The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-03-29
LACK OF DOCTORS
BECOMES PROBLEM
owl FOresees Slow Detefi.
grafton in Nations
Health
by ALTON n, PARKER
United Press staff Correspondent

United Press Stafs COEFeSpondent)
Washington, March 29,-CUP)--
The once OF War Information to-
day disclosed the probability OF q
"slow deterioration IN the nations
health because Of an acute lack OF
doctors In many communities.
There Is not ct present n serious
breakdown IN health" the owl
said, but unless We initiate some
method Of appraising the problem on
the best plan 10 meet It, interior.
ence with war production due to
widespread sickness can be expect.
ed"
Approximately one.thlrd OF the
doctors In the United StateS-be.
tween 10000 and 50,O00-have Joined
the armed forces, the owl said, and
as the size OF the army and navy
increases more will be called.
THE men IN uniform have been
and will continue to be the best
cared for medically In the world.
1t added,
But the problem Of civilian health
Is increasing and In total war the
health ana working-power Of the
civilian Is as important rs health
and striking power Of the man In
tn battle line. To offset lack Of
medical attention, attempts are be.
Ing made 10 apportion the avail
able supplye Of doctors as eQuitably
as possible.
The owl recently surveyed some
60 communities and 20 states where
shortages Of doctors have been re-
ported. These conclusions were
reached:
/. So far the health Of the ma
ton as q whole has not been Sert-
ously impaired by the doctor short
age. Doctors these days are not
only working overtime: they are
most Of them-working practically
all the time and IN total disregard
Of their own health.
2. The number OF communities
critically In need OF doctors Is not
great compared with the total num-
Der, but those In need are among
those most vital to the war effort.
3. In too many cases doctors were
recruited for the armed services
without sufficient regard for the
welfare Of the civilian population;
enough remain In private practice
to give adequate civilian care pro"
vided they can be properly dis
tributed numerically and according
to special abilities"
4. The voluntary relocation OF
doctors has not resulted In a solu-
ton of the problem. In some COM
muniunes local medical groups have
resisted attempts to relocate OUT
side doctors In their locality.
5. The situation as a whole Is
not now out Of control. but unless
remedial steps are taken soon 1t WIZ
grow progressively worse.
8. Luxury medicine Is out for the
duration. Eve can no longer afford
to call doctors for imaginary AL
ments."
The survey emphasized that medl.
cal shortages are not due IN an
cases to the war. For example
many rural areas have never had a
sufficient number OF doctors. In
other regions, where the population
has In many cases doubled ano
trebled due to war industry. condl.
lions have not improved. The owl
found sections where there was only
one doctor To 5000 to 5000 persons
with the people frankly worried owe!
what might happen II a number o.
them became III at the same time
In q county on the west coast
near q navy yard, the survey Reports
an increase In population from ~.
600 10 10000, and during 1898 u
Is expected that 5000 more per-
sons Will move into this area. Tne
present ratio Is one doctor 70 -
900 persons. and the hospital sis'ia'
ton Is described rs terrible.