Evening star., 1927-04-27
URGES MORE FUNDS
FOR CHILD HYGIENE
Facilities to Be Enlarged July
|, but Not Enough, Di-
rector Says.

Heolth Department facilities for the
examination of children in the child
hygiene stations of the city will be en-
larged beginning July /, according to
DR. Hugh j. Davis, director of the
Child Hygiene Service. DR.. Davis
feels. however, that an additional in
crease in this work win be needed for
the succeeding year, if the situation is
to be adequately met in the National
Capital.
Under appropriations for this work in
the fiscal year 1928, starting next July
/. the funds available will be increased
to S45 900. This win allow the install
lation of an additional child hygiene
station, DIR. Davis announced today,
and the addition of one or two doc
tors and nurses.
Increase of $4,000.
congress-" said DR.. Davis, "has
shown a growing interest in the pre-
vention of diseases of childhood, as
indicated in the fact that appropria-
tions for the past few years have been
greater each year.
"The appropriation for 1928, which is
| S45 900, or $4,000 more than for this
year, win provide for 10 child hygiene
stations with staff of 12 to IA nurses
on full time, medical director and
| 10 or IL part-time physicians.
Through this service it is expected
that about 10000 children will be
| reached in the fiscal year 1928. But as
| the number of children born in the
District is approximately 10000 per
wear, and as the Child Hygiene Sery-
| ice covers a period of six years OF
| the child's life, 1t may be seen that
| only a small portion of the infant and
| preschool population can be reached
| by this service.
Urges Double Appropriation.
"a conservative estimate would call
| for an appropriation for 1929 of at
| least double the 1928 appropriation to
approach somewhere near the service
which the District of Columbia should
render to the children of early age. "
| A similar problems exists, DIR. Davis
said, in the Medical School Inspection
| Service, which he indicated was not
| able to administer examinations to
| children in the schools.
Discussing the question of child
| welfare in connection with the forth
| coming Child Health day-May day
| celebration Saturday, when 81 Nation
wide campaign will be carried on by
| the American Child Health Associa-
| ton for examination of children Tor
| defects and recommendation or cor
| rective measures, DR.. Davis issued an
| appeal to parents to cooperate.
Urges Frequent Examinations.
"All parents are urged to avail
Themselves of the service the Health
| Department provides" he said, "or to
| present their children to their private
| physicians for periodic health exam
| nations and for preventive measures.
'"rhe custom Of frequent periodic
| health examinations to prevent as
| ease has become well established. Ii
| has been heartily indorsed by the
medical profession particularly by the
| Medical Society of the District OF Co
| Iumbia, which has officially gone on
record in favor Of such examinations
| not only for adults but for children.
physical defects are more easily
corrected in childhood than by wait
| ing until the person has become an
adult, when the defects shall have
become much harder to overcome.
"The child in his early life up to
years of age is in a state Where ne
can be nodded more easily than later,
according to all medical authorities.
| This is particularly true as regards
health habits and avoidance of ner-
vous strain, which will tell in later
| life.
Habits Become Well Fixed.
tHabits formed by seven years of
age are pretty well fixed and II the
child has been encouraged In the de-
velopment of the right habits 1t STANDS
a better chance Of getting ahead ooln
| physically and mentally.
'"There is too great tendency on
| the part Of parents to neglect the
| child at the runabout age. Parents
are fairly well educated on the neces-
sity of giving infants during the frst
few wears of life medical and hygiene
attention which they need, but after
two years of age there is tendency
to let the child go scott Tree, SO 1ar
as supervision is concerned. 1t Is IN
this period between infancy and the
school age that the child has not been
receiving the care and attention he
should receive.
| "All authorities on child health are
agreed that this to age group par
ticularly needs attention. There is,
for instance, the question of tenn
porary teeth. 1t Is as important to
keep these temporary ones in good
conditions as the permanent teeth
later because they affect health very
markedly, and may affect the perma-
nent teeth if not kept in good condi-
ton.
Mortality Is Greatest.
'It is in this group that the Incl
dence and mortality is greatest. The
toxin-anti-toxin treatment provides as
sure a method for prevention of
diphtheria as does vaccination for
smallpox. Diphtheria should be as
rare as smallpox in every community,
if not completely stamped out. just
as typhoid fever has been generally
eliminated from the United States
Army. This elimination is classic