Evening star., 1936-06-12
D|PHTHER|A TOLL
EXCEEDSAvERAGE
Rate Is Higher Than in
Other Large Cities, Ruh'
land Reports.

warning GQhJ LIl6 DlSGIlCtS pAaAiS
for a more effective attack on disease
will suffer a blow from failure Of
the pending 1887 appropriation bill,
which would allow some increased
activity, came today from Health ON
Ger George C. Rutland.
AS a case in point, he reported that
the National Capital now has higher
death rate from diphtheria than other
large cities OF the country. The rate
here for 1885 was ST per 1000, in
contrast TO 3.3 for the United States
as a whole
The diphtheria death rate for Chi
eago was 09, for Detroit, 10; for
Baltimore, IL, and for Philadelphia,
a.
DR.. Ruhland voiced fears that
failure of the regular supply bill would
mean that plans for further expan-
sion of the maternal and child health
program, partly financed from Fed
eral aid grants under the social Sc
curity program, would have to be
diminished.
Only Part of Program.
While the District, like the States,
receives an outright grant for this
work, this is only part Of the pro-
gram mapped by the Children's Bu-
reau and the Public Health Service
Other grants would be forthcoming
with passage Of a bill providing new
money" for an increase in the pro-
gram under matching money"
phases of the social security act.
To emphasize the need for more
attention to this program, the health
officer cited reports showing the Dis
trict has an infant mortality rate
of 5e2 per 1000 live births and
maternal mortality rate of 6.8 per
1000 live births New York, Chicago
and other large cities have much bet
ter records.
The new maternal and child health
program will go forward, however,
with the outright grant of $4,000,
DR. Ruhland said. He announced Sc
lection of an area bounded roughly
by Fifteenth, S, K and First streets
as demonstration area" for spe-
cial attention in the maternal and
child health work.
Death Rate Among Highest.
The general total death rate of the
District for last year, 1866 per 100000
was among the highest OF any in the
country The national average was
II. For New York City the figure
was 1913, for Chicago, 1o1; for De-
troit, 8.8, for Boston, l4.4, and for
Baltimore, 1913.
The number Of diphtheria cases and
the death rate both appear on the
increase this year, judging from the
record of the first five months, health
records show
During 1888 there were ABB cases
Of diphtheria among white persons
and 480 among the colored. There
were 29 deaths last year, Is among
the white cases and 13 among the
eoiored.
During the first five months Of this
year there have been reported 277
cases among white persons and 231
among the colored. There were 10
deaths in the period, IA among white
persons and S among the colored
Records for 1885 on infant mortal
tty show these comparisons: The rate
for the District was 59.2 per 1000
live births; for the United States as
a whole, sol; for New York City,
@71: for Chicago, 40, and for Balti-
more, 568.
Maternal Deaths Cited.
The maternal mortality figures for
last year are: For the District, 6.8
per 1000 live births: for the United
States as a whole, 1912 (for the year
1884, the latest available f1gure); for
New York City, So; for Chicago, 3.3,
and for Baltimore, g.
The Health Department program
for this fiscal year totaled $474,0O0.
This sum included a 1000 supple
mental appropriation granted last
year by Congress which allowed an
expansion Of the Nursing Service.
The 1887 District bill as it came
from the Budget Bureau allowed ap-
proximAtely s508,000 for the depart
ment. The House reduced this to
about $482, 900 and the Senate raised
the figure back to the Budget Bureau
level
Wording of a continuing resolu-
ton, if merely maintenance appro-
priation has to be substituted for the
pending regular bill, would determine
whether the enlargement of health
work, provided in the 1886 supple
mental appropriation. could be con-
tinued in force for another year, Of
fcials say. The resolution proposed
by Representative Blanton refers to
1886 items contained in the regular
appropriation act.
McCarfs Decision a Factor.
Plans for the maternal and child
health demonstration under the social
security program came to light as a
result Of a decision by Controller
General McCarl outlining certain re-
strictions on use of the Federal grant
OF $20,795, especially concerning ex-
penses of training four nurses for
special work.
Last March four District Health
Department nurses took payless fur
loughs from their 81 $1,800-a-year Jobs
TO take a four-month training course
A. schools designated for training of
social security program specialists.
Three are attending Teachers Col
lege, New York City, and one at the
Medical College of Virginia, at Rich
mond. They will receive the same
pay when they return July l.
The McCarl rule dealt, in part.
with the question OF whether ma
ternal and child health program
FUNDS could be used for travelling ex-
penses. He said they could not. The
controller did say such funds u,iaht