The Ypsilanti daily press., 1944-02-10

A comprehensive. and thorough
report on Health and Sanitation in
this community was given by DIR.
Otto X. Engelke, director Of the
Washtenaw County Health Unit at
the Ladies' Literary Club Wednes-
day. He emphasized that Ypsilanti
has, been amazingly fortunate in
not having a serious epidemic since
unhealthful conditions have arisen
due 10 the rapid increase In popu-
lation. He attributed the good
health 10 the fine work OF doctors,
nurses. schools and parents. as well
as the blessing OF heaven and "some
small measure OF credit 10 the
health unit" In his discussion he
referred to an annual report
recently made to the County Board
OF Supervisors. He defined the
area covered in his discussion as
reaching from the Wayne County
line to the west borders OF Ann Ar
Dor and four or five miles north and
south OF Michigan Ave. The report
took the form OF recommendations
made year ago and the extent to
which these have been carried out.
He credited such accomplishments
as have been made 10 help from the
state, from Wayne County, from
churches and private agencies. and
cooperation OF the press.
On February q, 1913, Charles P.
Taft OF the Federal Security Admin
istration was here. DR.. Engelke
recommended to him that Federal
representative be stationed here
with power to make decisions and
produce action based on current
needs. About five weeks ago, such
a person was sent.
The first recommendation was
that Federal grants be made for
garbage disposal. a safe water sup
ply, and sewage disposal. The
drinking water project has been
partially accomplished in the space
roughly bounded by the Bomber
Plant, the housing project, and the
city OF Ypsilanti.
About $50 or more residences
are now supplied. More will be as
soon as rates are set and more
pipes are laid. About four out of
ten wells in this area had been pol
luted 1t was further recommended
that the low land east OF the city
which is now flooded almost every
spring be used for recreation and
conservation purposes instead OF
residences. Draining and supplying
needed facilities there would be too
expensive. .>|the speaker indicated.
After talking with many Of the
people, the speaker stated that most
of them would be glad to sell out
and move to more suitable places.
It was also recommended that prior
tiles be regulated to prevent bottle
necks in supplying equipment need
ed here for restaurants. laundries,
dairies and other essential services.
This has not been done. very sue
cessfully, with the result that the
building of the hospital was de-
layed, and the more urgent needs
were often sidetracked while un-
important things went through. He
stated that some OF these delays
were caused by the Federal author
tiles using the 1910 census figures
which gave 10000 people in Ypsi-
lanti Township, when there are ac-
tually 10000 or more here. Since
all these problems we're caused by
war activities, Federal aid was
asked for increased personnel. The
State Administrative Board gave
$4,000. and the Federal Govern
ment gave some, and the Visiting
Nurse Association supplied one
nurse. The present staff consists
of a director. eleven nurses and
one supervisor. three clerks. a half
time nutritionist and an industrial
hygienist. The Visiting Nurse Asso-
citation acts as nursing board.
There are now three nurses here,
including a city nurse, and three in
the townsite, making a proportion
of one nurse to about 5000 popula.
tion.
A very urgent need OF the de-
partment is a laboratory for milk
control. A trailer park was recon-
mended but was built too late to
attract many who have settled on