The Washington herald., 1922-04-08
HEALTH OFFICIALS
SCORE CONDITIONS
In SCHOOL HOUSES
Admit Lack of Authority
Alone Prevents Clos
ing Buildings.
LIVES CUT SHORT
Heavy Death Rate Among
Children Traced to
Thoughtlessness.

The health department would not
tolerate the unsanitary and un-
wholesome conditions which exist
in the public schools of the Dis
trict IL they existed in buildings
which are under its jurisdiction, it
was admitted at the District Build
ing yesterday.
Health Officer Fowler explained
that the department had no author
ity to act in the case of school
buildings which were found TO be
below the standard OF sanitation re-
quired ny the health department
The health office may only report
on the conditions existing TO the
Board of Education and make rec
concentrations which would over
come the evils.
Powers of Board.
II was pointed out that the ex-
tent tc which the. board can go in
the matter of improvements is linn
:ted by the appropriations of Con-
gress for this purpose. In the event
that the building has fallen into
such a state of dilapidation that
nothing can be done to improve the
sanitation. the health department is
powerless to- close the building. re-
gardless of the danger to which the
children are subjected, il was
stated.
After a child has contracted a
disease which may be traced to
the unwholcsome surroundings the
health department is then author
| lied to act. The patient is kept at
| home. and the occupants of the
house arc qua-antined for a period
prescribed by law.
1t was estimated by one Of the
doctors in the health office that AT
least so per cent of the contagious
disease cases among school chill
dren could be eliminated by prop
er sanitation and ventilation and
ether precautions in the school
buildings.
Death Rate Increases.
The mortality tables of the United
States show that the death rate OF
children decreases rapidly from the
age of l year. in which IL is very
figh, 20 the age of and 6. when
il becomes very low. The child at
these ages enters school. and the
mortality rate Immediately in
creases until the age of IL is
reached. At this age he death rate
almost equals that of the child
year old.
This waste of life. the health ex-
perts explain. could be reduced sc
per cent, which would increase the
average span of life of an Ameri-
can, which is now 3S years, to pos
sibly as or so years. The increase
| in the death rate from the time the
child enters school is attributable
to school life or group association
the doctors said.
DR.. Fowler explained that he did
not wish to criticise anyone nor
the methods in vogue. He merely
explained that the department had
no jurisdiction in the case of the
pubic schools of the District
Must HIT Cause.
Assistant Health Officer Cum
mings declared that the most ef-
ficient way to reduce disease among
children is to go directly to the
cause. Removing this he pointed
out would remove the necessity OF
treating the children for diseases
later on. Sanitary school buildings,
which would permit fresh air and
sunshine to penetrate the rooms,
would help materially In fighting
off tho diseases to which children
are subject.
To treat the child after it has
contracted the disease rather than
to remove the cause in the first
place was characterized by Dr.
Cummings as locking the stable
after the horse was stolen"
Overcrowding, in addition to its
causing inconvenience to the teach
er and pupils, was given a new sig
nificance by the health authorities
who showed that it was also men,
ace to health. Insanitary drinking
fountains are spreading diseases in
the schools. and some time ago DR..
Fowler ordered them turned of and
other fountains installed in their
places. The fountains were later
turned on but have never been re-
placed, the health department ad-
mitted.
The fountains were declared to be
breeding places for germs by DR..
Fowler, who insisted that there was
nothing sanitary about them.