Evening journal., 1916-01-25
AMERICAN CITIES AND HEALTH WORK.


IN HE Russell Sage Foundation has made health
i surrey of 227 American cities having popula-
ton OF $4,000 OF more. It includes the city Of Will
mington. This survey Of the activities OF municipal
health departments was under the direction of Franz
Schneider Jr sanitarian for the Department of Sur
veys and Exhibits. The outstanding conclusion drawn
from study OF the survey is that public health work
in this country still in its infancy and that in some
OF the municipalities the conditions are deplorable
Several Of the cities declined to assist in any way In
the making Of the survey and went so far as to
refuse 10 supply data to the Foundation
Il is stated in a summary Of the survey that nine
tests applied to the health department work IN
the other 219 cities in order 10 gauge the extent to
which they taken advantage Of their opportunities
These tests covered appropriations, infant hygiene
work. medical inspection Of school children, laboratory
service health education and publicity. control Of ven
era diseases housing regulation, dispensary service
tuberculosis work, Industrial hygiene and the number
OF water closets
The statistics Of appropriations omits all funds ap-
piled to hospitals sanatoris, plumbing inspection
street cleaning the removal disposal Of dead ami
mails, refuse, garbage. night soil and any other
unusual undertakings which Of indirect hygienc
value The average per capita expenditure was y
cents. The largest figure that OF seatte-$sS;
the smallest that OF Clinton, Iowa,-three OF
one cent others OF the larger expenditures were
Memphis Tenn S.93; Pittsburgh Pa, SCI; Au-
gusta, Ca. 81, and New York City, sos among
the smaller we're Easton. Pa. sO2; Aurora Ill, and
South Bend Ind s.OS; woonsocket. r. l.. s.O4. and
lewiston Me. s O6 Such ridiculousy small appro-
priations are by no and are to be FOUND IN
almost any part OF the country.
Cities under 100000 population spent an average per
capita of 10 cents those between 100000 and SOOOOO
spent q cents per nhabitant while the II cities
above 100000 invested average per capita OF "a
cents in preventive health efforts.
Hnan
Is that the two groups OF with the biggest aver
age per capita are the East South Central and the
south Atlantic" States as they are known TO me
United st,tes Census. In these States covering the
territory east OF the Mississippi and south Of the Oo
aud pennsvlvania the average per capita 80 and
"a cents The lowest average per capita 10 cents -
credited to the West North Central" and East North
Central" states covering territory from Colorado
IN Pennsylvania and south. from Canada to Okla
boma and the Ohio river. The middle Atlantic
states OF Pennsylvania New York and New Jersey
manage to increase this munihcent amount by cents
a head.
In summarizing the whole investigation the report
states that there is surprising neglect OF the oppor
tuntes to apply scientific methods of established
value and that public health work in this country is
still in its infancy At the time Of this investigation
a fifth Of the cities made no inspection OF school
children; over a third did not offer the ordinary labor
atory diagnosis for the commoner communicable ais
ease over fourth made no enort 10 euuoa'e III nea'
matters nearly three-fourih had no housing law
nineteen -twentieths had concern with the hygen
OF industry; over sixsevenths had program agains
the venereal diseasee: over half had no proper OF
eanization TO combat infant mortality; and less tina
a quarter had coherent program against tubereu
losis. ,.' .s
All the tests applied showed the health department
in the smaller cities be weaker than those In tn
larger cities Perhaps the most surprising hnding
that the Southern and Pacific cities have better dc
yeloped municipal health departments than the North
ern cities from the Rockies TO the Atlantic The Cen
trail Northern cities stand at the foot of the list IN
report concludes that the appropriations granted mos
health departments this country are grossly made
ouate for the new functions modern science require
them TO perform II Is stated that health department
should be allowed minimum wage OF % cents pc
,nhoni,ant per year. as compared with the preser
average allowance OF % cents.