Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-28
D. c. OFFICIALS HEAR
/ HEALTH PROGRAM
Advisory Council Social
Agencies Tell Commission
erS of Plans to Keep Well.

The District Commissioners were
urged today by the advisory council
of the Washington Council of Social
Agencies to approve it's Comprehen-
eive. health program, which already
has been Endorsed by number of
Washington's leading medical, wei
tsTe and civic organizations.
Headed by Arthur G. Moses. presi-
dent of the council, members of the
advisory council appeared before the
Commissioners at a hearing which
preceded the semi-weekly board meet
Ing of the Board of Commissioners
and stressed the importance of carry
ing out the program, which includes
adequate provision for medical in
spection work in the public schools,
Increased funds for infant hygiene and
contagious disease services and better
provisions for the care of tuberculaf
infected children.
Safeguarding Health Vital.
Mr.. Moses explained that the safe
guarding of the health of the people
of Washington. particularly the chill
dren, is a more important munlclpal
function than providing fire and pc.
lice protection and the carrying out OF
street lighting and roadway improve
ment programs. I'VE recommended
that other activities be neglected, II
necessary he said, ''in order to carry
out our health program.
Emphasizing the need of imme-
date improvement in the infant
hygiene service, Mr.. Moses declared
that Washington with its more than
500, 900 population has now nine
nurses in it's Child Hygiene Bureau
and the same number of infant
hygiene stations, only one of which
is equipped to do pre- natal work.
This means" he said, that large
Majority of expectant mothers are
given no instruction whatever in the
care they should take of themselves
and the preparations for the baby.
The nine nurses are obliged TO spend
a good part of their time In the
clinics and are not able to visit and
instruct the mothers at all as this
work should be done.
Infant Mortality Figures.
THE American Child Health Asso-
citation has made a study of infant
mortality in cities of over 100000 and
Washington leads with 81 and frac
ton deaths for every 1000 live births.
The lowest rate is reached by Seattle
with as deaths.
1--WE believe there is a very decided
relationship between the number of
deaths and the pitifully small number
of nurses, who are absolutely unable
to do the educational work that is
the chief mission of the public health
nurse. The American Public Health
Association, which has also made a
study of conditions all over the United
States, has established a standard of
Is infant hygiene nurses for every
100, 900 population, and yet Washing
ton with its 100000 has only nine
nurses. If we could meet the standard
there is every reason to believe that
the infant mortality rate could be re-
dueed to the minimum. For the pres
ent we are asking for only one-third
the number of nurses we ought to
have, although we realize that the
number asked for 1t inadequate.
Mr.. Moses also urged the creation
of a reserve organization for combat
ing diseases in the, event Of an cpl
demic, while Walter S. Ufford told of
the need for a sanitorium for the care
of children suffering from tubercu.
losis.
Need S64,SOO More.
The councils program for the school
medical inspection service calls for an
increase of $4,000 in the present ap-
preparation, to enable the Health De-
partment to provide for the examina
ton OF every child entering the kinder
garten or primary grade of all schools
in order to discover any physical de-
fects. At the present time, it was
pointed out, only about one-third of
the children entering the public
schools are receiving such medical
examination because of the limited
medical inspection and nursing staff.
An increase of $61,544 in the funds
for the infant hygiene service is rec
commended in the program, in addi-
ton to $4,000 for the immunization of
diptheria and other contagious dis
ease activities.
The Commissioners promised to give
the councils recommendation careful
and serious consideration.