Evening star., 1935-06-08


The suggestion that We put health
employees on a payless furlough Is
groteSque," DR.. Rutland added. The
Health Department, Of all departments
in the District, should practice what
it breaches and safeguard its own
employees.
Nurses Seen Greatest Need.
THE most unjust and important
reduction in the budget is the denial
Of additional nurses This means es-
Senually loss Of the personal con-
tact that must be maintained with
patients IL they are TO receive proper
attention and contagious disease is
10 be restricted"
The public health nursing system.
he declared, was the very foundation
OF successful public health work He
had asked for one director Of nurses.
four supervisors and ten new nurses
to add to the 35 now employed.
That would have given us a mod
est start at nursing service he said
In community this size, We need
about 800 such nurses"
In defense Of the 81 employees threat
ened with payleSs furloughs, DR.. Run
land indicated he would do everv-
thing possible TO protect them from
this injustice. He was clearly in
dignant that these full-time employees
should be singled out" he said. when
there are 220 employees on part-tlme
services who could be spared more
easily.
Dr. Rutland further explained he
had held up the appointment Of a
deputy health officer. recently vacated
by headth. because of lack Of funds.
and this situation, ne believed, may
have TO continue.
Amazed" at Action.
DR. Rutland said he was amazed"
that Congress should take the action
il did N denying city like Washing
ton necessary funds 10 safeguard
public health.
Under the standards Of the Ameri-
can Public Health Association. the
District Health Department is al
ready understaffed. he explained
Measured by these standards, We
have an 8O-cent health department
against a 50 standard established as
the per capita need
The Medical Society OF the District
sensing the situation created here by
the budget cut. held a special session
and adopted a rigorous resolution
which it will lay before President
Roosevelt. the District Commissioners
and Chairmen Of the congressional
committees dealing with District leg
islauon and appropriations.
Washington is sentenced to con-
tinue in a low public health status
by the action Of the congressional
conferees in eliminating budget items
submitted ito improve the control of
disease in the Capital" the Medical
/ Society stated
Efforts Declared Crippled.
Calling attention to the fact an
outstanding health officer has been
/ secured for Washington, the societys
| resolution declared his efforts are be-
/ ing "hamstrung" by the action of
Congress in tying up necessary funds.
The society issued a call on all
/ public-spirited citizens and civic
bodies to get behind the demand for
action on behalf of health conditions
/ and to exert pressure on all Govern
/ ment officials in whose affairs they
| have no vote
| The absolute minimum expenditure
agreed upon BY all public health or
CARNATIONS, including the American
Public Health Association. for health
administration in cities is 50 per cap
| ita," the Medical Society said. The
increase asked for in this supple
mental estimate would still have
brought the total to less than half
this figure in Washington. In spite
Of this. the increase Of less than $780,
600 has been denied"
Outline of Program.
AS outlined by DR.. Rutland. the
program he sought from the budget
would have provided an assistant
health officer and sanitary inspector:
a tuberculosis work director to sup
plement the present three tuberculosis
nurses: extension of the school health
inspection service, and general
nursing staff made up of a director.
four supervisors and 10 additional
nurses as an absolutely minimum
staff.
While all contagious diseases, the
| increase in which has alarmed health
officers. are affected by the reduced
appropriations. the budget slash will
bear particularly on control of tuber-
culosis.
Dr. Rutland said the tuberculosis
mortality rate was 1913 for both white
and colored in Washington The death
rate among colored is about six times
greater than among white, he pointed
out. although nationally the ratio is
one to two.
We can do something effective in
cutting down this shameful death
rate" he said, "if We can get trained
services. The department needs pub
lie health nurses who are trained and
D = u