Evening star., 1941-09-06
Rutland Seeks
Health Fund
Asks Funds for
Health Center and
Campaign on Cancer
By DON S. WARREN.

SuHiPuISuo oi >uHSSi
By DON s. WARREN.
Establishment of three new serv-
ices, to fight the spread of cancer,
to give guidance to mentally handi-
capped school children and to con-
serve the hearing of pupils, is pro-
posed by Health Officer George G.
Ruhland in the 1943 estimates for
his department, released today by
the Commissioners.
In all, the Health Department
seeks S3,530,788 for the next fiscal
year, as against $3,l10,507 this year,
an increase of $420,281, or about 13
per cent This would provide for
expansion of many existing services,
including employment of 176 addi-
tional workers.
The only major construction item
is a request for Sis, ,250 for compile
ton of the proposed Northwest
health center, for which the Appro-
priation Act for the present year
carries sl4,750 for purchase of a
site and S120,000 for starting of con-
struction. At latest report, the Dis
trict still was encountering difficult
ties in selection and purchase of
a site
Mental Clinic for Pupils.
A bureau of mental hygiene, with
a staff of two part-time psychia-
trists, two psychologists and three
psychiatric social workers, would be
set up to operate clinic to aid pu-
pills who are lin need of assistance
to become adjusted to their environ
ments." The annual salary costs
would be $4,000. The work, it is
said, would be entirely diagnostic
and consultative. Such a service.
the department said, was requested
by the Board of Education and pre-
viously had been recommended in
the Kepecs report, approved by an
advisory committee on child welfare
problems.
mo data are available on the ex-
tent of the mental hygiene problem
in the District, but it is estimated
that approximately 5000 school
children, or 5 per cent of the en-
tire enrolment, is in need of psy-
chiatric study and guidance" DR..
Rutland said.
One of the primary objectives of
the program will be to work out ad-
justments which will reduce later
conflicts with the law"
DR.. Rutland also revealed that
the Board of Education Committee
on Educational Problems of Handi-
capped Children had requested the
Health Department to establish a
hearing conservation clinic. For
this purpose DR.. Rutland asks the
employment of an biologist on a
half time basis at $4,000 a year
1t was estimated he would be able
to examine 1900 pupils a school
year, whereas medical reports show
1888 children have hearing de-
fects.
A cancer control division would
be set up in the department with a
| special staff of one half-time physi-
clan, medical social worker and a
stenographer at a cost of s6,655 a
year. Cancer would be made a
reportable disease by health regu-
lation.
Provides For Foll0w-up.
Functions of the new division
would be to coordinate efforts oi
other clinics and private physicians
especially dermatologists, surgeon:
and radiologists. Medical, social anc
nursing follow-up would be done or
suspected and known cases of tht
disease. in a move to get cases under
treatment before the disease ha!
advanced too far, and educationa
programs would be planned to tn,
same end.
DR.. Rutland emphasized that can
Ger in 1910 was second in rank a!
cause of death in the District, anC
that the mortality rate for thi
disease had increased from 756 PEE
100, 900 population in 1905 to ISL
in 1910.
In supporting his requested in
crease in funds, DR.. Ruhlanc
stressed that the population of TIT
District had increased by l50,00'
under national defense activities anC
that this has heaped new burden!
on the Health Department.
Twenty additional employees art
sought for the administrative staf
of the department, where an in.
crease of $45,632 is sought. New
employees would include two medi.
cal officers at $4,000 a year, to bt
assigned to the Southwest and tht
proposed Northwest Health Cen,
tiers.
More Nurses Asked.
Five more workers are requested
for the Bureau of Maternal anc
Child Welfare. For the school medi
cal inspection service, 18 additiona
workers are requested at cost o.
s42,520, including supplies. Among
this new personnel would be thos'
to conduct the mental hygiene serv'
ice and the clinic on hearing con-
servation.
Twenty mine extra workers ant
| additional supplies are asked TO
the Nursing Bureau at a cost o
$59,785. There would be 20 addi
tional nurses and two supervisors a.
we'll as an assistant director for th'
bureau.
Thirteen more workers, at a cos
of $15,720, are sought for the Tu
berculosis Control Division, ney