Evening star., 1939-05-21
Negro Farley Hears
Ruh|and Stress Need
For Health Center
Official Shows CoIored
Disease Rates Higher,
BIomes Environment

CldSScS-WdS ClllkJlldSlACu yCSOCI udS
by DR.. George c. Rutland, Distric
health officer. in an address tt
Washington's first city-wide confer
ence on health problems of the
Negro in the auditorium of the
Vermont Avenue Baptist Church
1880 Vermont avenue NV.
The health center. proposed by
DR.. Rutland, would contain housing
facilities for doctors, nurses, visit
ing nurses and social workers.
In general survey of health con-
ditions in the District, DR.. Rutland
laid down the principle that, first
of all, residents of the District must
come to "a realiZa ton that no group
can live by itself alone-and that
applies to groups in cities as we'll as
in nations"
He then analyzed the biological
ability to live, took as the standard
of old age the biblical three score
wears and ten and told the actual
experiences of the white and colored
races here in actual death-toll flg@
ures. In all but one point the COL
ored race lags behind the white, SO
far as general health conditions are
concerned, the speaker said:
AT the beginning of life" DR.
Rutland stated, in opening his sur
vey, "the chances for survival are
not at all good. Nature is very
prodigal, but a great many casual
ties occur. In the District OF Co.
lumbia you find that. as far as the
average of death is concerned, there
are certain disparities.
Whites Live Longer.
For the Negro, the average life
span of the male was given as Al
years and two months; for females
AZ years and eight months. Fol-
white males the average is SO years
and eight months; for females, 81
years and II months. These figures
latest complied, are from the census
of 1887.
AS DR.. Ruhland pointed out, there
is disparity there Of 10 years be-
tween the two races. He asked why
should that be?"
TT is not the biological factor SC
much as environment" he answered
In this category he classes crowded
living conditions, poor nutrition, and
the neglect to use present-day
hygiene.
From the census figures, DR.. Ruh-
land also showed that infancy NOR
taity among the Negroes were much
higher than among whites. Per 1000
the white race lost 41.2, Negroes
1917. Maternity mortality was CIV
en- as 36 for the whites, 8 for
Negroes.
AS general causes of death, DR..
Rutland listed a number of diseases
in the order of their mortalities.
Heart disease, he said. leads all
others. Cancer comes next, kidney
disease third, and tuberculosis
fourth. More white persons died of
cancer than Negroes. In 1888 there
were 1853 white cancer victims out
of each 100000 and 1908 colored.
Kidney disease took 96.3 of the
white population out of each 100 900,
while the Negroes lost 1893 Tuber-
culosis, out of 10000, whites, 724;
Negroes, 206.
Surroundings Blamed.
That" DR.. Rutland said, shows
q distinct disadvantage for the COL
ored race He added it did not
prove the theory that the colored
people were susceptible to the dis
ease: that environment factors en-
tered into the case. ANY race forced
to live under disadvantages" the
doctor said, would show the same
results. He advocated a campaign
for the promotion of personal
health.
Many of those who need assist
ance," Dr.. Rutland said, do not
know where to 60" From the view
point OF the nursing profession, Mrs
Alpha Brooks Jones, president OF
the Freedmans Hospital Nurses
Alumnae Association, spoke on con-
ditions In Washington and cited the
fact that only one hospital here is
completely stated by colored doc
tors and nurses-and that a gov
ernmental hospital for coloreo
people.
The Rev. A. D. Gray, president
OF the Washington Council of the
National Negro Congress, presided
over the morning sessions. He was
presented by Miss Bertha Lomack
chairman of the Health Committee
Other speakers were DR.. Paul B
Cornely, DIR. D. Boulding Forebee
DR.. c. Freeman, Dr. Thurston Forbes
and DR.. Walter c. Simmons.
In the afternoon sessions the del
egates heard talks by DR.. w. Car
doza, DR.. H. M. Payne, DR.. Herpert
Marshall and Dr. Robert Weaver
with DR.. Paul B. Cornely presiding
After a round table discussion a
conference summary was made by
John P. Davis, national secretary
OF the National Negro Congress, un-
der whose auspices the conference
was held.
Cooperating agencies that took
part In the conference we're the
Medico Chirurgical Society, the
Robert T. Freeman Dental Society
the Washington Life Underwriters
Association, w. P. A. Adult Educa-
ton department, the Washington
Urban. the Freedmans Hospita.
Alumnae association, and the Card
inal Druggists Association.
Idea for the conference is saic
10 have originated in a small group
representative of the various Negro
professional and civic organizations