South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-12-14
Admits Decision Was Reached
After Learning Of the Pub
lie Demand For Such
Investigation.
NO PUBLICITY WILL
BE GIVEN FINDINGS
Matter is 10 be Reported to
Health observation-disclosures
sand Homes in City
Will be Visited.

In answer TO the popular appeal
for an adequate housing survey of
the city. DR.. Carroll Fox Of the fed
eral health department OF Washing
ton. Wednesday announced his in
te1tiOn TO devote a large amount OF
the time that ne will spend in South
Bend making a health survey to
the specific task Of examining the
houses and homes in those parts OF
the city which are found to be the
disease centers.
The survey will follow along the
general lines OF such "A survey that
has been mapped out by The News
Times in its campaign for a thor
ough investigation OF the living
conditions Of the people of the
city. No publicity, however. will be
given TO the work, which will be con-
Quoted by DR. Fox with the assist
ance OF the investigators in the
employ OF the health department
That the resolution to make the
survey OF the city did not follow
anything that transpired in the
meeting of the civic committee of
the Chamber Of Commerce. as Ger
tain opinions have held. was the
statement of Dr. Fox Thursday
morning He declared that his de-
cisiOn was made shortly after learn
ing OF the popular demand for a
survey. He said that he had sew
era days ago given an order 10 "A
local printer for the blanks that are
TO be used in the survey and that
they have been delayed.
To Visit 1000 Homes.
Approximately 1000 homes in
south Bend will be thoroughly ex-
s,Tnined and tabulated. showing as
accurately as possible the condition
in the poorer sections and the sec
tiOns most afflicted with preventable
illness and death a housing survey
is always included IN the govern
ment health survey, such as 1 am
making n various cities Of the
country" declared DR.. Fox. and
ne went on 10 say that owing 10 the
very urgent local demand. special
attention would be paid in this city
&c the housing question
The correction Of the evils that
shall be barred in the survey or the
the hands OF the health department
of the city" said Or. Fox. My de-
parment has no power 10 remedy
any condition that il saay find.
shall gather the necessary statistics
and from them draw the conclusions
hat they warrant and make the
recommendation that will be in
cluded In the report OF the survey
OF the city"
City Built Like Village.
South Bend is a city built like a
village" said DR.. Fox. when asked
for a generalization OF his findings
so far. He maintained, however.
that his experience in the city had
not been wide. since so far. his work
had confined him 20 the office Of the
local health department south
Bend has those characteristics OF the
village. the frame house. the privy
and the surface well. IL has grown
and grown and no adequate provi-
sion has been made for the expan-
sion.
There is a great need here for
sewer connections and for water
connections" said the official
Among the other needs Of the CITY
Dr. Fox was particular 20 mention
an increase in the humble OF visit
ing nurses and a larger force in the
health department He advanced the
theory that better education of
tae people along the lines OF san
itation. Is a necessary adjunct Of
an effective campaign for better liv-
ing conditions and showed that the
visiting nurse in one OF the most
sGectiVe teachers
An index viii be kept OF every
house Inspected and reported upon
sither by Dr. Fox or by the inspeC-
CCoNTTNTrED on PAGE Two)