The Washington times., 1938-05-13
SPA PRO CRAM
SHOULD Be PART.
OF HEALTH PLAN.
U. S. Service Indicates
Panan'S Stand
BY THEODORE HUNTLEY

-
Any comprehensive develop
ment Of American spas with the
aid Of the Federal Government
should be "integrated into q ma
tional health program for hospital
construction" in the opinion Of
the United States Public Health
Service.
This, it was learned today, viii
be the answer Of Surgeon Gen.
Thomas Parran and his aides to
inquiries from Congressional COM
mittees as to the attitude Of the
Public Health Service toward q
survey of Americas mineral
springs, as contemplated by the
O'Mahoney-Walter resolution now
before Congress.
TREASURY ATTITUDE
A high official of the Treasury,
Of which the Public Health Serv-
ice is a part, expressed the atti-
tude of the department today as
one of friendly interest in the
resolution, but as feeling that
whatever is to be done toward the
development Of spas in the United
States should be undertaken as
part Of a larger program.
There already exists wealth
Of information regarding the
natural health resources of the
United States" this official
said.
Much Of this information has
been brought together by DR.. w.
e. Fitch in a 799-page volume
entitled Mineral Waters of the
United States and American
Spas! In this volume practi-
cally every mineral water Of any
Importance In the various States
Is described.
RELATIVE IMPORTANCE
"In the opinion of this de-
partment, If the joint resolution
Is introduced for the purpose Of
obtaining information which
might be used as a basis for
Federal participation in the de-
velopment of these natural
health resources, the matter
must be considered as to its
relative importance in the gen.
eral health program Of the Fed
eral Government.
Congress has already shown
interest in a general health pro
gram by the passage Of the So
cial security act making grants
maid for the further develop
ment of State and local health
departments and the stimula-
ton of scientific research. The
National Cancer Institute act
was also recently passed, and
there is pending before Congress
at the present time q bill relat-
ing to the control Of Venereal
diseases.
PART OF PROGRAM
1.-THE question of providing
better treatment facilities for
the people Of the United States
has been recognized as q part
Of a national health program
and a report on this subject
sent to the President by the
Interdepartmental c o mmittee |
for Coordination Of Health and
Welfare Activities, Of which
Miss Josephine Roche Is chair |
man. The committee points
out that over two-thirdS Of the
States fall below the standards |
recognized for hospital facilities
for the general population. It
was clearly indicated, however,
that the main need for addi-
tional hospital facilities was for
the rural districts Of the United
States and for the treatment
Of certain specific diseases such
as tuberculosis and mental
cases.
"It is fetl that only in so far
Is the development Of the nat
ural health resources Of the
United States can be integrated
into a national health program
for hospital construction should
this development be given con-
Sideration, and then only after
this part Of the national pro
gram has received Congressional
and administrative approval"