Evening star., 1941-11-26
Dr.Ruh|and Told
To Get Tough
In Health Fight
Bottle for Requests,
| Schultz Advises
| At House Hearing
BY JAMES E. CHM.

I1cdllIl ollCcT 1eOIRe y. 1uTld1lu
was told today at meeting of the
House District Committee to put on
boxing gloves and fight for improve
ments he wants to make in tho
health service"
You haven't been tough enough
in demanding more help" declared
Representative Schultz of Indiana,
acting chairman in the temporary
absence OF Representative Randolph.
I'VE have new deal in the District
three new Commissioners. Your
department is being criticized for its
lackadasical attitude. So put on
boxing gloves and go after the Com
missioners like Police Chief Kelly
has done"
Criticism of Dr. Rutland came
during an animated discussion
whether legislation requiring periodic
physical examinations Of cooks,
mattresses and other food handlers
would check the spread of veneral
diseases. which are said to be widely
prevalent here.
DIR. Parran Testifies.
DR.. Thomas Parran. surgeon gen.
eral of the Public Health Service,
told the committee routine physical
examinations of food handles is not
justified by the results obtained. and
pointed out such diseases are rarely
transmitted through food
New York City. Dr.. Paran declared
discontinued such examinations
after an eight-year trial Personally,
he expressed the opinion better re-
suits could be obtained by following
up known contacts
Says Costs Outweigh Results.
DR.. Parran admitted under oues-
tioning that examinations are de-
sirable and probably would result in
finding some food handlers with a
Venereal disease. He emphasized,
however, the cost of such tests is too
high in proportion to the results OBJ.
tanned.
To examine $4,000 restaurant en-
ployes in Washington would cost
somebody lot of money" he de-
clared. The first thing to do is
to provide facilities and funds for
following up contacts"
The surgeon general. at the out
set OF his testimony. explained that
the Public Health Service in 1898
made a report on the result of a
survey in the District on the spread
OF communicable disease which con-
tanned 10 recommendations. one OF
which called for complete revision
OF the sanitary code.
The report, DR.. Parran said. did
net recommend routine physical ex-
aminations Of restaurant employees.
Examinations once or twice a year.
ne declared, create q false sense
OF security"
Backs Blood Test Bill.
In response to a question by Rep
resentatlve Hebert. Democrat, of
Louisiana, the Surgeon General said
ne would support bill before the
commlttee requiring pre-marital
blood tests for applicants for mar.
rage licenses. These tests. he ey.
plalned, should be made 10 davs
before a wedding.
is that any guarantee a person
Will not get venereal disease in 10
Gays" Mr.. Hebert asked.
NO. came the reply.
Representative Schulte's criticism
OF DR.. Rutland was spanked by Mr.,
HeDert, after learning that only
one OF the 10 recommendations of
the public health service-the one
calling for revision of the sanitary
code-had been carried out.
Those recommendations were
made more than two years ago." he
declared. That is typical of District
action. I find more conversatio and
less action here than in any other
place, and I have Travelled all over
the country"
Machinery Called "Ponderous..
DR.. Rutland agreed. but explained
that the machinery" in the Dis
trlct is very ponderous." He said
year after year he has sought in
creased appropriations for additional
nurses, health clinics, ETC., only tc
be turned down.
) Just because the responsible
heads would not 90 through with II
you wait to see what John Brown
will do Mr.. Hebert declared. III
you make your demands to US We
will help you"
Representative Schultz charged
that sanitary conditions in some
OF the restaurants are shameful"
DR.. Rutland, however, said the
) restaurant situation lis better thar
1t has ever BEEN" and that thu
: Health Department is receiving
: splendid cooperation from hote
and restaurant proprietors. In 1910
. he pointed out, 80 out of 64 restau.
rants proprietors seeking renewal ot
licenses were rejected because theil
places were unable to meet the sani.
(. tary regulations.
! Denial of Licenses.
; Representative Hebert asked hin
If the Health Department had au
thority to revoke the license of al
eating place which failed to ODE,
sanitary regulations. He explained
licenses could be denied only OF
application for renewal.
AS the discussion showed indica
tions of being prolonged, the com
mittee instructed DR.. Rutland t,
draw up recommendations he want
the committee to consider and re
.. turn at 10 am. tomorrow. A specia
!. meeting will be held at that time t,
: consider his recommendations a
well as those of the Washington
, Restaurant Association.
n d.: Dill - u>