Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-16
HEALTH ASSOCIATIONS
URGED IN ALL SECTIONS
Study by a New York Committee on
Hospitals Shows Much Sickness .
Could Be Avoided.

Health associations" as a means OF
improving the health OF the population
OF the United States. and thereby pro-
longing the lives of thousands of per-
sons and saving inestimable amounts
OF money. are urged in an article ap-r
pear1ng In the current issue of the
Survey. The article is based on a re-
cent report published by the COMMITTEES
on hospitals OF the New York State
Charities Aid Association, covering the
sickness In Duchess county, \. Y.-its
extent, care and observation-disclosures
the entire year of 1912 and four months
of 1913.
The article. in part follows:
III an estimate were to be made of
the losses that the people of the United
states sustain each year through the
lnadeQuate care given to the sick, that
could be remedied, the figures would
be staggering.
The cost in money would run into
the hundreds of millions. In hours lost
from work that cannot be replaced,
representing a shrinkage in the ma
tons productive capacity, the record
would be measured in billions.
other losses that affect every In
dustry. our educational institutions.
agricultural production, and, in fact,
also reach total of alarming magni-
tude.
Big Loss in Money.
Figures taken from this summary
show that roughly estimated the money
loss to the $4,000 people living in this
comparatively small county, in one
state. during the investigation period,
amounted to at least $4,000. A toll
exacted by sickness of nearly SIS per
capita per annum.
How much of this loss could have
been saved had the plans for providing
organized and scientific adequate care
for the sick. which this committee is
now trying to inaugurate as a nation
wide movement. been operative, has
not been figured in dollars and cents.
but it doubtless would have been as
large as AZ per cent If the cases in
vestigated did not have such adequate
care. g
Another interesting feature distinct
ly brought out is that in rs per cent OF
these cases in which inadequate care
was recorded, poverty was not the
cause. g.
In the findings of this study, relat-
ing to the extent of sickness and time
lost, many interesting deductions and
records have been made. Five districts
in the county were Investigated, all of
a representative character Out of
population aggregating 1880 people,
1000 cases of serious illness were
found, for the sixteen-month period. or
approximately IA per cent OF the peo-
pie living there. of which 9S7 patients
were acutely i'll.
I'm round figures 5000 days were lost
by men and women of working age
(hfteen to fifty-four): Children up to-
sixteen years of age lost approximate
ly 1900 school days. at an average
cost to the communities of SO cents for
each child. These two items alone
safely cost these Ave districts from
$4,000 to $4,000.
TT was found that 76 per cent Of the
sick had medical attention, among
whom less than 10 per cent went to
hospitals. although the percentage of
those who should have gone to such
institutions was much larger. OF those
who were cared for at home only SIS
per cent were cared for adequately
The report especially shows how the
remaining As per cent failed to receive
the proper care that should have been
given them.
Health Associations Urged. "
ITO overcome this, a most interesting
suggestion of far-reaching effect IL
ever adopted generally is made. It is
one advocating the organization Of
county health associations. Primarily.
it is advocated that such body be
private organization. although from
time to time its activities might be
taken over by public agencies.
The main objects which such an as
ISOLATION would seek systematically to
carry out for the benefit of the sick.
and with the idea of eliminating UNI
necessary suffering and financial losses,
would be:
Establishing an efficient system of
nursing and social service for the care
Of the sick in their own homes, through
the formation of centers, where nurses,
physicians and suitable domestic help
would be registered and available day
and night.
Securing the cooperation of all ex-
listing hospitals in continuous sections
so as to extend their facilities over a
wider area
"Esta blishing clinics. carrying on pre-
ventive campaigns, and securing the
adoption and enforcement of public
health measures.
This committees plans present the
most comprehensive, practical and sys-
ten1atic program on such a large scale
that has ever been worked out in the
United States. Its thoroughness and
wide scope of suggested activities is
the direct result of the completeness
and skill with which the Duchess
the committee in charge of the work.