Evening star., 1935-12-29
GREATER HEALTH
GUARDS ERECTED
Providing Care for Poor One
of 1885 Medical Society
Achievements.

Outstanding achievements Of the
Medical Society of the District OF
Columbia were cited yesterday as
indicating the redoubled interest taken
during the year in all matters con-
cerning the city's health.
Listed first among the accomplish
ments OF 1895 was the establish
ment of the Medical Economic Sc
curity Administration so medical care
should be made available to every
person, regardless of economic status.
Il was recognized that the threat Of
socialized medicine could be met only
by measures to provide for needs
which give rise to complaints against
the high cost Of medical service. Ac-
cordingly, start was made in 1884
when the Medical Society in conjunc-
ton with other groups set up Group
disqualification. Inc. q non-profit in
surance scheme providing hospitaliza-
ton only TO the members Of employed
groups at q premium of rs cents q
month. This scheme has been In
successful operation a year and q half,
and now has in Washington more than
1900 policyholders.
Admitting rureau Set-Up.
Next, the Central Admitting Bureau
Tor Hospitals was started January 10,
last, in cooperation with the District
Dental Society. the Medico- Chirurgical
Society, the Robert T. Freeman Dental
Society and the Community Chest as
a central agency for admitting patients
to charity service in all community
and university hospitals in the city.
The bureau stands as a watchdog over
the expenditures Of Community Chest
funds In hospitals. In the first nine
months Of the year, 1t handled more
than $500 applicants for hospital care.
The activities of the Central Admit
ting Bureau were extended during
the year to include clinic visits to all
local dispensaries. thus providing a
closer check to eliminate patients able
to afford private care. More than
1900 visits to dispensaries were au.
thorized by the bureau.
Another important agency was in
corporated March /, known as the
Medical-Dental Service Bureau. It
embraces q scheme for budgeting post
payments for medical, dental and hos
pital care In accordance with the cir
cumstances Of the patient who is able
to pay for service. More than 10000
patients have been treated under the
installment payment plan.
Plan Is Copied.
The Permit Bureau of the Board of
Public Health Of the District, the Gen.
trail Admitting Bureau and the Medi-
cal-Dental Service Bureau comprise
the set-up of the Medical Economic
Security Administration. The plan.
with its combined services, has been
so successful here that 1t has been
adopted by the Medical Society of
New Jersey, and also has been estab-
hshed In st. Louis, Baltimore and
several other cities have a similar
plan under consideration.
The administration is housed in its
own building at Eighth and streets
1t is directed by Ross Garrett, co-ordi-
nator.
The aforementioned activities have
been only a part of the work of the
large Committee on Medical Eco
nomics Of the society. DR.. Prentiss
Wilson Is the committee chairman.
Continued studies of the plan are
being made.
The Public Health Committee, DR..
William H. Hough, chairman, rendered
services in diptheria toxoid treatments
to 1000 children at the time of the
May day child health drive. Rep
resentatives of the committee also
conducted the examination of 1000
high school seniors in May, the 81 500
cost Of X-ray materials for the sur
vey being contributed by the District
Of Columbia tuberculosis Association.
The committee also provided the pro-
fessional roentgenological services for
the w. p. A. survey of 10000 adults
for tuberculosis.
Birth Control Studied.
For the first time. on May 8, the
Medical Society adopted a resolution
dealing with the subject of birth con-
troll. The resolution, together with
similar petitions from some other
cities, was presented to the House of
Delegates of the American Medical
Association at its annual meeting and
resulted in that body for the first time
in its history taking action on the sub
ject. A commission was created to
study birth control and report its
findings to the next annual meeting
Of the national body.
The Legislative Committee, under
DR.. P. A. McLendon, aided in secur-
ing a supplemental appropriation Of
$4,000 for the District Health De-
partment last Summer. It cham
pioned, also, various laws looking to
the protection Of health.
'The Family Doctor" hour on the
radio has advised thousands of FAM
lilies weekly on health matters over
Station WMAL. DR.. Herbert p. Ram
sey is chairman Of the committee
In charge.
On May 1, the Medical Society
elected DR.. Stirling Rufin as presi-
dent to succeed DR.. A. B. Bennett.
DR.. John Minor is first vice presi-
dent; DR.. Fred r. Sanderson, second
vice president, and DR.. c. B. Conklin,
secretary-treasurer.