Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-19
HEALTH FACILITIES
/. HELD INADEQUATE
IN SURVEY HERE
City Expenditures Considered
Below Standard and System
70 Per Cent Efficient.
HOSPITAL SITUATION
IS REPORTED BRIGHT
Creation of tuberculosis Bureau
Recommended Nurs-
ing staff Thought Necessary.

Washington's combined health facil-
tiles are only 70 per cent adequate
and the city's expenditures for health
safeguards are far below standard, DR..
William G. Walker of the American
Public Health Association yesterday told
the Council of Social Agencies in re-
porting on a comprehensive health
survey conducted here at the request
OF the Community Chest.
Contending that these facilities
should be at. least so or 90 per cent
adequate to fill the needs of a COM
munity such as washington, DR.
Walker said that expenditures for the
protection of health, now $1.28 per
capita, should be increased to 81 or
even So per capita, which he declared
was the accepted standard. Among
IA cities Of a comparable population,
Washington was ranked tenth in the
report for adequateness Of health
facilities.
Birth and Mortality Rate Good.
While the picture of conditions here
as drawn in the report of the Public
Health Associations survey had many
dark spots, there were indications of
| encouragement in the general hospital
situation and the birth and mortality
rates. The chief problem lies with
tAAC OOAOAC0 OCdtAA nAlQ buDClCulDSAS TdJc,
he pointed out, the death rate among
the colored population rising on a per-
centage twice as large as that Of the
whites.
Reviewing the general health stu
alton in the District of Columbia, DR..
Walker said the important things for
future consideration were an increase
| IN expenditures for public health,
! chiefly in preventive services; a
greater fexibility in the use Of hos
pttal beds which are not occupied to
their fullest capacity, and creation in
the Health Department of a special
bureau for tuberculosis, with full
time director and adequate staff,
The survey was made solely as q
guide to discover adequacy of the Serv-
ice in relation to needs of the COM
munity, DR.. Walker pointed out. That
part Of the survey relating to the hos
pitals, he explained, was done by others
than the committee Of the Public
Health Association.
COlOred Death Rate Rises.
A slight downward trend In the NOR
tally rate, the findings of the survey
stated, showed some Improvement, the
white rate having dropped from 1875
in 1920 to between IL and IL at the
present time. On the other hand, the
colored death rate is inclined to be
rising twice as high as the white rate,
constituting a problem Of major con-
sideration, he said, in any study of
health conditions.
AT the present time there Is a dis
apportionment in expenditures from a
health viewpoint" he said, in remind
ing that the $l.28 per capita expendi-
ture found here compares less favorably
with expenditures of $10.38 for protec-
ton, including fire and police; $22.67
for education. In the public expendi-
lures for health and sanitation, he
pointed out, only 98 cents out Of 1922 is
spent on the Health Department
Deducting the amount spent for pre-
ventive measures, DR.. Walker stated
that the total expenditure for health
safeguards of all kinds in the District
amounts only to $1.03 per capita.
Nursing STAFF Too Small.
Infant mortality, with 500 deaths
during the past year, the report
stressed, Is well up in the first group of
mortality causes, in which heart disease
leads with 1929 deaths. Deaths from
tuberculosis, 564, ranked fifth among
the causes.
With respect to tuberculosis cases,
the report stated, the problem lies
chiefly with the colored population, the
death rate among the latter being four
times higher, or 1856, compared with
IS.
We can't expect to reduce the white
rat much lower under the circum-
stances until we do something about
TIE colored death rate" DR.. Walker
aid. In this connection, he stressed
that the one great need was the organi-
cation of a thoroughly efficient tuber-
culosis bureau in the Health Depart
ment, whose director should be sup
ported by increased expenditures for
nursing and clinical work.
Another need, he pointed out. was
for the services of approximately %
additional nurses for care of infants
under year of age.
The work for infants and children
OF pre-school age, he declared, is one
Of the poorest in the city and at present
Is understaffed Nevertheless, he said,
some advance has been made, particu-
larly in the establishment of mental
hygiene clinics. The personnel for
health work in the public and parochial
schools he adjudged as inadequate.
Hospital Bed Need Not Acute.
A census Of Washington's 81 hos
pitfalls Of all kinds, the report showed.
indicates there is not an acute need
for additional hospital BEDS
The census reported 10000 hospital
beds, but of these, nearly 1000 were
unavailable for Washington residents.
Nineteen per cent Of the hospital beds
on the census day were occupied by
non-residents, which Dr. Walker said
represents heavy load on the COM
munity. Fifteen per cent of the beds
were found to be occupied by conva-
lescents and it was believed these beds
could have been put to other uses more
imperative. The number of hospital
beds increased by 419, or l4.9 per cent,
In the past year. as compared with a
80 per cent increase in population.