Surgeon - General Aims for End of Old Age Diseases

Aging of the American population demands a new attack on public health problems with an emphasis on old age diseases, Surgeon General Leonard A. Scheele said yesterday.

Speaking before a Medical School forum on public health, he said "there must be a program to control and prevent chronic diseases." Since major epidemics have been brought under control, by 1975 nearly 11 percent of our population will be 65 years old or more." Yet little has been done to make that maturity healthful," Scheele declared.

More Treatment

'At present we do know how to prevent these diseases in the true sense of protection. Early detection and treatment are the only available methods to prevent serious consequences or untimely death. Public health programs," he continued, "can therefore help states in expanding their treatment facilities."

Scheele said that there are only 30,481 beds available in the United States for the care of chronically ill patients. Yet within the past few years, he stated, a widespread movement has arisen to awaken interest in chronic illness problems.

An Interim Commission on Cronic Disease was established in 1946 which is furthering work and research in this field.