Evening star., 1952-03-16
Needs Outstrip $11.o Million
Budget for D. c. Health Work

nursing ana OCnef services C(
patients In their own homes fol.
lowing discharge from Gallingel
at the earliest possible time. $27,-
600.
Tuberculosis Control Cut.
Personnel for q cancer detec-
ton clinic in the Southeast area
and for a central registry Of can
Ger cases. $4,000.
Additional personnel for tuber-
Iculosis control. $41.862.
Also cut out of the budget re-
quest were items for maternal and
child welfare, for sanitary inspec-
tors, now limited mostly to in
|vestigating complaints, and fol
other personnel. Altogether. the
department asked 419 new en-
|ployes. The budget carries eight
DR.. Seckinger points out that
the Distric1 has only one. public
health nurse for every 1000 in
population, whereas the recon-
|mended standard is one to 1000
OF the additional nurses sought
l2O were asked for work with
school children, four for emer-
|gency nursing services to call or
sick infants. mentally deranged
persons and investigate commune
cable diseases. and six for clinical
services and home instruction tc
reduce disqualification of patients
with chronic diseases.
Holding down the appropriation
for voluntary hospital care of the
INDECENT to this years 100000
will mean the District can pay
only SO a day to the hospitals.
The cost at Gallinger Is $12.50.
Voluntary hospitals must take a
loss.
Standards Suffer.
DR.. j. Ross Veal. president of
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions and former chief surgeon
at Gallinger, said the private hos
pitfalls are finding it impossible to
maintain their teaching stand
ards" because they have had to
reduce the number of indigents
treated during the last few years.
Poor living conditions at Gal
linger, residents and interns have
warned, may mean that the hos
|pital will not be able to get an
adequate staff. They cite the fire
hazards and dilapidated condition
|of the quarters.
The Northwest health center
has been requested year after
year. Funds were appropriated
once but were withdrawn in 1885
when site had not been agreed
on. DR.. Seckinger said the area
lis a focal point Of health needs
The entire block where the Polk
Health Center is now located is
the site of a proposed new school
building. he pointed out.
Public Health Service Plan.
The rehabilitation program al
Gallinger. which undertakes te
put bedridden patients on theil
feet. was initiated by the United
States Public Health Service
USPHS wants the District to take
over the program. now that it has
demonstrated its worth, DR.
Seckinger said. Preparing a pa
tient to help himself saves the
$12.50-a-day cost of keeping him
in the hospital.
The home care program is an
other demonstration project o1
the Public Health Service. A pro-
gram for the detection and reha-
bilitation Of heart disease patients
was planned in cooperation with
the Federal Government and the
Washington Heart Association
This would have meant $4,000
for the District in Federal aid.
In seeking an increase for can
Ger work. DR.. Seckinger cited q
f1ve-month backlog of person.
awaiting appointments.
The request for tuberculosi,
control included funds for foul
positions now financed from Fed.
eral funds. The department
sought additional physicians ant
technicians to find cases ane
supervise them to reduce ths
spread.