Evening star., 1934-02-18
EXPANDED HEALTH
PROGRAMPtAN
Allen Confers Tomorrow
With Miss Abbott on
School Plans.

Expansion of the present program
of medical and dental work among
pupils of the public school system is
the objective of plans now being for
mulated by the District Commission
ers, it was revealed last night by Com
missioner George E.. Allen.
Active consideration of the proposal
is to be taken up tomorrow when Al
len will confer with a representative
of Miss Grace Abbott. head of the
Children's Bureau of the Labor De-
partment.
To make possible expansion of the
program, Congress is to be asked tc
approve an increase in appropriations
! for the medical corps of the District
Health Department. it was stated. but
| just how much of an increase would
be required has not been determined
1t was reported.
Program Needs Cited.
This is a matter to be considered
during conferences with the Chill
dren's Bureau agent, it was ex-
planned.
The need for a more extended pro-
gram of health supervision among
school children was cited several
| times by members of the Advisory
Committee named by Commissioner
Allen to aid in formulation of the
new plans for the Districts free-lunch
program for school children.
This committee, headed by Mrs
Frederick H. Brooke. suggested that
steps be taken for provision of more
school physicians or nurses to as.
sure more comprehensive attention tt
the health of pupils Members of tbs
group declared that health safety de-
pended on more than the serving oi
adequate meals.
| Il Medical Inspectors.
Under the District Health Depart
ment, there now are IA medical in
! spectors assigned to work among
school children, under the direction
| of DR.. Joseph A. Murphy. Also there
operators, 2 phsyiotherapistS' aides, l:
nurses and dental hygienists, max
ing grand total of 81.
The size of the corps has not beer
increased since 1881, when the tota,
was increased from Al to 81. Mean
time, however, officials point out, the
enrolment of the public schools here
! has increased considerably
The appropriations for the purpose
amounted to s66.8o0 in 1927; dropped
to S65,800 in 1928 and reached it
peak of $l01 $50 in 1881. For the
current fiscal year. the appropriations
total $4,000. The 1885 budget now
before Congress provides for Continu-
alton of the same number of worker;
as for the present year. but the total
fund is s84. .554 because of provision
i for restoration of one-third of the
Is per cent Government pay cut.
s,o46 Visits to Schools.
In his annual report. covering activi-
| ties during the fiscal year ending June
80, last Dr. william c. Fowler. health
officer, stated recently that of the tota
number of physical examination
made by the District physicians. s5
per cent of the pupils were found tc
have some physical defect, mostly OF
minor importance and easy of COR
rection.
He reported that during. the past
fiscal year a total of 9.046 visits were
made to the schools. The physicians
made 50,9S9 partial and 1912 com.
plete physical examinations, making q
grand total of 70.701.
District officials propose to expand
the medical and dental force so ex-
aminations could be made of as many
as 85 900 pupils.
DR.. Fowler reported that under ar
rangements made during the past two
years it had been possible to COM
plete the examinations Of apprcxi-
mately the entire first grade and
kindergarten enrollment.