Evening star., 1921-04-14

Strongly indorsing the recommended
tions of Brig. Gen. Sawyer. President
Harding's physician. for the expansion
of hospital facilities in Washington, the
public health group of the City Club
met last night at the clubhouse.
DIR. d. Percy Hickling introduced the
resolution expressing. the hearty ap- P
proval of the expansion plans for the
present Army, Navy and public service
hospitals.
Walter Reed Hospital will be develop
ed into a permanent 2.o00-bed hospital
in the new plan, according TO Dr. hlck.
ling, whereas under the existing plans 1t
would revert to a hospital of over 200
or 300 beds.
Bathing places in and near the Dis
trict came in for further condemnation
by the group which has been Waging
and rivers for bathing purposes.
Rock creek is characterized as prac-
ticaly an open sewer. and Indignation
was expressed by members OF the COM
mittee that park authorities have erect
ed a bathhouSe and built a bridge to
swimming hole in the park.
Basin Water "Fair Sewage
Government investigators some
the tidal basin could be classed
only as pretty good sewage" said
DIR. Hickling. THE water is badly
polluted, the bacterial count being
large. The superintendent of the
tidal basin bathing beach is planning
to extend the bathing grounds, 50 as
to prevent congestion and thus de-
crease contamination somewhat, but
I do not think this move will help
the situation"
AS solution of the contamination
problem. DR.. Hickling urged that all
water supplied to the basin be
pumped from the Potomac and passed
through a rapid sand filtration sys-
tenn, which would not be expensive.
DR.. Hickling said that the health
committee of the Board Of Trade had
sent questionnaires to every ply
sician in the city asking them to re-
port all cases of disease traceable to
be tabulated and are expected to
throw interesting light on the ques-
tion of contamination.
Presence of "Quacks" DeplOred.
The group discussed lack Of proper
act. 1t was pointed out that the city
was full of medical quacks.
Members of the group explained
that in the enforcement Of the law the
police regard as physicians only those
practitioners who prescribe drugs.
Others, it was explained, can practice
without holding diploma or a medi-
cal license. 1t was the consensus of
the group that every practitioner who
made pretension of diagnosing and
pensation for such services be COM
PEELED to submit to medical exami-
nation and obtain license. A de-
tailed report on the situation will be
presented at the next meeting of the
group.
DR.. Hunter and Philip Herman were
appointed delegates from the group
tee of the Social Hygiene Society,
which is supporting legislation for
dealing with the red plague as a
contagious and reportable disease.
Members engaged in an extended de-
bate as to whether red plague pro-
phylactic information, as well as birth
control information, should be dis
tributed freely.
Emile Berliner. chairman Of the
group, who presided. will report at
the next meeting on efforts to have
Sunday deliveries of iceothis summer
for the convenience of the public, and
particularly to prevent sickness and
suffering among the city's poor.
Nomination Of Officers Tonight.
Nomination of officers and governors
will be the principal business at the
annual meeting of the City Club, to be
held at o'clock tonight, at Rauscher's.
Nominations will be in order for
president, vice president. second vice
president, treasurer and secretary, to
serve one year each. and for seven
governors. to serve two years each.
J. A. Whitfield. the president, who
will preside. will not be a candidate
for reelection. He will consent, how
ever. to run for governor. Another
prominent member mentioned in con-
nection with the governorships is Will.