra S. Barge, a Fayette County school teacher. During the Health Department tea, Mrs. Stinchcomb was given several certificates of appreciation from Cynthia Grant, R.N., county nurse manager, and the Fayette County commissioners. Remarks were made by Dr. Ferrol Sams Jr.; Dr. Michael Brackett, medical director of District 4 Public Health; Carole Robinson, R.N., chief nurse, Georgia Public Health, and Susan Ayers, R.N., director of clinical services, District 4 Public Health. Among the duties of the 21 current Fayette County public health workers are seeing an average of 1,630 clients a month and visiting the 220 eating establishment in the county.
|
||