Evening star., 1935-06-09
RETARDED HEALTH
WORK EVILS CITED
Dr.. Rutland Declares FL
nances Are Necessary to
War on Disease.

Hampered health supervision IN
Washington of the child from to s
costs the city millions of dollars,
according to DR.. George C. Rutland,
District health officer.
THE INSTRUMENTATION of patients
whose ailments might have been
checked by the early influence Of medi-
cine is one of the most eXtravagant
expenditures possible" he said in urg-
ing an expanded childhealth cam
paign.
1T is estimated that the total cost
of sickness and preventable death,
estimated by the cost of actual care,
loss in wages, ETC., is 10 to is billion
dollars year.
"It costs at least $50 to care for
ease of smallpox, but it costs only 7
cents for vaccination. We've got to be
adequately financed to war on disease
by preventive medicine and stop deal
ing almost entirely with the end
result"
Outside Aid Volunteered.
Only last month one of the Capitals
privately financed welfare groups came
to the aid of an anti-diphtheria cam
paign which Dr. Rutland lacked funds
to conduct.
Even while Congress was deciding
to withhold money asked by the
Health Department, the Child We'll
fare Society. board of Childrens
Hospital, proffered him l 500 doses of
the toxoid for immunizing children
against the dread disease.
Eventually, these doses are to be
repaid in kind by the District.
Remedying the lapses of Congress
is only one of the widespread activities
of the Child Welfare Society. Last
year 1879 children up to years old
were brought to the welfare for treat
ment. care and observation. At pres
ent l $50 active cases are registered on
its files. One supervisor and two
nurses oversee the health of these
children, and the two nurses last year
made 5.2l3 visits to the homes of these
children.
Teaching Center.
1t is a teaching center for the chill
dren as well as a health center. It
has found tuberculosis in persons
whose condition might have remained
undiscovered had not the welfare
nurses visited the homes which har-
bored the plague.
This mother of child welfare work
in the District" permits medical stu
dents to get their only real pediatrical
trai-:ng in the city and provides reg
istered nurses with an opportunity to
obtain post graduate knowledge of
child-care problems.
But even the heroic work of this
institution cannot entirely overcome
the blow dealt child welfare work
here by Congress. according to Mrs.
Frank B. Moves. honorary president
of the board. and Dr. Rutland
The program needs more money
There is a great need for co-ordinated
welfare work by the public agencies
and the private institutions, headed
by the Child Welfare Society.
Puzzled by Congress.
I'VE lack liaison work We need to
facilitate the expansion of the work
of the public health nurse and the
social service worker in contracting
the families and aiding them in
getting the necessary medical atten-
tion.
II am astonished and nonplused
over the action of Congress in deny
ing the sum I asked for this while
giving thousands of dollars for housing
he al lie tn
The tragedy is that We have the
facilities for caring for the children.
but now we can't bring those who
need the service to the service"
Keep the we'll child we'll" is the
exortation of Mrs. Noyes, who for
years was head of the Child Welfare
and has been an active honorary
president since her retirement in
favor of Mrs. Frederick De c. Faust
because of i'll health.
No greater benefit can come to a
community than the health of its
children, and this is blessing which
should be given to all through the
child health centers," says Mrs.
Noyes.
Keeping the well child we'll is a
slogan to be proud of and would en-
able our schools to receive all children
in healthy condition.
Benefits to Society Cited.
"The cost of maintenance for hos
pitfalls would of course be reduced; in
mates of insane asylums would be
1essened, and our criminal class GER
tainly become less menacing if our
future citizens received the benefit of
physical advice and. If necessary,
physical adjustment during the first
six years of life.
The maternal instinct Is not sufi-
cient to insure perfect care of young
children.
Il think before free education is Of
fered the coming citizens, free edu-
cation in health should be bestowed
upon each mother and child.
In our Children's Hospital is a
clinic being conducted under the
name OF the Child Welfare Society,"