The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-05
AID FOR PHTHISIS
PUPILS PLANNED
District Officials to Confer
Tomorrow on Question of
0pen-Air Schools.
ESTIMATE TO BE MADE
Congress Will Be Asked for Appro-
priation to Garry Out
Program.

The question OF Open-aiT schools will
be considered tomorrow at a confer
ence between the Commissioners, Dr
William NJ. Davidson. superintendent OF
schools, and members of the Board OF
Education. when. it is believed, a de-
CisiOn viii be reached as to the amount
OF school space TO be asked from Con-
ETess for the use Of tuberculous chill
dren.
That the Commissioners will make
provision in their next estimates for
an Open-air school for these children
practically is assured. as near as can
be learned.
The preservation of life among the
small sufferers from tuberculosis was
one of the principal aims Of the Dis
trict Commissioners in their adoption
of the new ruling excluding those with
this disease in communicable form from
the public schools. 1t is believed that
the regulation will work an even
greater good in behalf of the afflicted
children than as safeguard for the
healthful ones. This Is the opinion of
Commissioner Newman. who especially
is Interested in all measures designed
to calling a halt to the ravages OF the
disease.
Reduction in Deaths.
There are approximately 1l9 deaths
each year in Washington among children
between the ages Of five and twenty
years from tuberculosis. In the direct
reduction Of this number Of deaths is
where the new regulation is expected To
get in its best work.
As near as can be learned. provision
for the establishing OF an open-air school
for tuberCuIous children is to made by
the Commissioners IN their next annual
estimates. These children. taken care
of through the day in such schools. will
have their chances for ultimate throwing
of Of the disease UNNECESSARILY i'm
proved.
Commissioner Newman confidently says
that the Open-aid schools greatly increase
the odds IN the favor Of the little suf-
ferers battling with the dreaded white
plague" The method Of bundlinS these
children into the regular closed class
rooms the Commissioner regards to be-
ing tantamount to the signing OF the
children's death warrants.
Views of DIR. Norris.
DR.. John l.. Norris. ir assistant health
officer for the District. takes much the
same view as that expressed by Commits
siOner Newman. While declining To ex
press an opinion as to the amount of
good the new ruling will do as a pre-
Nentlve in the protection of healthy chill
dren from infection. although he he
lieves as protection from infect on its
effect will be appreciable, he expressed
certain opinions that the segregating of
tuberculosis children in open-air school
rooms Will mean the saving OF many I
life that. otherwise under the present
system, would be lost.
As nnSifiEa apH 70
ful children. DIR. Norris pointed ou,,
that the new regulations. first suggested
iy DR.. William c. Woodward. health o.
fl er. had high value He instanced tn.
exposure of the healthful children to in
lection from the disease in ClassrOoms
With tuberculosis children in cases where
the affected children put pencils into
their mouths, or cough when near 4
healthy child.
In the first case, the pencil or other ar
tiCle put into the mouth of the sick child
is likely TO find its way into the mouth
OF well one; in the second case, the
spray of the cough is likely to light
upon the hands, and be carried to the
mouth, or in the face of a healthful
child. In both cases, infection may &C.
cur