Interview with Molly Lee, February 6, 1979

Interview Summary

Molly Lee was a district nurse at the Beech Fork Center in 1955. She talks about the various creek clinics set up by the FNS in addition to the regular centers in order to reach more people. The emphasis at this time was on home visiting, and Lee discusses the prevailing attitude among local people toward going to the hospital. Although FNS personnel taught the people to bury their garbage and to construct outhouses, Lee expresses skepticism concerning the ultimate success of many of their efforts. She talks about the diet of the local people and the attempts of FNS nurses and government programs to improve both nutrition and cooking methods. Also discussed are flood relief and the effort to convince people to build back on higher ground. Lee explains the difficulty of obtaining government funding for Medicare and Medicaid because the small hospital lacked a sprinkler system. She also talks about the implementation of the Family Nurse Practitioner Program in 1970. Lee believes that it made possible the survival of the FNS after a period in which birth control methods reduced the number of midwifery calls. Lee talks extensively about Mary Breckinridge in her last days. In addition, the financial position of the FNS in recent years is the subject of some commentary.

Interview Keyword

attempts Beech Fork Center 1955 birth control methods bury garbage commentary construct outhouses creek clinics diet District nurse expresses skepticism financial position flood funding government programs hospital hospital sprinkler system Hyden improve KY. local people Medicaid Medicare nutrition cooking methods reduced midwifery calls subject survival

Interview LC Subject

Children--Health and hygiene--Kentucky Medical care Nursing

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.