Evening star., 1924-03-29

In the great task of making Amer
lea a healthier nation the private
agencies should blaze the trail by ex-
detrimental research work, William
Hodson of the Russell Sage Founda-
ton declared in addressing the Child
Welfare Society at headquarters, 2loo
G. street northwest, yesterday atter-
noon.
Mr.. Hodson, who is in Washington
to assist the commission on pubic
welfare legislation in revising local
laws, told the gathering that there
is n clear line of demarcation be-
tween the work that should be car
ried on by the public and the private
health agency.
When the speaker had concluded
Mrs, Frank B. Noyes, president of the
society. expressed keen interest," IN hls
should "blaze the trail into research
work.
Bespenks Definite Program.
Mrs Moves said she hoped to see
tho Child Welfare Society devote IL
self to some definite program o, a.
tivity in the autumn, and askeo w
Hodson if he could suggest any par
ticuiar phoses of health work on
which the society might concentrate;
The foundation expert replleo
there are studies that might De nla
into the field of tuberculosis, WneTe
there still is room d Tor r,ptr,tion plqHti as a a
matter that could be followed with
nrofit to the community
Tn opening his address Mr.. Hodson
said: ;. Gladstone who
said that on the health of nation
Sanends it's achievements. Upon
sopnd public health work rests the
Sanniness. vigor and power or Amer,
lea. Public health Work mas a man
on interesting history in this coun-
nv In the beginning, emphasis was
laid on the relation between Nth ana
health.
Isolation as Curb.
..rben came the second stage, in
1-bicb attempts were begun TO con-
troll contagious diseases Dy the lsoa
tion of persons affected ana slHliaf
safeguards. odarr
deyeIonment in health work In Wnlch
emphasis was placed on PERSONA ny
e;ene to bring the individual 10 a
feeling of responsibility TOT MS
health" .h.+ do
x,.Ionments in the field of public
health work have been on the mega
tive side partly because OF iaSh u, u.
adequate appropriations ior suon
But the time is coming" ne con. 2I,
.;,nad when the public health
agency will be charged, not onIy WIN ,;
the negative job Of preventing as as
oS Informing the individual how to
hecome more vigorous and healthy;
The speaker asserted that STUDY
of the past strikes one win tne Iace
the great scientific achievements IN
the health field have been orougnt
about by private ratner tnei
agencies.
Urges Scientific Research.
"This" he said, sis largely because
tha nublic is not disposed to appro-
nriate its money for scientific re-
search. If we are going to continu e
the type of development tnat WIZ
bring more health the private
agencies must turn their attentlon
toward scientific research.
I'm my opinion there is sound line
of demarkation between public and
private agencies. The public agency
can take over those lines OF work
that have been well marked out
that are not in the experimental
field. The American public has been
slow to appropriate to push forward
into unknown fields and we must In
the future rely largely on the private
agencies in this respect
Here is another aspect OF the
question. 1t is not only difficult to
get appropriations for the public
agency, but that agency Is bound
down by certain types of laws. keep
ing it in a narrow field The money
must be spent for the specific pur-
poses for which it was appropriated,
while the private agency can do
whatever its directing board author
ICES restricted only by the amount
of money available"
Mr.. Hodson then referred briefly to