Evening star., 1941-02-04
Hearings on Changes
In D. E. tuberculosis
Association Urged
Failure TO Offer Aid
In Defense Emergency
Charged by. Dr.. Coulter

Public hearings leading toward
complete reorganization of the Dis
trict of Columbia tuberculosis Asso-
citation were urged yesterday by Or.
A. Barklie Coulter, director of the
Bureau Of tuberculosis of the Dis
trict Health Department.
He complained that he had heard
not word" offering the associations
cooperation with the Health De-
partment during the defense emer-
gency.
I'VE are working nights, Satur-
days and Sundays examining men
for the selective service boards" he
said. The local chapter-operat-
ing with large funds-hasn't even
called up and asked If we want them
to furnish us secretary" :"
DR.. Coulter declared this violated
the spirit of letter sent by the
National tuberculosis Association
TO the local chapter, in which, he
said, Kendall Emerson, national
managing director, asked full CO.
operation with public health Off
cials during the emergency.
Speaks as private Physician"
The bureau director insisted he
spoke only as a private physician
during a press conference held at
his home 2117 Lerov place NV
A special committee of the Tu-
berculosis Association is already
working on reorganization plans,
under craftsmanship of Ross Garrett,
Health Security Administration
chief. The holding Of public hear
ings is being considered by the COM
mittee and its members hope to
issue a statement Of their conclu-
sions within two or three weeks.
it was learned last night. DR.. Wat
son Eldridge. jr., of st. Elizabeth's
Hospital, a committee member, said
several LENGTHY meetings have been
held. He declared no comment on
DR.. Coulter's complaints can now
be made
Listing other grievances DR.. Coul-
ter, himself former board member
of the association. declared that
$50, 900 budget spent 5000 for
salaries last year, not including
those incurred at Bald Eagle Health
Camp. He said $4,000 went to "a
publicity man"
X-ray examination of high school
students was mot productive, for
the money expended" he asserted.
Relief groups and prisoners are neg
lected infection centers, he said.
suggesting that in turnover Of 100
men per day at Lorton Reformatory,
10 per cent nigh show tuberculosis
Practices Criticized.
He said the custom of gathering
children into a specialized "tubercu-
losis health camp" is outmoded. and
that in practice the local one is
operated ITO fatten up children and
make good report to the news
papers,
The investigating committee, he
commented, should not be ham
pered by the present Board Of Di-
rectors." In his opinion, the present
board should resign and then if it
should be found necessary or ad-
visable to put any of them back on
the board, this could be done by
the reorganization. Dr. Coulter re-
Gently told the Medical Society Of
the District of Columbia the board
should be differently constituted.
During the year he was a member
of the board before he was removed.
DR.. Coulter said, Il do not recall
having seen any one on the board
who even had a mild conception of
what a scientifically controlled pro-
gram for tuberculosis consisted of
try to justify the actions of the
association"
Plan Is Offered.
He recommended that a realloca-
ton Of the directorships of the as
ISOLATION be made, whereby the Dis
trict Medical Society. Medico-
Chirurgical Society and the Health
should deal with all
the functions of the association
which are purely medical in ma
ture
Concerning the present investiga-
ton, DR.. Coulter said II am quite
sure Mr. Garrett, knowing the needs
of the tuberculosis situation here,
will do anything he can to correct
it. The findings of the committee
should be made public, and before
they are put in effect the Health
ought to have a say
as to whether the new program
would be good public health policy"
Mrs. Ernest R. Grant. managing
director of the association waS re-