Evening star., 1945-07-29
Health Agency,
Survey
BeginsinAugust
Community War Fund
Provides $24, 900
To Finance Project

The Metropolitan Health Council
survey Of health agencies and hos
pitals in the National Capital area
will get under way late in August,
financed by $4,000 from the Com
munity War Fund.
In announcing this last night, DR..
Herbert P. Ramsey, council presi-.
dent, estimated the survey would
take about four months.
A new Office will be located in a
place yet to be selected, it was said,
and a full-time secretary will be
employed. 1t can not be located at
1101 M street NV, headquarters
of the Community Chest and other
social agencies because no space is
available.
Importance Recognized.
Importance of the new survey
was recognized by the War Fund in
allocating funds to support it. In
the field of medicine, hospital and
health, the War Fund, it was ex-
planned, spends annually about
100000. The survey will be oper-
ated as economically as possible
DR.. Ramsey said.
Three experts from out of WASH
ington, will make the survey, as pre-
viously announced. They are: Prof.
C. E. A. Winslow and Col. Ira v.
Hiscock, both of Yale University.
and DR., Claude W. Munger, director
of st. Luke's Hospital, New York
City.
These experts will operate under
supervision of a survey committee
of the council, of which the chair
man is Vice Admiral Ross T Nc
Intire, chief OF the Bureau OF
Medicine and Surgery, who was per-
sonal physician to the late Presi-
dent Roosevelt Membership of the
Survey Committee has not yet been
completed 1t is expected to be an
nounced, however, by Admiral Nc
1ntire sometime after August Is.
Will Cover Six Jurisdictions.
Designed as the first operation Of
its kind, Dr. Ramsey explained the
survey will cover six political juris-
dictions: The District of Columbia.
Alexandria city, Arlington and Fair
fax counties in Virginia, and Mont
gomery and Prince Georges counties
in Maryland This is the same area,
he asserted, which the Washington
Board of Trade considers the
metropolitan Area"
such a survey. we expect, will
develop much in the field of inter-
area integration of agencies in the
health field" said DR.. Ramsey.
Its purpose is to discover needs
and gaps. overlapping and dupli-
cation, efficiency of expenditure Of
funds whether such funds are taxes
or contributed money, or funds
otherwise derived. The survey may
discover a long range blue print for
facilities in the metropolitan area
in the future"
To Name Advisory Aides.
The survey committee will have
advisory members, it was explained.
Among these advisers will be the
health officers of the six political
divisions to be surveyed. But these
health officers will not be members
of the survey committee itself.
The Metropolitan Health Council
operates for purposes of admins
tration as the health division of
the Council of Social Agencies. Its
governing body is known as the CO.
ordinating board, consisting of a
list of people distinguished in the
field of health and other circles,
Federal and local. 1t includes ply
sicians and laymen. The co-or-
dinating board now has 56 mem
bers, but will be increased to so.
The survey already has been
widely Endorsed. Among those who
have formally approved it are the
Washington Board of Trade, State
health commissioners of Maryland
and Virginia, the six health officers
of the area, the District Medical
Society, the Council of Social Agen-
cies and the Community War Fund.
| In addition, many letters have
been received offering cooperation
from hospitals, health agencies and
various organizations interested in
health throughout the area.