Evening star., 1940-04-28

washington, as IN other cities over
the country, all those concerned
with the health of children will
pause and take stock. What Is
being done in Washington to safe
guard the priceless health of the
next generation citizens?
Such review of the community's
facilities for child health will be
made by health and child welfare
divisions of the Council of Social
Agencies meeting tomorrow at
1890 pm. at the Seventeenth and
K street Y. w. C. A. The District
Medical Society. Health Depart
ment, and parent-teachers associa-
tions are cooperating in planning
the meeting.
Speakers will be DR.. Ella Open
heimer. director of the Bureau of
Maternal and Child Welfare OF the
Health Department; DR.. John H.
Lyon, president of the District Med
ical Society; Miss Naomi Deutsch,
consultant on Public Health Nurs-
ing, United States Public Health
Service; Miss Gertrude H. Bowling,
director of the Instructive Visiting
Nurse Society; Mrs. Josephine Pres
colt, director of nursing, Health De-
partment; DR.. P. A. McLendon, as
sistant professor of pediatrics.
George Washington University Med
ical School, and Mrs. r. M. Graham
Of the Parent-Teacher Association
During the past few years Wash
ington has made notable gains in
providing treatment for handi-
capped children and in reducing in
FAINT mortality. Social Security funds
have made possible the opening of
clinic at Gallinger Hospital for
crippled children, which is under
direction of the Bureau of Maternal
and Child Welfare of the Health
Department.
Nurses Instruct Mothers.
At the clinic are facilities for oc-
cupational and physio-therapy, and
from the clinic nurses 60 out daily
to instruct mothers in the proper
care of children who are well enough
to remain at home. Children requir-
ing operative care are hospitalized
at Gallinger Hospital, with the clinic
close at hand for the proper treat
ment as they begin to recover.
The sunny room for occupational
therapy Is filled with looms for the
weaving Of bright rugs, scarves and
table runners, with mechanical toys,
woodwork drills-with everything
you would expect to find in we'll
equipped craft shop.
Miss Elizabeth Messick, who has
charge of occupational therapy, ex-
planned that the various machines
were selected to provide exercise
for different muscles and to teach
coordination. For instance, the
muscles. of the forearm are exer-
cised by the weaving of rugs and
runners, while the legs and foot
muscles are exercised by the wood
carving machines.
The equipment for the room was
contributed by the Twentieth Gen.
tury Club.
During 1888 the crippled chill
dren's clinic had 1888 patients regis
tered who made 2,168 visits to the
clinic.
Service Provided by Kiwanis.
This new clinic makes it possible
for more handicapped children to be
reached than ever before. A limited
service for them has been provided
since 1923 by the Kiwanis Club. In
that year they began paying the
salary of a nurse on the staff of the
Instructive Visiting Nurse Society
to specialize in the home nursing
and follow-up of crippled children.
Braces and special shoes were pro-
vided where parents could not afford
these expensive necessities. The up
keep of shoes and braces, which is
also expensive, was met by the club.
Since 1898 the Kiwanians have
supported a special crippled chill
dren's clinic at Children's Hospital,
paying the salary of nurse and
other expenses. From the beginning
DR.. Gusts Lee Hall donated his
services for clinic treatment and