Evening star., 1931-05-26
$4,000 HEALTH
FUND PROPOSED
Only SILL 600 Now Available
in Montgomery, Expert
Tells Citizens.
by WILLIAM S. TARvER,

NORBECK, Md May 26-For $4o,-
900 yearly Montgomery County could
have a first-class Public Health Depart
rnent, DR.. Allen Weir Freeman head of
the School of Public Hygiene of Johns
Hopkins University. declared last night
in an address before the Advisory Citi-
zens' Committee, which will cooperate
with him in making a survey this Sum
ner of public health conditions in the
county. The meeting was held in the
Manor Club.
At present approximately 1000 is
available for public health work every
wear. Like most other things, DR. Free
man declared, public health is purchas-
able and Montgomery County must in
crease several times its present appro-
priation If it is to have "top-hols"
Health Department
Educational Function.
The survey probably will disclose little
that is new In conditions in the county,
he asserted, but its chief value will rest
in its educational function. I'VE want
to create interest among the people in
conditions as they are and then we
may be able to move them to act" DR..
Freeman declared.
sentative of civic, welfare and. medical
organizations in all sections of the
county, with almost every one who had
been invited attending. Miss Lavinia
Engle member of the House of Dele
gates from Montgomery, who also pre-
sided, cautioned those present to broad
cast the work of the survey. 50 as to
achieve the results DR.. Freeman de-
sired.
Estimate Is Tentative.
DIR. Freeman said that his estimate
of the money needed to give Mont
gomery the best possible health service
was tentative. since he knew little of
actual conditions in the county. He
probably needed from 10 to 16 more
public health nurses milk inspector,
sanitary inspector and modern labo-
Tatory.
Results of his study will only point
out the ways in which the County
Health Department can be improved,
DR.. Freeman declared Actually to
make Improvements, he said, will cost
money and all the surveys in the world
win do no good unless needed funds are
made available.
DR.. Robert H. Riley. State director of
public health, said that the State
Health Department and the county de-
partment will carry out as far as pos
sible DR.. Freeman's recommendations.
Health Conditions.
DR.. Freeman stressed the unusual
circumstances regarding public health
in Montgomery, caused by the rapid
overflow into Maryland of the urban
population of Washington. The county
has an urban, suburban and a rural
health problem, he asserted, adding
that it would be well to have health
audit" of the county before conditions
change.
There are four principal problems
which must be studied In the forth
coming survey, DR.. Freeman said. He
named them as communicable disease
control water supply, sewage service
and milk supply.
The first named. commandments
ease control, re said, is by far the most
important of the four. The problem of
water supply in Montgomery is princi-
pally one of extension of the present
service, as Is the sewage problem, he
said. The speaker said he knew moth
ing at present of the quality of the milk
produced in the county.
Committee Named.
Following Dr. Freeman's address Miss
Engle announced an Executive Commit
tee for the General Advisory Commit
tee. 1t included DR.. Benjamin C. Perry,
chairman: DR. William T. Pratt, county
health officer; DR.. G. v. Hartley, presi-
dent of the County Medical Association;
DR.. j. w. Bird, Miss Hermine Baden
hoop, Miss Engle, Supt. of Schools Ed
win w. Broome, Miss Estelle Moore
and Ralph Lee.
DR.. Pratt, the first speaker Of the
evening, traced the development OF pub
lie health work in Montgomery during
the past decade. When he was ap-
pointed health officer more than 10
years ago, DR.. Pratt said all he had TO
work with was rubber stamp and
fornaIdehyde fumigator He said that
at present the department had three
nurses and does work in the schools,
for the INDECENT, inspects milk and
abates nuisances, as well as many other
functions.
He said the department now needs
sanitary inspector and more nurses.