Evening star., 1938-03-22
D. c. HEALTH STUDY
REPRINTS SOUGHT
AS AID TO GOALS
Agencies Committee Hears
DR.. 0Iesen Summarize
Principal Decisions.
CENTRALIZING OF WORK
IN BUILDING is URGED
Additional Beds for Hospitals and
Use Of Upshur Street Base
Stressed as Necessary.

Members Of the Health Committee
of the Council of Social Agencies were
"exerting every effort" today toward
having copies of the District health
survey of the United States Public
Health Service printed for public con-
sumption.
A resolution to this effect was
adopted at yesterdays luncheon meet
ing of the committee, at which DR..
Robert Olesen, assistant surgeon gen.
eral Of the health service, delivered a
plain. outspoken and often quite
pointed resume of the survey.
DR.. Olesen expressed regret at the
lack Of funds with which to print the
survey report. in which there has
been widespread public interest The
survey he said, was requested by Com
missioner George E. Allen last Decem-
Der 3 and was delivered to Commits
sioner Melvin C. Hazen March 3.
Recommendations Reviewed.
Declaring the surveys findings were
based on fact and need, regardless of
who liked or disliked the findings, DR..
Olesen reiterated the following recon-
mendations:
A new building for District health
division to be known as the Depart
ment of Health and Hospitals, under
an official known as the director.
rather than the present names, Health
Department and health officer.
Five hundred additional beds in
Gallinger Hospital, in collaboration
with the District Medical Society, and
with additional nurses, physicians and
equipment as needed.
Reopenlng of the Upshur Street Hos
pital for temporary care of tubercu-
losis patients.
One hundred and fifty additional
beds, for tuberculosis patients, at
Freedmen's Hospital
Erection of three health centers to
decentralize the health problem.
A permanent public health advisory
council composed Of no more than
three doctors and a dentist, q nurse,
a lawyer and social worker, two of
them to be women.
Improved laboratory facilities and
divisions for cancer, tuberculosis.
pneumonia, venereal diseases and men
tai hygiene.
More attention and action toward
alleviating distressing health condi-
tions among the colored people.
Coordination of ambulance sery-
ices.
Extension of public health service
to parochial schools.
A modern and efficient system for
commitment of the mentally i'll, citing
the District and the State of Missis-
sippi as the only governmental divi-
slons in this country having IAN
antlquated mental commitments law
OF trial by judge and jury in a court
room"
Lack Of Franchise Is Handicap.
To these recommendations, DR.. Ole
sen added a number of observations,
among them: Treatment of mental
patients first and determining later
whether they can afford to pay;
some OF us don't realize yet that
washington IS a large city-l4th
among those OF 100000 population
and over: Washington is a fine
place in which to live and has a fine
food supply; lack of the franchise
Is always handicap to securing
proper public health facilities; Wash
ngton's general health rate is favor
able, its typhoid and scarlet fever
and diphtheria death rates, especially
among Negroes. unfavorable.
DR.. Olesen told of the formation
OF a club of cancer sufferers. COM
posed of those who have lived for
five years since the first diagnosis
showed they had cancer. He declared
several Health Department bureaus
need no additional help if they will
get together and do the obvious
things"
Willard c. Smith, chairman of the
Health Committee, presided over the
meeting, held at the Y. w. c.. A.