Evening star., 1952-09-04
City Heads Vote
Funds 10 Fight
tuberculosis
Approve $93,S34 Plea
By Health Department
For More Facilities

FOR More Facilities
The District Commissioners to-
day approved the Health Depart
ment's request for inclusion of
$93,834 in the 1854 budget for
control of tuberculosis
in Washington.
At the same time, District
Health Officer Daniel l.. Seckinger
announced he has located depart
ment appropriation sources from
which $500 can now be taken
to set up larger tuberculosis lab
oratory facilities.
DR.. Seckinger had been under
instructions from Commissioner
Renah F. Camalier to find suffi-.
cient funds to get the laboratory
project underway as soon as pos
sible. The amount was included
in the health officers overall rec
concentrations for additional 1854
appropriations. This money will
provide extra equipment for
Speedier diagnosis of the disease.
Additional Funds Sought.
In addition, DR.. Seckinger said
he will try to scrape together
enough money from existing de-
partment appropriations to pro-
vide an extra clinical nurse and
another laboratory technician to
speed the obtaining and analyzing
of specimens from tuberculosis
patients.
Two long-existing continuing"
appropriations were tapped for
the laboratory equipment-that
for the abatement of nuisances-
and money set aside for improve
ment of sanitation. If the tuber-
culosis program is to get it's two
new employees this year, the same
fund sources probably will be re-
lied on. DR.. Seckinger said.
The abatement" fund of $500
is for such. purposes as the cut
ting of weeds and the removal
of trash dumped on unauthorized
places. In cases where property
owners refuse to clear up such
nuisances, the District takes over
the job and later charges it to
the owners.
Fund Totals $4,000.
The fund for the improvement
of sanitation totals $4,000. It Is
normally used in cases where the
Health Department feels that the
public interest requires abandon
ment of outside toilets on private
property and the installation Of
sewer line connections. The Dis-
trict pays this cost and later as
sesses the property owner.
DR.. Seckinger emphasized that
dipping into these funds was q
matter Of "robbing Peter to pay
Paul"
But, he added, 1900 Washington
people are dying each year from
tuberculosis-and there's nothing
like that toll that comes from the
failure to abate nuisances or inn
prove sanitation"
OF the Commissioners approval
of the $93,834 request for the
overall broadening of tuberculosis
control, the health officer de-
clared:
Its grand, wonderful"
The sum represents a big step
in the Health Departments drive
to wipe out tuberculosis, described
by top authorities as the Districts
No. health menace.
A Bare Beginning.
While the $500 to be utilized
Immediately is only a bare Begin
ming in the expansion program.
DR.. Seckinger said the amount
will permit the Health DEPART
ment to gain momentum until
such time as the total amount
sought is forthcoming.
The requested $685. is broken
down into three categories:
Additional supplies, workers
and equipment for the laboratory
bureau totaling $33,361.
The bureau of tuberculosis
would get four new part-time ply
Sicians. three clerical workers.
additional drugs and more trans,
portation money with the re.
quested $34,195 appropriation.
The bureau. of public health
nursing would get $26,278 to pro-
vide six additional public health
nurses for an expanded home-care
program for tuberculosis victims.
In his report to the Commits.
sioners two days ago the health
officer described the requested ap-
preparation as necessary to meet
the most urgent and immediate
needs" for controlling tuberculo-
sis. He added that at best this
money would take care of only
the basic minimal reouire-
ments" for rectifying the most
glaring deficiencies in the city's
battle against the disease.