Evening star., 1939-09-20
Health Record
SET Last Year,
Forum Told
General Death Rate
At Lowest Point,
DR.. Isominger Says

The health of the District of Co.
lumbia has improved during the
past few years, DR.. Melvin P. Isa-
minger, director of the Bureau of
Public Health Instruction of the
District Health Department, told a
meeting of the District Health
Forum last night.
The general death rate, the tu-
berculosis mortality rate and the
pneumonia mortality rate reached
last year the lowest point ever re-
corded in the District, DR.. Isa-
minger stated The infant NOR
tality rate of approximately 48 per
1000 live births in 1888" he con-
tinued, was even lower than in the
Nation as a whole"
DR.. Isaminger was the principal
speaker at the organization meet
ing of the District Health Forum,
called by the Combinations Com
mittee of the city-wide conference
on health held last June. The Rev.
Harry V. Porter was elected chair
man of the forum and the consti-
tuition submitted was adopted with
little debate.
Offers 12-Point Plan.
Plans for improving the health of
the District along II lines of attack
were outlined to the meeting by DR..
Isaminger. The IL points were:
l. To make the District health
service model for the Nation, as
suggested by the United States Pub
lie Health Service
2. To bring services near people
by establishing health centers at
strategic points in the city.
3. To develop a cancer control
program.
4. To improve tuberculosis control
by improving clinical facilities.
5. To increase the nursing staff
as recommended by the United
States Public Health Service
6. To expand maternal, infant and
preschool program by expanding the
medical and nursing personnel.
7. To appoint a full-time venereal
disease officer.
Would Improve School Hygiene.
8. To improve school hygiene by
expanding the nursing staff and
maintaining full time medical
personnel.
9. To broaden the sanitary pro-
gram by including a housing pro-
gram, ventilation service and i'm
proved personnel hygiene of food
handlers.
10. To continue plans for the es-
tablishment of child guidance as
major activity in the Health De-
partment.
IL. TO establish a new sanitary
code for communicable disease pro-
gram, with emphasis upon educa-
ton.
II. To intensity health education
with lectures, motion pictures, ex-
hibits, radio and newspapers.
In addition to the establishment
of center of health education.
which probably will have its begin
ming in the new Municipal Center"
Dr. Isaminger concluded, the
Health Department plans to con-
centrate education in the areas
where needs are greatest"
Other Officers.
The other officers elected at the
meeting, which was held in the
United States Public Health Service
auditorium and presided over by Ray
H. Everett, We're:
Mr. Everett, first vice chairman:
DR.. Dorothy B. Ferebee, second vice
chairman; Miss Rebecca Farnham,
secretary; Miss Nettie Brooks, treas
urer; Mrs. Walter B. Fry, legislative
chairman; Miss Regina Gutenberg,
membership chairman; DR.. Irving
w. Wink, research chairman; Miss
Helen Shuford, publicity chairman;
Morris Klass, education chairman,
and Miss Katherine Schindel,
finance chairman.
Members at large for the Execu-
tive Committee elected were Miss
Gertrude H. Bowling, DR.. Paul B..
Cornely, John Hadley Doyle, Howard
Ennes. Ross Garrett, Miss Matte
Gibson, Mrs Helen D. Hoffman. Will
liam A. Maio, William McAlindon
and Willard C. Smith.
Those elected to the Advisory
Board were Miss Edith M. Beattie,
Miss Elizabeth Haney, Sidney R.
Katz. Mrs. C. D. Lowe, DR.. C. Her.
bert Marshall, Mrs. R. A. MCGEE, the
Rev. John L. Nixon, William H.
Savin, Arthur Schoenthal and Mrs.
Walter S. Ufford.