Evening star., 1934-12-07
Expansion of Child Hygiene
activities Sought by Allen
District Commissioner Cites Infant Nor.
tnlity Statistics In Stressing Need
for Increased Effort.

Recognizing the value OF child
hygiene activities in the District. Com
missioner George E. Allen announced
today that determined efforts would
be made this Winter to expand the
service and increase in effectiveness.
Commissioner Allen pointed out
that the need for furthering the child
hygiene work is impressively stressed
in the latest infant mortality statis-
tics which show that of the IA largest
cities in the United States. Washing
ton stands at the top in the number
of deaths.
Health department records reveal
that while the number Of infants
under l year of age who died in 1888
dropped slightly under the preceding
year, of each 1000 children born in
the District in 1888, 678 died before
reaching l year of age. For 1882 the
figure was 1876.
IL Stations in Operation.
Commissioner Allen also declared
the new health officer to be selected
as successor to DR.. William c. Fowler
who retired December l. undoubtedly
would show an increased interest in
the Districts child hygiene work
There also is a very pronounced
sentiment among other District Of
f1cials and those engaged directly in
hygiene work for increasing its ef-
fectiveness in order to reduce the in
fant mortality rate.
Twelve child hygiene stations are
now in operation. Officials believe this
number is adequate to meet the needs
Of the community at this time. provid-
ing more doctors and nurses are added
to give more complete service.
Eleven stations are under control of
the health department and are oper-
ated and maintained at public ex-
pense. These are located in various
parts of the city. conveniently CEN
tered in the neighborhoods where the
need for child hygiene work is most
urgent
The other station. at Children's Hos
pital, is operated by the Child We'll
fare Society. This particular station
is regarded as the mother" of the
public supported clinics and is set up
as a model. Alone, it cares for ap-
proximately one-fourth of all child
hygiene cases in the District, and at
present has 1900 children under OBJ
servation. There are six doctors and
a medical director on its staff.
Staff of 10 Doctors.
The II public clinics have a staff
OF l9 doctors. including DR.. Hugh J.
Davis, the director, and Is nurses, in
cludlng a supervisor. In the 1884
fiscal year 81 223 visits were made to
these stations and 1915 new cases
registered. The nurses made 30988
visits to the homes to instruct mothers
In the proper care and feeding Of
children. In addition, the doctors ex-
amined lib children, 531 of whom
were found to be normal and SGT with
some defects. In 302 instances the
defects were corrected.
The IL public clinics are located as
follows: Georgetown University Hos
: pital, 2304 Pennsylvania avenue, 304
Indiana avenue, 48O E street SOUTH
west, 900 Maryland avenue northeast,
1905 Pennsylvania avenue southeast,
Freedmen's Hospital, 2027 Georgia av-
enue, 1901 Talbert street southeast.
20l2 Rhode Island avenue northeast
and 5l8 M street.
Doctors on duty at these clinics
work on part-time basis and. accord
ing to DR.. Davis, are often too busy
to devote sufficient time to individual
cases. Conferences between parents
and physicians, he said. must neces-
sarily be restricted in order to permit
the handling of all applicants. An
increase in the medical staff, he ex-
planned would make possible an in
crease in the effectiveness of the work.
Nursing Staff Inadequate.
DR.. Davis said the staff of nurses
also is inadequate and it is impossible
under present conditions to devote the
time necessary to follow up work and
inspection in the homes-an activity
that is considered important, other
wise mothers would lose interest and
not return their children to the clinics.
Primarily, the function of the child
hygiene work is to keep the we'll child
we'll" a preventive work that follows
the theory of the old adage, 'an ounce
of prevention is worth a pound Of
cure"
From babyhood to school age all
children are entitled to the service
provided by these clinics.
Children taken to the clinics are
given a thorough medical examination
and the mothers are given advice on