Evening star., 1939-12-19
DC. Health Official
Urges Suburbs 10
Handle Own Cases
District Can't Continue to
Provide disqualification
For All Of Them, He Says

Warning that the District cannot
continue to provide disqualification
for "all nearby cases." DR.. Daniel
L. Seckinger, assistant health officer
of the District, made q plea yester-
day that county health agencies
take stock Of their health facilities
and handle their own cases "wher-
ever possible"
Stressing the District wants to
be helpful and sympathetic" the
speaker, luncheon guest of the
Health Committee of the Washing
ton Council Of Social Agencies, was
firm, however, in insisting counties
must first handle their own prob
lens"
'The caring for INDECENT sick in
the District is our first RESPONSE
bility," DR.. Seckinger said. I'VE, of
course. must render assistance to
others outside, but we don't feel that
soon as some one Is i'll in a nearby
county he must be brought here"
The speaker asked county agen-
cies to take cognizance of their ia
cilities and then to compare them
with sums spent for police, fire and
other protection.
DR.. Seckinger cited figures cover
ing the last three months, in which
Ill nonresident contagious disease
cases requiring immediate medical
attention were treated at Gallinger
Hospital. OF these, he stated, SO
were from Maryland and 80 from
Virginia.
Already Crowded.
Gallinger's contagious disease
ward was crowded to capacity last
year. he said, and although over
crowdmg at the hospital will be re-
lieved when the new wings are COM
pleted, these still will not provide
sufficient space for the increased
number Of cases coming from out
of the city.
Negotiations are under way, he
revealed, for improving conditions
at the institution in 1910.
DR.. Seckinger and q group of near
by county and municipal health
officials, who discussed their prob
lens before the group, were in
troduced by Ross Garrett, director
OF the Health Security Administra-
ton, Community Chest agency.
Overcrowding likewise was cited
by several nearby hospital heads
Mrs. Irene Roszel, Alexandria IVA }
Hospital superintendent, disclosing
some OF her hospitals patients were
taken care of in Railways.
Lack of transportation facilities
especially for low-income groups, is
one of the major problems in a sat-
isfactory health program, Mrs. Dor
othy Kurtz, director of the Mont
gomery County Md Public Wei
fare Board, and Mrs. Bertha R
Martin. clinic director of Prince
Georges County (Md) Health Cen
ter, agreed.
Problem County.
Mrs. Martin termed her county
problem county. pointing out
health problems are intensified by
its scattered urban areas and the
fact 1t Is without a county hospital
Hospital cases must be sent either
to Washington or Baltimore, she
said.
In the same manner Fairfax Coun-
ty. Va. Is dependent on others TO,
disqualification, Travis Wilson Of the
Fairfax Board OF Public Welfare
told the group assembled in the
Y. w. c. A. Building. Lack of nurs-
ing facilities makes convalescent
treatment difficult. he said. Mr.. Will
son was OF the opinion that indi-
vldual agencies should care for as
many cases as they are able.
DR.. V. L. Ellicott, MONTGOMERY
County health officer, declared funds
were lacking for the enlargement
OF the county hospital near Olney
Md. He suggested reciprocity plar
among metropolitan and county
health centers for treatment of the
sick.
All of the speakers expressed an.
tlcipation Of assistance from the
Health Security Administration dur.
ing the coming year.
Others who spoke briefly were AL.
fred Noyes, superintendent of Mont.
gomery County Aid. and Mrs. Flora
4. Casey, Alexandria Community
Health Center director. George st
John Perrott of the National Insti.
tute OF Health and chairman of thu
Health Committee presided at the
luncheon meeting.
E~>--l T-In r.