The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1912-01-25
HOSPITAL BUILDING
FOR Emergency TO
BESTRONGLY URGED
Chamber Of Commerce Com
mittee Scores Enemies
of Plan.

The Chamber of Commerce Is ex-
pected to take early and decisive action
In support of the recommendation made
by it's public health committee In favor
OF Congressional appropriation OF
100000 for new building for the
Emergency Hospital.
A special meeting of the executive
committee of the Chamber to consider
the health committees report made to
the directors last night by its chairman,
DR.. Harry M. Kaufman, will be held
one day early next week. No opposition
to the report developed last night, but
the report was voluminous and the d.
rectors preferred to consider 1t more
thoroughly before taking final action.
The committee scores the Board of
Charities and heads of George WASH
ington University Hospital and George
town University Hospital. The Board
Of Charities is blamed for the Houses
action In cutting out the appropriation
for Columbia Hospital and for its plan
to unite the emergency work of the
District with a municipal hospital by
means of first aid stations. The latter
proposition is termed in the report, i'm
practical, expensive, as likely to IN
crease risk to life, inefficient for emer-
aster and legal complications.
Termed Unwise.
The Board of Charities proposition to
separate public and private charities,
relating to hospitals. is set down as
very unwise," because, says the report:
1T has tendency to pauperize the
public.
1T will surely stife private contribu-
ticns.
1T places in an embarrassing position
that group of citizens who when i'll can
and are willing to pay part for their
treatment.
at has been stated before the com.
mittee, and the committee appreciates
the force of the argument, that a mu-
ricipal hospital Is very liable to come
under the control of physicians whose
whose skill is not necessarily the high
est, and thus scientific work in such an
Institution is liable to fall below the
standard"
ates the need for municipal hospital,
but such an institution should not be
used for the emergency work or the
District of Columbia or for pauperizing
that group of citizens who can pay, in
part, for Institutional treatment.
1t Is pointed out that IL the emergency
work of the District were given to the
two university hospitals, George Wash
ington would get about 80 per cent or
the work because of its location. and
the report then shows that 1t would be
impossible for that institution to do, In
it's present quarters. what Is being done
at Emergency. The committee also
argues that 1t would be inadvisable to
Increase the present building of the
George Washington Hospital
- Raps Hospital Heads. +
Rapping the heads, Of the. two hos
pitfalls for their attitude. the committee
says: '
1.-The committee is forcibly impressed
with the following paradoxical situa-
ton, I'm that here are two institutions
willing to make large expenditures for
housing the emergency work OF the
District, yet the same men, as their
representatives, and likewise as repre-
sentatives of the Board of Charities,
are steadily clamoring for a municipal
hospital, which institution shall care
for the emergency work of the city,
and the moment the municipal hospital
Is completed 1t will nullify and render
useless all the expenditures of these
private institutions made for the adap-
tation of their hospitals for emergency
work."
The law of June 6. 1900, establishing
the Board of Charities, also is quo6ed
In full. 1t provides that mo member of
the board shall serve as trustee or other
administrative officer of any institution
subject to the visitation of said board. y
The report concludes with the recon-
mendation that the Chamber advocate
an appropriation Of 100000 by Congress
for emergency, after asserting that this
hospital has received but 5000 Of the
$4,000 appropriated within the past few
hnanfta1