Evening star., 1935-03-28
Finds Services in Depart.
ment Far Below Recog-
nized Standards.
81 ADDITIONAL MEMBERS
FOR EMPLOYMENT URGED
Expansion Sought for Nursing,
Inspection and Treatment for
= Persons Having tuberculosis.

DR.. George C. Rutland. District health
officer. is seeking the employment OF
81 additional members Of his staff.
it was revealed today.
Such expansion of the District
health services still would leave the
District below standards, but the
health officer has limited the amount
of his requests. convinced he should
first sell the public and Congress on
the value of enlarging expenditures
as a means Of buying better health
conditions. Already members Of the
Senate District Subcommittee on APP
propriations have taken personal in
terest in the matter and at the re-
quest Of Senator Copeland Of New
York supplemental estimates totaling
$93, 400 have been submitted to that
group for consideration in the franz
ing of the 1886 budget BY the Senate.
Additions for Expansion.
These proposed additions would be
for expansion Of the Districts Public
Health Nursing Service, the School
Medical Inspection Service and the
anu CdIC VI PC1oO4Ao having
tuberculosis. The District CommiS-
sioners are in agreement with DR..
Rutland ON these plans and also
agree it would be wise to limit tLe
requested increase to a modest sum
rather than to ask at once for all
needed increases.
DR.. Rutland also has in mind for
the future the development of a
consultation or conference service for
persons having diseases in incipient
stages, so as to bring those needing
care into closer touch with agencies
which can give it. This matter now
is being discussed by DR.. Rutland
and members of the District Of CO.
lumbia Medical Society.
DR.. Rutland has found overcrowded
conditions in the quarters Of the Dis
trict Health Office are disgrace to
the National Capital and at his re-
quest District officials are searching
for possible additional space in the
District Building for the Health De-
partment. The overcrowding is par
ticularly Objectionable in connection
with the work of DR.. James Gordon
Cumming. assistant health officer in
charge of communicable diseases, and
DR.. Joseph Murphy. in charge Of
school medical inspection service.
Both officials daily have lines of
visitors who call to discuss questions
regarding communicable diseases.
Public Humiliation Cited.
Addressing meeting of the South
west Citizens Association last night,
DR.. Rutland said it was almost an
outrage that citizens should be OBJ
liged to suffer the humiliation of
discussion of their cases and some
times being examined almost publicly
in the crowded space Of the Health
Department while other persons were
standing nearby.
DR.. Rutland and DR.. Cumming
both gave detailed outline of their
hopes for an expansion of the Health
Department, beginning July !. DR..
Cumming spoke before the Public
Health Committee of the Board Of
Trade.
Both officials urge the provision of
funds for II additional employees for
the Public Health Nursing Service at
total cost of $50, 400. This would
provide for director of nursing at a
salary of $4,000 to $4,000; four as
siStant directors, 10 field nurses, three
clerks and Office equipment costing
up to $4,000. The plan also proposes
employment of three social workers,
For improvement of the school
medical inspection work, the health
officer proposes additional appropria-
ton Of $4,000, which would provide
five half-time physicians, 6 dental
hygienists. one dental supervisor and
$4,000 worth of equipment and sup
plies.
Seeks tuberculosis Aid.
For expansion of the war on tuber-
culosis, DR.. Rutland seeks the employ
ment of full-time physician to be
director Of the tuberculosis division
and the employment of a secretary
and $500 for equipment. In this con-
nection he now is working with vari-
GUS medical groups and the Tubercu-
losis Association on a plan for scien-
tific tests of students in the graduating
classes of one or more high schools
to show what can be done in identify
ing and treating tuberculosis cases in
their early stages.
THE need for a more liberal bud
get for the Health Department" DR.
Rutland said, "is indicated by the
fact that the present per capita ap-
preparation is 80 cents, as against the
generally accepted 81 per capita con-
sidered standard by the American
Public Health Association.
"It is significant also that of the
various services of the Health Depart
ment food inspection alone, with a per
capita cost appropriation of IL cents,
has given the city's health service q
record of acknowledged achievement
All other branches Of the service, un-
fortunately, show budget appropria.
tions of less than half the accepted
standard Of the American Public
Health Association"
To show the need for expansion OF
the Public Health Nursing Service, DR.
Ruhland explained that including the
nurses of the Instructive VISITING
Nurse Society there now are available
for public cases only 100. He revealed
that 10 Of these are about to be
dropped because of lack of funds.
The standard for such service sug.
gested by the American Public Health
Association Is one nurse to each 2.00(
or $500 Of population, indicating thai
the local service is but one-third ol
what is regarded by medical authori.
ties as the accepted minimum,
DIR. Rutland also proposes a travel
ing fund Of 81 900 for the Health De-
partment to enable members of hi,
staff to visit various clinics and attend
conventions Of the American Public
Health Association, so that new idea,
and new methods may be studied o,
n