Evening star., 1922-10-22

peMsation commission and the federal
board for vocational education. all Of
which have important medical de-
partnents. While it may appear that
there is considerable duplication in
the health activities of the govern
mont. such overlapping is more ap-
parent than real. Public health offers
a very broad field and has numerous
branches. A certain amount of co-or-
dtnation is essential, however. and the
Smoot- -Reavis congressional commit
tee on the reorganization of the fed
eral departments. Of which Walter F.
Brown is chairman and representative
of the President. is said to plan a new
department of welfare. in which will
be placed all of the health, educa-
tional and sociological work of the
federal government. Sanitarians look
forward to the time when there may
be a separate department of health.
There was such a national depart
ment OF health in 1873. created as the
result of serious epidemic of yellow
fever at that time, but it went out of
existence in few years.
There are in the United States about
score of promine Mt national asso-
Citations the major function of which
is in the field of public health. While
the headquarters of many of them are
in New York city and a few are To-
Gated in Chicago. some of the more
important have offices in Washington.
In fact, of the fourteen great societies
which make up the national health
council all Of them really have an
Office in this city. as the national
situated here.
This national health council was
formed in December. 1920. and is a
confederation of the leading volun-
tary associations of the country inter-
ested in public health. Its members
include the American Public Health
Association, the American Red Cross.
American Social Hygiene Association.
American Society for the Control of
Cancer, conference of state and pro-
vincial health authorities of North
America. council on health and pub
lie instruction of the American Medi-
cal Associations; National Child Health
Council. which also includes the
American IHllu ny x lcic NssoSidsA1'i'
national child labor committee and
the child health organization of
America, national committee for men
tai hygiene, national organization Tor
public health nursing, National Tu-
berculosIs Association, and the United
States public health service. Is con-
-erence members
The Washington office of the ma
tional health council is in the Ameri-
can Red Cross building on 18th street
between D and L. The council also
maintains an Office in New York city
with the Offices of nine of the member
organizations in the same building.
together with thirteen other societies
interested in health work. though
many of the latter are of local I'M
poltance in New York only. The
councils Washington off1ce issues
bi-weekly bulletin containing an i'm
partial summary of legislation before
Congress pertaining to the public
health. It has also studied and issued
reports on the various bureaus OF the
government engaged in health work.
az outlined above. The executive ofi-
Ger of the national health council is
DR., D. B. Armstrong.
A MOTHER co-ordinating agency To-
"A Gated in Washington is the ma
tional child health council. which ts
also one Of the members Of the national
health council. The membership Of this
council includes the American Child
Hygiene Association. the American Red
Gross, the child health organization OF
America, the national child labor COM
nittee, tho national organization Tor
public health nursing and tho National
Tuberculosis Association. The of1ce Of
the council is at 532 18th street north
west in the old building formerly used
as o headquarters by Gen. L. s. Grant.
and where his granddaughter. tho Prin-
cess Catacuzene, recently had an office.
The executive secretary fs Courtenay
Dinwiddie. who has recently announced
that the council will finance child health
demonstrations IN three typical Ameri-
can cities for a period Of five years.
Alreaty the council is conducting such
a demonstration at Mansheld. Ohio.
under the direction Of DR.. W. H. Brown,
formerly of Washington.
In the same building as the national
child health council. the American Child
Hygiene Association has a suite Of
offices. This organization. Of which Dr..
R. A. Bolt is director. recentiy moved
from Baltimore to Washington. The
association endeavors to increase the
health Of mothers and children up to
school age, and to reduce INFANT and
matsynal mortality. Naturally, It works
IN close Cooperation with tho United
States chilarsn's bureau 6scrstary
Herbsrt Hoover il president Of tho
American Child Hygiene Association.
The American Red Cross. whose white
marble building 10 one Of tho features
of 18th street, is generally considered
as the great war and peace time relief
organization Of the c0untry. The char
ter of the Red Cross charges It with
assisting the armed forces Of the United
States and with mitigating and pre-
venting disasters. Along with its SOL
der relief work, the Red Cross conducts
many activities in behalf Of public
health. For instance. there arc nearly
1900 Red Cro0 public health nurses
throughout tho country. In addition,
ths Rcd Cross carries On mnch drst-a3d
work, classes in homo hygisns, nutf3tioa
end life saving and many of the local
chapters maintain health caatsGS In
different parts Of The country.
Miss L. G. Fox, the director OF public
health nursing Of ths Red Crcss. 10 slso
president Of the national organization
of public health nursing. M0 Clara D.
Moves. Red Cross director of nursing,
has recently retired as president Of the
American N,rrses' Aasociation