Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-08
DOUBLED BUDGET
FORHEALTH WORK
IN CAPITAL URGED
Social Agencies Report Holds
Funds Must Be Increased if
City Is to Keep Pace.
REFORM IN ALLEY HOME
SITUATION NECESSARY
Milk Supply Administration Is Ap-
proved-Cancer Control Dis
cussed in Survey.

cussed in Survey.
The public health budget must be
more than doubled If Washington is to
keep pace with other large cities in this
respect, according to the fourth section
of health and hospital survey which is
being completed under auspices of the
Council of Social Agencies.
Education of the public in the prin-
cipleS of healthy living is a most i'm
portant function of a health depart
ment," the report said. Unfortunately
in Washington the Health Department
has been handicapped by lack of funds
and personnel necessary to develop an
organized program Of popular health
education.
Chance for Development.
"The voluntary agencies in some in
stances have supplemented the official
| agencies in this field, but there is an
opportunity for the development of a
| more extensive and better correlated
program. At present this service seems
only about half adequate"
The new report, compiled by Amer
! lean Public Health Association in CO.
| operation with the Councils 1nterpreta-
ticn Committee covers food and milk
and popular health program, complet-
ing part Of a general survey on public
! health activities" Part 2 on public
health nursing probably will be ready
| for publication Monday.
Among the more important subjects
! for reform was the alley situation. The
/ report quoted a survey of 1927, setting
out that while some improvement was
| noted the general condition among alley
( n to ~ 1
! ago"
10000 Live in Alleys.
It was estimated that between 10. 1000
and 10000 persons still live in alley
| dwellings, many of which are "dilap-
idated and filthy
! On food and milk control, the report
said that approximately 81 per cent of
the milk supply is paSteurized, some 2
| per cent is of certified grade and all
comes frcm dairy herds which have
been tuberculin tested. The work is, in
general, well administered"
The committee recommended the IL
censing of food establishments on the
| basis OF a scoring system, and increase
in the facilities for testing milk and
the marking of milk bottles with the
date of production.
Sanitation work in the District Is well
organized under the Health Depart
ment. although it was pointed out that
the services of a sanitary engineer are
required in handling public health engi-
neering problems.
Urges Combined Laboratory.
About 95 per cent Of Washington's
| dwellings are connected with city water
and sewer systems, the report showed,
in recommending that the remaining
per cent be connected as rapidly as
possible.
The report recommended early elirni-
nation of alley dwellings and the adop-
ton OF sound policy to guide new
housing developments.
! With regard to laboratory service, the
report suggested that the functions of
the Health Departments divisions of
bacteriology, serology and chemistry be
combined under one laboratory director.
1t was suggested further that funds
and personnel be provided for a popu-
lar health instruction bureau or divi-
sion in the Health Department.
| Cancer Problem Studied.
Under the heading of special prob
lems," the report said the chief weak
ness of cancer control lay in lack of
diagnostic service in clinics. in the
small number of patients admitted to
hospitals for early treatment and in
the lack of nursing personnel for home
treatment of the disease
Attention was called to the lack of
convaleScent home facilities for INDECENT
cases and for patients Of moderate
means. Most Of the 141 beds for such
cases are available only at moderately
high rates. 1t was estimated that 200
more beds are needed at moderate
prices.
Plans were urged for a comprehen-
sive development Of mental hygiene
and clinic services.
Community Health Program.
The report had this to say on the
subject of a community health program:
THE basis Of satisfactory health
preservation work in a community is a
well organized health department, ade-
quately financed and stated with
trained personnel, and supported by the
local medical profession, proper laws
and favorable public opinion. In gen.
eral, the health laws and regulations
of the city, If broadly interpreted, are
nearly sufficient for present needs, al
! though it Is desirable that health regu-
lations be periodically reviewed and &C.
caSionally revised to comply with mod
ern knowledge and experience. The
medical profession apparently cooper
ates we'll with the health department.
/ The funds and personnel provided,
however, are entirely inadequate to
meet even minimum standards of bud
| getary allotmentS to modern health
| functions, with the exception of those
activities, as sanitation and food super
| vision. which were conceded to be eS-
sential a half century ago. Even the
staff for communicable disease control,
which Is commonly accepted as pri-
mary health function, is entirely too
small to permit the carrying out of
! routine activities to degree considered
| desirable for the instruction of cases
and contacts in measures for prevention
or spread.
And tuberculosis continued to take
an excessive toll among the colored.
The medical and nursing STATS of the
| official and voluntary agencies combined
are only about half adequate to pro-
vide for well rounded child hygiene
program reaching from the prenatal Pc
Rod through school life. Due to lack
OF funds and personnel there is no Or
gained program, on q community
basis, OF popular health instruction TO
acquaint the public with existing knowl-
edge regarding positive health and how
to keep well. Yet scientists tell us that
years could be added to the average
life span If available public health
knowledge were more generally applied.
Most Lack Funds.
"True it is, the various official and
voluntary agencies are, for the most
part, utilizing the available resources
in an effective manner. But most of
the agencies are working under severe
handicaps Of lack of adequate funds