Evening star., 1940-12-22
Health Center for Districts
Worst Area Still Sidetrocked
Coneested Lower Northwest Section Remoins
Disease Ridden Because of Complications

Washinston's northwest central
area" which has the Districts high
est mortality rate, greatest incidence
of tuberculosis, venereal disease and
deaths among infants and mothers,
appears destined to go without The
services of modern health center
unless something is done to cut a
Gordian knot of complications end
delay.
Scores of pages of official reports
and dozens of formal decisions are
found in the history of the case. An
appropriation of 100000 once was
made by Congress for the purpose
but it failed of use. Experts of the
Public Health Service, officially sur
veying the health problems of the
District, recommended development
of three such health centers, ard
the program has been Endorsed by
the District Medical Society. But
still the polyclinic for the ccngested
lower northwest area lacks health
center, although health authorities
declare it would serve quickly to
reduce mortality and disease rates.
Plea for Park Tract Rejected. e@r
Public attention was cente.,ed on
the case this week when the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission, while in no wise oppos-
ing the objectives of Health Officer
George c. Rutland, found it .lec-
essary to reject, for the ,econd time,
his plea that his department be
permitted to use as a site for the
projected health center the track
of park land bounded by New York
avenue, M and First streets NV.
Reasons given by the commission
were virtually the same as those
voiced in 1888 when the same plan
was rejected: That the triangle
forms an essential part of the
original L'Enfant plan. that it is
needed to provide open space in
the neighborhood and that use of
it for building rather than for
park purposes would set an unwise
precedent. If such a precedent were
followed, the commission said, it
would cause the sacrifice of much
land the commission had purchased
for park purposes.
Another Site Considered.
AS a result, DR.. Rutland again
has turned his eyes on the land
at New York avenue and Kirby
street NV. adjacent to Homeo-
pathic Hospital and owned by that
Institutions project once before
considered and laid aside. DR.. Ruh-
land has explained he is interested
not in a particular site, but in
any available one in a location
which will best serve the need
of the lower Northwest area. He
and other District officials in re-
cent years surveyed the area and
found the tract at First street and
New York avenue best located for
the purpose. but that plan is blocked
by city park plans. The next best
site, he finds, is that next to the
Homeopathic Hospital.
Commissioners John Russell Young
and David McCoach yesterday
voiced sympathy for the Health De-
partment program and promised
consideration as soon as time per-
mits. It was indicated the question
will be raised again when the Dis
trict budget comes up for hearings
before a House committee. 1t ap-
peared likely a fund of $4,000 to
$40 1000 would be Endorsed for pur-
chase of a site. Decision on the
proper site, however. is yet in the
future.
As the 1912 budget proposals of
the Commissioners now stand there
is no fund of any size requested for
a Northwest health center.
Health Centers Prove Worth.
. Health centers are buildings
housing various services of the
Health Department that are to be
made "regionally" available to the
INDECENT sick. They are not hos
pitals, but are more than old-style
treatment clinics, since they afford
diagnosis facilities and other serv-
ices. Health records show that more
than a quarter century Of experience
Is back of the plan and they are
said to be increasingly used in cities
developing progressive and effec-
tive public health programs"
For instance, it is recalled that
the 1898 Public Health Service, sur
vey of health conditions in the Dis
trict, headed by DR.. Robert Olesen,
formerly assistant surgeon general,
contained a statement that work
of the District Health Department
should be decentralized by provision
of three such health centers.
The District now has one such
modern polyclinic, In Southwest
washington, and that location Is q
part of the story of the delays. COM
plications and deferring of health
centay in the lower Northwest area