Evening star., 1937-12-15
MENTAL HYGIENE
CHECK-UP |SBEGUN
|By HEALTH SERVICE
District Study Is Part of
General Federal Survey
of Localities.
WORK PUT IN CHARGE
OF DR.. J. w. WILSON
Recommendations for Improve.
ments Considered Desirable
May Be Made.

DR.. j. w. Wilson of the Public
Health Service today began a check
up on mental hygiene conditions in
the District as a part of the general
Federal survey Of local public health
facilities and needs.
Assistant Surgeon General Robert
Olesen. who is directing the survey
requested by the Commissioners, said
DR.. Wilson would study all phases of
what is being done for prevention and
treatment of mental illness in the
District and make recommendations
for any improvements he might con-
slider desirable.
Assignment of DR.. Wilson, who hasI
been doing similar work for the Pub
lie Health Service out of New York;
for the last year, to the mental hy-;
giene study here completes the spe-
cial staff for the survey of District
Health conditions, DR.. Olesen said
Department Praised.
AiC oooAoOaliV SCOll 6CllCl dl Sdlu
preliminary study shows the local
Health Department has many fine
features, an excellent organization and
generally compares favorably with any
health department in the country"
He said it was doing work as remark
able as any in the country in many
fields, such as the control Of diph-
liberia and smallpox.
Unfortunately, the impression has
arisen in some quarters" Dr. Olesen
said, that the whole Health Depart
ment is inefficient because Of criti-
cism Of some conditions. hope this
impression won't persist. The depart
ment deserves the confidence Of the
people Of the District"
The purpose Of the survey by Fed
eral experts is to study effectively
the entire public health program in
the District and make recommended
tions for improvement in any fields
where everything may not be all
right DR.. Olesen said.
Gallinger Visited.
Most of the survey staff already is
at work DR.. F. c. Smith, former
head of the Public Health Service
Hospital Division, visited Gallinger
Municipal Hospital yesterday in con-
nection with his special study Of hos
pital conditions here. 1t was criti-
cism OF the situation at Gallinger,
caused largely by shortage of space
and personnel, that prompted the
Commissioners to request the general
survey.
DR.. Smith probably will be able to
submit preliminary report on hos
pital needs to District Health Oficer
George c. Rutland in time for pre-
sentation to the House Subcommittee
which is considering the 1889 District
appropriation bill, DR.. Olesen said.
The Health Department is asking for
funds to relieve the over-crowded con-
ditions at Gallinger.
The mental hygiene study by DR..
Wilson was added to the survey plans
after DR.. Winfred Overholzer, super
intendent of st. Elizabeth's Hospital,
last week urged modification Of the
law governing commitment of mental
ly i'll persons to hospitals here.
DR.. Overholzer described the local
law requiring a mental patient to
be present at jury trial before he
might be committed, as one Of the
most barba-os in the country.
DR.. Wilson will study the local COM
mitment procedure and may suggest
changes in the law if he considers any
change desirable, DR.. Olese said. His
study also will include facilities at in
stitutions here for the mentally i'll,
for detecting problem children in the
schools and providing early treatment
and other preventive phases of men,
tai hygiene program.
DR.. Olesen said DR.. Wilson was IAN
old war horse" in the Public Health
Service, having been particularly val
liable in special studies of mental hy-
giene problems. He joined the serv-
ice in 1914 and for many years was
chief medical officer at the Lewisburg,
Pa, Federal Penitentiary.