Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-01
WASHINGTON LAGS
IN HEALTH SERVICE,
REPORT DECLARES
Council of Social Agencies
Holds Sums Spent Here
Are Inadequate.
SURVEY URGES CITY
SANITARY DISTRICTS
Milk Control Service Is U. S. Best,
but School Medical Staff Too
Small by Half.

Washington is not keeping pace with
other large cities in allowances for pub
lie health service
This conclusion is brought out in the
first section of the health and hospital
survey made here last year by the
Council of Social Agencies, issued for
publication today. The findings of the
entire survey will be made public within
a month.
The survey takes in the combined
efforts of the official and voluntary
services for public health. Listing IA
major health activities, it appraises
based on a rating set up by the Com
mittee on Administrative Practice of the
American Public Health Association.
The items surveyed by the council
include vital statistics communicable
disease control, social disease control,
tuberculosis control maternity hygiene,
infant hygiene, pre-school hygiene,
school hygiene, food and milk control,
sanitation, laboratory service, popular
health instruction, cancer control and
heart disease control.
Development Held Slow.
'The development of modern health
procedures, adequately financed, through
official appropriations, has in several
respects b:en relatively slow" the re-
port says. During the past 10 years,
the increase has been gradual"
The average per capita expenditure
OF "a large cities in 1920 was $742, as
compared with $3.50 in Washington, 4"
it adds. In 1923 these cities averaged
an expenditure of 1921 per capita. or
S.12 more than Washington was ex-
pending six years later.
Most of the allotmentS to public
health functions in Washington fall
below the amounts considered necessary
for these services"
City Aware of Needs.
The report brings out that, of the
public health activities 1877 per cent
are due to the efforts of the Health
Department directly. Other official
agencies, such as the Board of Educa-
ton, the Board Of Public Welfare.
tuberculosis Hospital and Public Works
Department, are responsible for 148
per cent. The remaining portion. lis
per cent, is due to the efforts of
voluntary agencies.
The present city administration and
the United States Bureau of Efficiency
are apparently alive to the importance of
a sound and adequately supported pub
lie health program" the report says.
Looking specifically at the activities
OF the Health Department, the milk con-
troll service Is outstanding in personnel.
direction and accomplishments" the re-
port adds. THE well baby conferences.
although somewhat inadequate in num-
Der, are well organized and conducted:
the school medical services are admira-
bly, administered. and the results for
the size of staff are good, but the
staff is only half adequate for even
minimum needs; the laboratories are
efficiently conducted and the volume
of work is commensurate with the
size of staff; the vital statistics records
are in general more complete than in
the average city, although the person.
mel has not been Increased for several
years.
THE tuberculosis Association is sup
plementing in an effective manner the
official activities. and the Instructive
Visiting Nurse Society is rendering an
Invaluable nursing service. The health
officer is member of the Medical Ad-
visory Committee of the Instructive
Visiting Nurse Society and of the board
of the tuberculosis Association The
relationship between these organizations
and the Health Department seems to
be good.
Washington Council of Social Agencies
is beginning to study the local problems
on community scale, and it is
hoped that this survey may stimulate
interest and suggest further opportuni-
ties along this line. Many of the recon-
mendationS in this report are already
in the minds of the agencies concerned.
With an adequate budget and public
support, the Health Department would
be In position to take the place in health
work which it deserves"
Urges Sanitary Areas.
The report makes this recommended
ton for bolstering the statistical work
here:
I'm view of the large colored popula-
tion and also the differences in NOR
tally and morbidity in various sections
Of the city, it would seem desirable to
establish sanitary or health districts
for statistical purposes. as has been
successfully done in Cleveland, Ohio;
New York, N. Y, and certain other
cities.
% 1t is recommended that per-
son trained as a vital statistician be
employed to serve jointly this bureau
and the communicable disease Serv-
ice. ~ That additional personnel be
employed and mechanical devices be
installed to facilitate the work of
analysis of morbidity and mortality
data"
Death Rate Decreases.
The report shows that the death
rate here decreased from 149 per 1000
in 1923 to 1871 and 1874 in 1929 adding:
Although the colored population has
represented for several years about rs
per cent of the population, this group
has included 81 per cent of the deaths,
and 80 per cent of the births during
the past Is years in the city, according
to data complied by the deputy health
officer. Among the colored population,
deaths far exceeded the births in the
years 1915 to 1919, and in 1928"
The Health Committee of the Council
Of Social Agencies, under whose direc-
ton the survey was made, had as its
original chairman, DR.. Paul Preble of
the United States Public Health Serv-
ice. He died while the survey was in
progress and Miss Gertrude H. Bowling,
the former vice chairman, was made