The Washington times., 1928-08-30
IN
REPORT
CITED

Il 5O-page answer to the 3l8-
page criticism Of the Health
Department Of the District was
filed today with G Commissioners
Proctor u. Dougherty By pr.
William G. Fowler, District
Health Officer.
The volume of criticism SUD-
nlitted last spring by the Bureau
of Efficiency was prepared py Dr:
paul Prebie, surgeon Of the United
States Public Health Service ana z
staff Of his assistants
The Fowler answer assumes Lne
form cf stinging rebuke Of the
bureau for submitting Such an elaD.
ornte report carrying drastic ana
radical changes in the health
service without offering adequate
remedies for conditions the bureau
investigators charge exist.
DR.. Fowler offers no apologles
FOR the manner in which his ue-
uartment Is administered and holds
that modest Increase IN appro-
Driations il all that Is needed from
Congress rather than the 100 per
cent increase advocated BY the
bureau.
Language Vague
1T seems to me that in order
70 be helpful in improving the con
ditiors.' DIR. Fowler says, some
recommendation or suggestion
should be MADE. Z
Answering one statement Of the
bureau relative to q proposed new
nians for q public health organiza-
tion here, DIR. Fowler says:
.It Ii not clearly Endsrstood
wflaf is meant by the language
used. it seems. however,, tnat "
II an acknowledgement on the part
OF the investigator that local con-
ditions are such that ne Iinos ~
difficult to formulate CONSTR ruc'
tive plan for public heaitn adIlln- a
istration in this District, ana ~. ".
later on in the report he attempts
"a set up an organization in TINS
District based on standards adopted
Tor other cities
The bureau. DIR. Fowler holds, has
failed to show that the office OF
health office should be aboilsnsd
and beard OF health be created.
Numerous suggestions Of the pu.
reau. DIR. Fowler says, were naoe
because the investigators were IN.
familiar with the practical side OF
the questions discussed ana this
Ignorance of the subject, ne SAYS
is responsible for the suggestion.
Asks for New Plan
In answer TO the bureau criti-
cisn of the filing system OF tns
department. DIR. Fowler says he
would appreciate it II some OF lns
experts OF the Bureau of Efficisney
viii point out to him more prac-
,tical and satisfactory method.
Taken to task by the bureau Tor
failure to make arrests for prostitu.
ton in the District, DR.. Fowler,
holds that the Health Department
Is not clothed with that authority.
He holds that the Police Depart
ment should enforce the vice laws
of the District.
The bureau held that the statisti-
cal methods of the department ARE
incomparably poor and only succeed
in ohgcuring the truth" 10 Whlcn
DIR. Fowler responds:
~ am ut an utter loss to under
stand how this statement can he
recOnciled with the statement on
mage as Of the report which reads:
'On the whole, the Bureau Oi
vital Statistics seems to function
in a manner which is above the
average for a city the size o.
Washington l shall appreciate u
II the Bureau will enlighten me
on this subject.
Against the criticism of the he
partments method of handling the
milk supNly here, DIR. Fowler poln~s
ont that milk served here compares
with the best in the country.
DIR. Fowler takes the bureau TO
task for recommending that colored
nurses be paid $500 each and
white nurses 81 $50 each. r.
'As to the duties OF the nurses
in the several branches of the
service enumerated are Identical,
the Fowler answer says. the
Health Officer finds 1t difficult 10
reconcile fhe difference in the sal
aries recommended by the Bureau
of Efficiency for the two races.
especialIy in view of the fact that
the current appropriation act re-
latine to school hygiene makes no
such discrimination. 1t may be,
howe yer. that some satisfactory e%'
planation can be made by the Bu.
reau of Efficiency with respect u
this matter"
DR.. Fowler says he has no recon-
u.cndation or comment to maze
with respect to the several plans of
reorganization submitted by the
bureau feeling that this is a sub
ject the Commissioners should con-
slider and decide which, Ii either
ono, of these plans would best meet
The needs Of the District"
He concludes:
"It is believed, however, that the
present organization is quite salts
f:4ctory IL necessary appropriation
6an be obtained to permit it to
function in the manner that it
should.
One-room- and apartments up u
ease and satisfaction through the