Evening star., 1939-11-28
DR.. Coulter
Federation
Gives Suggestions
On Control of
tuberculosis


Housewives in the District Fed
Grafton of Womens Clubs. and
Others, can assist in the control
of tuberculosis in the District by
requiring their maids and children's
nurses to take chest examinations,
DR.. A. Barkie Coulter of the Bu-
reau Of tuberculosis of the District
Health Department told the fed
Grafton at its monthly meeting yes
terday.
DR.. Coulter also disclosed that his
Office is working on plan to CO.
operate with local employment
agencies, with the objective of certi-
flying that all applicants for jobs
are free of the disease before they
are sent out. X-ray examinations
can be had free in the chest clinic
of the Health Department, he
pointed out
One OF several speakers, DR.. Coul-
ter addressed a busy session of the
federation. Resolutions relative to
reorganization of the District gov
ernment were passed. opposing an
in.rease in the salary of the Dis
ulct Commissioners to $4,000
year and urging that, under any
plan, the municipal hospitals be re-
tanned within the Health Depart
ment.
The federation also commended
the work of the Dies Committee to
date, urging that Congress appro-
pirate sufficient funds to continue
it's activities and, in another resolu-
ton, Endorsed the application of the
proposed agricultural marketing
agreement to the District of Co.
lun.pia milk market, lin order that
pc ,ple on relief in the District may
be able to purchase milk for cents
quart" and also in the interest of
more orderly marketing conditions.
The resolutions, which also op-
posed a proposed additional 1-cent
gasoline tax, on the basis it would be
discriminatory taxation, were pre-
sented by Mrs Ernest William How
ard, legislation chairman.
The application of the Junior
Alliance for membership in the Dis
trict federation also was accepted.
Mrs. Jay P. Conger, president of the
new group, and Mrs. William H.
Hessick, jr., past president, attend
ing the session.
Charles M. Fyfe of the Boys
Club of Washington spoke at the
afternoon session and showed
moving picture, while representa-
tive of the National Conference OF
Christians and Jews also spoke
briefly Mrs. Sadie Orr Dunbar,
general federation president, at
tended the afternoon session.
Suggests Control Method.
DR.. Coulter, who was presented by
the Department of Education, de-
clared that of the general tubercu-
losis mortality in the District, only
10 per cent of the deaths are Of
children under is years of age. He
stressed his belief that the disease
must be controlled through the hos
pitalization of active adult cases,
which he called the "spreaders.'
DR.. Coulter also warned against
the creation of psychological tuber-
cular invalids" by sending children
to health schools. He explained
that in large majority of cases,
reaction to a skin test, commonly
called the positive tuberculin test,
does not indicate any detriment to
the general health of the individual
so infected and does not mean he
is menace to those with whom he
comes in contact.
To send children who react to
this test to the health schools need
lessly stigmatizes them for life, he
said. Children with active cases OF
the disease. he continued, never have
been sent to the health school and
are now going to Glenn Dale Sana-
torium.
1t is noteworthy, he continued,
that only two white children have
died from any form of tuberculosis
in the District during the first nine
months of 1899.
He pointed to a gradual reduc-
ton in general tuberculosis mortal
ity here of from 661 cases in 1896
to 5S8 last year, while deaths Of
children under 16 have decreased
from 66 in 1886 to 36 in 1888, he said.
Meeting Place Changed.
The District federation, which
heretofore has been meeting at the
Roosevelt Hotel, met yesterday at
the Hotel Twenty-four Hundred and
action was taken to continue
monthly sessions there this year
The date of the next meeting was
moved up to December 18.
Other business included the voting
of contributions to the Community
Chest, the National Symphony Or
chestra and a donation to its own
department of American citizenship
for the war veterans parties to be
given this season. Mrs. Lloyd A.
Morrison, chairman of American
citizenship, also announced that a
Red Cross unit would meet every
Wednesday at noon at the District
chapter house, under auspices OF her
department.
Mrs. Ernest Humphrey Daniel, the
president, presided at the morning
session, while the second vice presi-
dent, Mrs. Ruth H. Snodgrass, pre-
sided in the afternoon.
Mrs. Arthur c. Watkins introduced
DR.. Coulter. A musical program was
provided by the Columbia Light