Evening star., 1943-09-04
D. {. Heads Hail
Health Survey
.0f Institutions
Ready to Approve
Any Plan Offered
For Supervision

The Commissioners are "vitally"
interested in the special survey re-
leased by the Health Department
on sanitary conditions in hospitals
and laundries and undoubtedly"
will approve any plan advanced
by the department for continued
regular supervision Of these institu-
tions in the future, 1t was indicated
today.
The department had been con-
Quoting the special surveys of hos
pitals since 1941, and of laundries
since 1912, according to DR.. Daniel
L. Seckinger, acting health officer.
He recommended that the Commits
sioners make such surveys, never
done before, regular duty of his
department.
Defective Plumbing.
DR.. Seckinger declared that
plumbing and working conditions in
laundries were generally good, but
suggested sweeping installation OF
new drinking fountains and closer
supervision of safety devices.
All but two of 20 hospitals sur
veyed were found to have some de-
fective plumbing and cross connec-
ton facilities. Two Of the hospitals
had plumbing facilities in the
menace" class, and have been
~ {S
One hospital has fixtures requiring
an estimated expenditure of $4,000
for repairs. All of the hospitals
have begun repairs, he added.
On the survey of plumbing in
hospitals. Dr. Seckinger commented:
Results have proved conclusively
that it is practical to establish an
organized plan for detecting and
controlling plumbing hazards within
piping systems of buildings"
A plan for routine survey would
have to be worked out and sub
mitted to the Commissioners for
approval, it was explained.
Laundry Survey.
The laundry survey took up such
problems as reduction of bacterial
count in dirty clothes. separation of
the clean clothes from incoming
dirty ones, handling of clothes found
to have been used by persons suffer-
ing from contagious diseases. drink
ing fountains and restrooms for en-
ployes, and ventilation. 1t covered
IA commercial laundries. Is laun-
dries in hospitals and institutions
and five laundries in hotels.
All but two of the commercial
laundries were found to reduce
bacterial count in dirty clothes sat
isfactorily." Only five of the hos
pital laundries did this "sa atisfac-
torily," however. One hospital laun-
dry reduced bacterial count from
$4,000 to $500. Another hospital
reduced its count only to 1900, but
DR.. Seckinger pointed out that the
original count had been the high
total of 36,6O0, 900.
Drinking fountains in lsundries
get extra hard use because of the
hot temperatures, the survey pointed
out. OF those inspected. three
quarters were found to be 'unsani-
tary.' One laundry provided only
a bucket for the use of every one.
Some had ice and water mixed.
frowned on by the department.
Some had nozzles which permitted
the mouth to come in contact with
the metal or allowed the stream of
water to fall back from the mouth
onto the orifice.
About 8 per cent of the toilets
were ''f1lthy,' the report said. Hos
pitfalls and hotels have all provided
restrooms, luncl1rooms and adequate
toilet facilities for employees. the re-
port said. Eighty per cent of the
commercial laundries, however, do
not do this.
Safety Devices.
Asking for close supervision bv
the management OF safety devices.
the Health Department reported one
man had had his arm twisted off
by sheet that escaped from a
safety device on a water extractor.
Managers should teach employees the
use OF the devices, it was said.
The survey of plumbing water
facilities in hospitals revealed, for
instance. that So per cent of the
lsvatory faucets and IA of the
"1ushometer' toilets are "hazard-
GUS"
Seven of the largest hospitals also
were found to have periods during
the day when water pressure
dropped so low that the faulty cross
connections might have permitted
impure water to back siphon" into
the pure supply. About 20 per cent
OF the poor connections found were
serious the report said, and are in
r1roceSs nf repoir