Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-02
COMPLETES SURVEY OF
DEVASTATED FRENCH AREA
Red Cross Finds Onc-Timc Rcfu-
gees Bending Energies TO Re
construction Work,
EMBRACES 300 RUINED TOWNS
Structures Not Entirely Destroyed
Arc Being Observation-Disclosures De-
bris for Construction Purposes.
Health OF Natives Good.

FAIRS. Jan. IAN intensive sur
reY OF conditions in Il typical dis
t"ict of devastated France has lust
been completed by the American
Red Cross. The district selected for
the survey !ncinda:. 25i communcs
IN the vicinity OF Arras. and en-
hraced 500 destroyed towns and viii
lagos.
The general conclusions drawn
from this expert study are ms fol-
lows: The Inhabitants have practi-
caIly ali returned 10 this district. ana
are carrying on the work Of recon
struction with great energy. Build
ines which were not entirely de-
stroycd are being restored. while in
the case of destroyed buildings Tho
lowners are building little houses
from debris on the SPOT. IN" general
health throughout the distric; is nor
NAL. and sanitary conditions are good.
! There IS employment FOR everyone
on the reconstruction work. congcS-
zion OF population is Very marked in
tile. larger towns. ArraS has increased
in population from 25.po0 to more
than 4i.5Gu: Bcihunc has increased
from $4,000 to 2u.5oo: Lens. however.
has only 5000 Of it's pre-war 81 500
FrcuCh relief agencies are AT work
in all parts or the district. and
.
tiers have been located in places
which are easily accessible TO the
ncIshbor!ng communes. The great
est need of the district is for milk. as
| the numOcy OF COWS has decreased
from a pr.-war total Of Al.noO TO less
! than 5000. The principal Institutional
needs OF the district are for we'll
equipped crcchc and tuberculosis
Lnuds Relief Budics.
/ The report pays warm tribute to
the health work Of ihy french rs!i"t
/ trdI welfare stations consist each OF
group OF TWO TO six wooden ouild-
mGs which provide the communiiy
/ with hospital, diSr,nsary. infant con-
/ Sult1tiou ofhce. inspection -! SChoo!
, children. girls work room ana S"m"-
times a maternity hospital These
| Tho entire population OF til" neigh
hOrhOud y enrolled aud card-indcN-d,
50 that their immediate needs arc AL
] ways known To tn" authorities. The
local governments acquired much o!
! the oil United States army stocks q!
clothing and food supplies. aud iars"
| gifts have also been made to them
by tho American Red cross. Th"r"
gifts and purchases have cnahs"d the
wcltar" stations TO act as d!strihu;-
nS posts for supnlying n" need.
/ supplied free: those who can pay are
expected TO turn IN nominal price
I 'or everything supplied Them AEd
.
toy is sucii that its directors know
exactly Who can pay and who cannot.
Every baby born in the district
is promptly enrolled and must be
brought AT leas; once in tive weeks
10 he weighed ANA examined. Tn"
doctor makes record %: each of ines"
consultations and ms rccommenda-
tons y similar system is anplict 10
every schoo! child. and these children
arc required TO submit themselves TO
monthly examinations
l, nj Ia m NOV. ig
q more flexible medical regimen. y
doctor from tn" welfare center VISITS
the sick At their homes on request
and any one In the district IS az lib
crty to take advantage Of tho rcru-
lar disn"usary hours for Consui;a-
ton. Each Welfare cent"r-with three
exceptions has AN amhulancc.
Provide Free Nursing.
'''rhcr" arc also provisions 1t every
center fo- the care Of nursing and
cXpcctapt mothers. Poor women are
which entities them ~ draw franc
a day from the state, aud an extra
ailowanG" is made in special cases or
where there is no father To assist in
tn" support OF the mother and infant
During tn" past ten mcnths ll""0
women received these maternity a.
are also furnished when they an"
available ana ~ tr"prrscmt time 800
OF these ar" needed every month TN.
total number OF registered children
IN The Nrras sector 4; the present
time is los, 900. this including both
Infants and school children"
Proposals are now bcui- consider
"a for the construction OF milk sta
lions and a milk cond.nsing piant
ia Arras. The one crying need s
@ii say yd 1a hG rHp" wo,, n"",%s
everywhere on short allowance. and
in many cases are forced TO use sub
st!iUtes for milk such as tapioca
water and rice water. In 1919 This
] 81 EnlaN
only 5000. and this number includes
more than 1000 supplied by Germany
tory. owing 10 foot ana mouth dis
! case, Up to the present t!mr. the
situation has been somewhat h.lpcd
by large donations Of condensed milk
case %: this milk has just been dis
tribut'd. an! there j. no prospect
Of further suppiy TIL" twenty
Z ONE welfare stations have hcrat or"
each supplied about TOO Infants wllh
milk constantly. giving uUi neral
~ one can per week per infant. Win
a certain distribution also to the
sick. III. twcnty-onc stations rc-
Huirc auout loo cases Of condensed
MIX p"r month
m, rrr" {.r a. hayr Ts.an,ly been
dairy at ArraS. which VIII supply Ger
/. lied milk 10 about this amount. The
state has. agreed 10 give the land
and 10 pay the salaries Of director
and ono assistant The cos; oC tn.
trst years rucratilr is estimated 1t
t-'Wccu S"on6 ana 10000 frames. and
'hy money from outside sources
Other projected enterprises :"
complete the health work being ear
cd "n ~ the French ia this dis
HHen Arras 10 cost 10000 francs
ana tuberculosis laboratory aiId
e.il''"r utn ior twenty patients, To
$50 lNi,'ur francs