Evening star., 1938-03-31
HIGH TOLL IS LAID
TO LACK Of FUNDS
Citizens Urged to Agitate
for Program to Cut
TuberCuIar Deaths.

tuberculosis attacks and kills count
less persons in Washington each year
needlessly because known methods of
Wiping out the disease have not been
put into full effect, health and welfare
workers were told yesterday at
luncheon launching the eleventh an
nual diagnosis campaign sponsored by
the District tuberculosis Association.
Local citizens are handicapped in
trying to do anything about the dis
graceful situation" because they are
voteless but can agitate," DR.. James
G. Townsend, president of the asso-
ciation, said in urging formation of
a general citizens committee to fight
for funds to finance comprehensive
anti-tuberculosis battle.
Methods for conquering the disease
here were outlined by Dr. Albert E.
Russell, United States Public Health
Service expert, whose recommended
tions were laid before the District
Commissioners several weeks ago in
the Public Health Services general
survey of health conditions here.
Beds and Education Needed.
He listed the principal needs as ad-
ditional hospital beds. education in
the detection, prevention and treat
ment of tuberculosis; intensified case
finding efforts and more Health De-
partment workers.
Washington's tuberculosis death
rate, which he said was nearly twice
as high as in the country as whole,
shows that the city needs at least
400 more hospital beds for tuber-
culosis patients. DR.. Russell empha-
sized.
He urged that the old Upshur Street
tuberculosis Hospital be reopened to
help meet the situation temporarily,
while new construction went forward
at Glenn Dale tuberculosis Sana-
torium, Gallinger and Freedmen's Hos
pitals
An annex for tuberculosis patients
at Freedmen's Hospital is necessary,
DR.. Russell said, to provide oppor-
tunity for training medical students
of Howard University in the diagnosis
and treatment of the disease as we'll
as to help care for colored patients
He pointed out that now no tubercu-
losis clinic facilities are available for
Howard students, although the school
graduates more than half the colored
physicians in the Nation.
Stresses Care for Youth.
Pointing out that more than Il per
cent OF the Nations tuberculosis VIC
tins are under 10 years of age, DR..
Russell said public care should be con-
centrated on the young. Intensified
diagnosis and case finding efforts here
would bring to light many children
needing hospital attention, he pre-
dicted.
The children's building at the Glenn
Dale Sanatorium should be reserved
for child patients, DR.. Russell recon-
.mended. He said it was not good
policy to mix adult and child patients,
although 1t was possible to have them
in the same building without danger
OF infection, provided there was ef-
fective segregation. The Glenn Dale
building is not made for such mixed
treatment, he added.
This statement recalled the heated
controversy that developed here last
fall over Health Onicer George c.
Ruhland's policy of housing adult pa
tients in a wing of the children's
building at Glenn Dale. The adult
patients were moved out of the build
ing when the Commissioners took up
the controversy.
Would Publicize Peril.
In appealing for public support of
the anti-tuberculosis program, Dr.
Townsend said: I'VE get 'hush-hush'
advice from Capitol Hill occasionally,
the lawmakers urging us not to scare
the people, but think we should
scare the living daylights out of the
people until we get something done"
DR.. Townsend recalled that yellow
fever was wiped out when its cause
was discovered and action taken to
prevent it. If we applied the knowl-
edge about tuberculosis in the same
way we would not have this disgrace
full situation" he said.
Other speakers at the luncheon
meeting, held at the University Wom-
ems Club, 1884 street NV, included
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, chairman
Of the District Board Of Education,
who urged periodic medical examina-
ton Of school children as one Of the
greatest means Of checking tubercu-
losis and other diseases, and Dr.. Numa
P. q. Adams, dean Of the Howard
uuiversity School Of Medicine.