Evening star., 1939-04-14
Social Problems
Of Nearby Area
Are Outlined
Health and Welfare
Matters Discussed
At PorIey Here

jVlUllSIS IISSuSSSO
At Por|ey Here
Public health and welfare officials
from the counties surrounding the
District today outlined their prob
lens and methods at round table
discussion forming part of the first
Washington and suburban confer
ence of social work in the Chamber
of Commerce Building.
The conference went into it's Sec
ond day today with round table
conferences covering family welfare,
medical care of the INDECENT and
modern trends in health care. Two
others on crime and recreation, also
part of the conference, met at the
Y. w. C. A.
Health and welfare problems in
the counties were revealed by
number of speakers to include
l. Care of contagious diseases in
Prince Georges County where no
county or general hospitals exist
and communicable disease cases
must be transported to Baltimore.
Transportation difficulties also exist
and the patients are generally taken
IN State police ambulances.
2. Care of colored tuberculosis vic
TINS in Montgomery County. where
there is waiting list of about 600
for treatment. Also the expansion
OF county clinics to take care of
vision, hard of hearing and cardiac
cases.
Arlington Building Boom.
3. The building boom in Arling-
ton County, which, officials said, is
increasing the population with tre-
mendous rapidity and along with it
the health and welfare problem.
In addition, there was a unani-
nous agreement on the need for CO.
operation between local physicians
and the health departments. Among
the methods employed by the coun-
ties two devices inspired particular
interest. One was the use of
station wagon by the Montgomery
County Health Department to pro-
vide transportation to and from
clinics for certain types of treat
ment. DR. v. L. Ellicott, the county
health officer, said the use of this
transportation had greatly assisted
IN the public health service in get
ting to clinics persons who might
otherwise not be inclined to report.
The second device is employed
by the welfare director of Fairfax
County, Travis Wilson, in connection
with payments for medical services
for emergency cases. He explained
that certain types of cases are paid
for out of different funds and in
emergency cases it is impossible
to authorize expenditure from a
particular fund until investigation
has been made. The device simply
authorizes expenditure of money on
the patient when emergency exists
and the fund from which the money
is to be paid is filled in later follow
ing diagnosis.
Family Problems.
Other speakers included A. B.
Hooton. health. officer of Prince
Georges County: James Moody,
superintendent of public welfare for
Arlington County, and Frank Han
rahan. county manager of Arlington
County. Assistant Health Officer
of the District Daniel L. Seckinger
outlined the services provided for
the underprivileged in the District
In the family welfare round-table
discussion, Mrs. Ruth Bolton of
the Montgomery County Social
Service League, urged more pre-
ventive work against family disinte-
grafton. She said more real and
lasting help could be given to FAM
lilies when difficulties were just be-
ginning rather than when the fam
lily was on the verge of breakdown.
William Savin, director of the
Family Service Association, said the
most important problem for social
case worker is that of dependency.
Every person, he said, has desire
to be dependent when circumstances
make life difficult. He added that
3ndiscriminate giving of relief with
out skilled services of case worker
tends to make recipient chronically
dependent.
The conference, described as the
first of its kind, opened formally last
night at the Chamber of Commerce
after an afternoon of registration
Speakers were District Health Off
Ger George C. Rutland, John Ihlder,
executive officer of the Alley Dwell
ing Authority; David Cushman
Coyle, ecbnomist and lecturer, and
Frederic A. Delano, chairman of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, who presided.
Approximately $50 persons attend !
ed the opening session last night and |
heard Mr.. Ihlder warn against slum |
conditions rising in the nearby coun- |
ties and DR.. Rutland cite number |
of health problems peculiar to the
area.
Power to Clear Slums.
Mr.. Ihlder said there is as bad |
housing in the nearby counties as in
the alleys of the District although
not on so large scale. The States,
he said, have the power and all they
need is the action. They San set
housing standards and sHaintain
them under the police po y, he de-
clared, and they have Tho public
housing authorities ens powered to
clear slums and erect low-rent dwell
ings to fall back on.
DR.. Rutland pointed out that the
8astrict has peculiar hospital prob
lens because of the number of
transients and apartment dwellers
In the area which makes home treat
ment difficult. In addition he warned
against the counties placing too
much reliance on the District hospi-
tai facilities which they cannot pay |