Evening star., 1948-10-08
State Report Criticizes
Alexandra Health Unit
As Loosely Directed
By Mory Lou Werner

The Alexandria Health Depart
ment was pictured as a loosely
administered" inefficient agency by
State Health Department officials
in a report released today.
The criticism was contained in a
report of State officials who surveyed
the Alexandria health situation al
the request OF the City Council.
The report has been in the hands
of councilmen about a week. The
health officer, Dr. w. Lewis Schafer
resigned Monday due to what HI
said was differences of opinion
with other city officials. His de-
partment had been under fire fol
some time by members of the Coun'
Gil. He said the health report wa!
not discussed at the time he sub.
mitted his resignation.
The investigators charged tina
reasonable Office hours on the par
Of the health officer which are neces'
sary to the administration of a de-
partment of this size, were no
adhered to-"
There is no evidence of the exist.
ence of long-term planning for tn,
improvement of the existing activ
tiles or the Inauguration of a new
program" the report states.
The surveyors said apparently tht
health officer lis not exercising
planned, aggressive leadership inso'
far as his department is concerned.
No Changes Since 1889.
There have been no noticeable
changes in the departments policies
and procedures since 1889 when il
was last surveyed by the State, the
report says. The surveyors also
criticized the lack of public rela.
tions program, leadership assistance
for lay health groups and the dele.
CATION of duties Ito persons no
qualified to assure best results"
Dealing with individual programs
in the health department, the report
termed the maternal and chilo
health activities "eXcee ingly
limited" and said the development
of we'll baby clinics demands con.
sideration.'
The report also mentioned ex
istence OF an open sewer which
flowed into a.: playground area a
the Cameron Valley housing de
velopment. Although steps have
been taken to correct the situation
it was this condition that frs
brought DR.. Shafer under fire il
August. He was asked to explain
why the. open sewer had been per.
mltted to exist for nearly two year
after it had been reported to tn,
Health Department. DR.. Shafel
said the matter did not come to hi
attention.
The report said there we're NJ
records that schools were receiving
sanitary supervision, no evidence OF
adequate supervision of sanitation
personnel and no staff conferences
All criticism, however. was not
leveled at DR.. Shafer. The survey.
ors said the budget of the Health
Department lis definitely lower
than the expenditures recognized
to be necessary for adequate public
health service"
In several instances the surveyor!
praised specific efforts of the de
partment. They reported that th'
departments overall activities "ar,
consistent with public health poll
cies," and said the venereal diseas,
program is one of the finest in tn,
State.
The report said the city "is for
tunate in having adequate housin!
facilities for the Health Depart
ment' and the cooperation Of tn
city manager, health officer an,
ether officials conducting the surve,
was praised.
The supervisor Of nurses, Mis-
Mary Carne. who has been actin!
as head of the department sine
Dr.. Schafer's resignation, wa
praised by the surveyors.