Evening star., 1923-12-10
SHOWSTUBERCULARII
HOSPITAL NEEDS
Statement Outlining Work of
D. C. Institution for Suf-
fering Humanity.

With the appointment of Senator
Royal S. Copeland of New York to
the Senate District committee the
health interests of the District are
sure to have friend at court. Sem
ator Copeland has just written to the
Washington tuberculosis Association
expressing his appreciation or his
election as a member of the board OF
directors and saying, Il accept with
pleasure and shall be glad to aid
in your work in any way possible
That the health work of the District
needs friend is evidenced by the linn
tied appropriation hitherto made for its
support A year or two ago an esti-
mate of the health departments re-
sources reported that only 43 cents per
capita was allowed in the District bud
get for the expenses Of this important
branch of municipal service. The well
disclosed the fact that to attain 100 per
cent results in public health work a
minimum Of So per capita Is necessary.
Sum Includes Salaries.
This sum. of course. includes adequate
salaries for health officers, school ply
SicianS, school nurses and enough OF
these officials. 1t includes municipal
adequate dispensary provisions for the
discovery of early cases.
1t includes an active child welfare
department within the health office.
This feature was added to DR.. Fow-
ler'S department last year, but the
department is in need of more active
support from Congress in order to in
crease the number Of child welfare
stations.
To the actual appropriation for the
health department might properly be
added the appropriation for the main
tenance of the tuberculosis Hospital.
which is now under the board of
charities.
The directors of the tuberculosis
Association some years ago recon-
raended that this hospital be placed
under the health department, thus re-
moving from it the thought that it is
strictly a charitable institution and
substituting therefore the idea that 1t
is in reality a health control one. In
fact, there are many who believe that
the community could we'll afford to
give hospital care to the patient and
a the same time to make an allow
ance for his family, where found
necessary, In order to enable the wage
Garner to stop work and take treat
ment.
Policy of Veterans Bureau.
This is Of course the policy of the
Veterans Bureau with disabled tuher-
culous soldiers and the time may
come when the community will be
wise enough to adopt the same policy
for the benefit Of its civilian disa abled
wage earners. To do so. would re-
move center of infection at once
from the family of the patient. from
his neighborhood and his workshop.
in cases where now the patient re-
fuses to go to the hospital because
his family needs his support.
Meantime the problem of making
It possible for those with tuberculosis
who can afford to pay In part for
care, but cannot afford the high charges
to Congress again this year in the
recommendation that such patients
be admitted to the Municipal Tu-
berculosis Hospital. always provided.
fore 20 pay anything shall first be
ia ker care of. The completion Of a
nure~s' home. for which Congress
made small appropriation last year
Will provide additional Accommodations
for patients at the hospital by vacat-
ing rooms now used by those for
whom the nurses home is intended.
VIII Stress Health Needs.
The Washington tuberculosis AS
Sociation Will continue to keep some
Of these health needs before the
pubic and to bring them, so far as
opportunity permits: to the attention
of Congress. The fact that Senator
Copeland has accepted membership
upon the board of directors will as
sure the association a hearing SO far
as the senator is concerned. and a
careful Weighing of proposed health
measures on their merits.
Booth sales open today.
AS announced in yesterdays paper
booths for the sale of seals open to-
day at the various department stores
and banks, which have cordially
granted permission for this purpose.
Up to noon the association reported
receipts covering the sale of a mil
lion seals. or a third of its quota.
This leaves 100000 seals still to be
disposed of or heard from during the
remaining days until Christmas. Ac-
acknowledgements are being sent out to
those who have bought seals by mail,
and similar Acknowledgements Will be
sent TO those who buy at the booths
in cases where purchasers are willing
20 give their names and addresses for
rho benefit Of the treasurer. Frank P.
Reeside, 1922 11th street northwest.