The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-07
Representatives of Civic Or ganizationS and Clubs Urge Health Work to Be Contin- ued-Committee to Confer With Authorities Seeking Relief


 Resolutions protesting against the curtailment of the work of the de- tention hospital, 2213 Aevnue A, south, and the free clinics by the plan of retrencnment recently inau- gurated and that such drastic with drawal of funds heretofore made available for such purpose be post 'poned until opportunity is had to seek relief at the hands of the legis- lature or otherwise, was adopted at joint meeting held yesterday after noon of the city commission, the Jef- ferson county board of revenue and representatives of practically every civic organization and club in Bir- mingham and Bessemer.
 C. \. Wiley chairman of the so- cial hygiene association, was author ized to appoint committee to con fer with the commission and the board of revenue in an effort to work out some plan whereby the work of both of these institutions might be continued.
 This meeting was called at the suggestion of the League of Women Voters and the social hygiene asso- citation, following the closing of the isolation hospital q few days ago, when the appropriation made by the county was reduced by the Jeffer- son county board of revenue.
 Representative of the various or ganizations present protested vigor- ously against closing this hospital. and urged that the appropriation be made even if it was necessary to cur tail in other departments.
 Place Responsibility
 Efforts were made by Mrs. Solon Jacobs of the League of Women Vo- ters to place the responsibility for the closing of this hospital on the proper persons. She stated that the countys appropriation now was s4,001 a month and she wanted to know who dictated the expenditure of this money. Mrs. Jacobs declared that it seemed to her that the responsi- bility was on the board of health, and that they had seen fit to close the detention hospital. which has been successfully operated for two years, and to continue the dental clinic. which was opened perhaps two months ago
 Dr. H. & Ward, chairman of the board of health stated that under the reduction in the appropriation he did not know whether the dental clinic would be continued, but that he did not think that it would. However. he declared that up to the time Dr. Bowling took charge of the health work in Jefferson county there was practically no work of this kind done.
 By closing the detention hospital the health department hopes, Dr. Ward said. to add an additional man at the clinic. and open it in the morning as well as afternoon, and arr range for women to be treated dur ing the morning hours. This was deemed best. as 1t would cripple the health department less to close tho isolation hospital than it would to discontinue any other branch Of the health department he declared. as 1t was difficult task to get corps of trained workers together.
 Mrs. Echols Presides
 Mrs. Mary Eohols. commissioner of health and education. and president pro tenn of the city commission, callsd the meeting to order in the absence of D. E. McLendon, who came to the conference a short time later. She stated that the city had not discon- tinued nor decreased it's appropria- tion, and was giving as much to tnls work this year as was appropriated last year.
 However. she declared. the city's appropriation alone was not suffi- cient to operate both the hospital and the clinic She then introduced Mir Wiley. chairman of the social hy- giene board. who stated it was not the purpose of this meeting to crit icise in any way the action of the board of revenue in reducing the ap- propriation. but to ask that some plan be worked out whereby this work could be continued.
 Dr. C. W. Shropshire, who was chairman of the committee of l00 who were instrumental In getting the clinic to function. stated that his committee had backed Dr. Bowling and the board of health in their un- dertaking. The Birmingham clinic ranks fourth or fifth in the United States, he stated. but is receiving criticism just and unjust. particular ly in regard to persons being treated there who can afford to pay for the treatment He referred to the injus- tice of placing women with this dis ease in the detention hospital and al- lowing men to go unmolested.
 Health Greatest Asset
 Dupont Thompson, representing the Civic Association, stated his organi-