Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-28
.GA[[|NGER PROBE
!. IS RESUMED TODAY
Staff Officials Testify on Con-
ditions in Hospital for
Welfare Board.

After morning recess the investi-
| ga ting committee of the Board of Pub
| lie Welfare resumed public hearings at
l o'clock today to round out the pic
ture Of existing conditions in Gallinger
Municipal Hospital obtained from staff
| ofdcials, which it is preparing to incor-
porate in formal report to the Dis
| trict Commissioners.
| 1t was expected that the examination
of physicians and attendants of the
| therapeutic institution would be COM
pleted there this afternoon, leaving the
future course of the inquiry open to
conjecture. Although Judge Kathryn
/ B. Sellers OF the Juvenile Court, sharp
critic OF Gallinger, has refused to send
| any more wards of the court to Gal
lnger for treatment 1t is still doubtful
whether the committee intends to call
on her to testify during the present in
quiry. Beginning tomorrow. the hear
ings will be resumed at the District
Building, and then, it is said, critics of
Gallinger may have an opportunity to
voice their complaints.
Reply to Critics.
From DR.. Samuel Kahn. chief resi-
| dent psychiatriSt at Gallinger, and
members OF his staff the committee yes
terday afternoon undertook to refute,
/
aimed at conditions and treatment OF
patients in the psychopatic wards. They
declared without hesitation that they
found the psychopathic section at Gal
linger superior to most other similar
| institutions elsewhere and in some re-
spects superior TO Bellevue or Kings
County Hospitals in New York City, be-
lieved to be model institutions.
Only in one respect did the commit
! tee seek TO inquire into specific criti-
| cism aimed at Gallinger. when it sought
from DR.. Kahn and others informant ton
bearing on the case Of an investigating
newspaper reporter, who feigned am
| nesia to remain in the hospital for a
| few days
DR.. Kahn told Of the circumstance,
surrounding the admission OF the re-
porter and testified that he had known
immediately after putting the patient
through a series of tests for amnesia
that he was "a malinger or faker."
Placed in Room.
! He testified that he thereupon gave
orders that the patient be placed in
a strong room in the psychopathic ward
and under no circumstances be released
until they had learned his reasons for
| coming to the hospital
DR.. Kahn and other members of the
stan denied emphaticallv that the con-
oitions in the ward were such as later
described by the reporter and added
| that the bed clothes supplied at Gal
lineer are cleaner. from their observa-
ton, than supplied at any hospital TO
| their knowledge.
The strong room. DR.. Kahn said. was
| absolutely clean" the food served
patients good" and added that condi-
/ lions at the institution had improved
100 per cent in the last six months
and that he could not see how any
buildings could be kept cleaner"
Clothes Taken Away.
DR.. Kahn frankly admitted he told
the supposed amnesia patient that he
oeileved him to be insane and was 90
| ing 10 send him to st. Elizabeth Hos
| pltal, Tor the reason, he added, that he
was convinced the patient was taking
ana wanted him to understand that they
knew II. His clothes were taken from
him as matter of routine. the doctor
| resumed. as precautionary measure
taken with all such patients.
| Atnough DR.. Kahn said he was not
deceived by the reporter. another phv-
slclan. DR.. Frank RACE. admitted he had
disagreed with the formers diagnosis OF
the case and gave his own opinion tina,
the man was subject to a form O,
.H'"'Si io' nc duHlltteO unOer question
/ ing. however, he was not competent tc
! say whether the mans condition wa.
! real or assumed
Inquiries by members Of the commit.
/ zee as to the treatment accorded "vio.
lent patients in the department
Drought an emphatic denial from the
physicians in attendance that any hac
been struck or abused. Such treatment
IL was stated. would result in instan,
dismissal Of the employe. DR.. Floyc
Echols. third resident phychiatrist. ant
: DR.. Issac Rod testified they had seer
( violent patients strike orderlies anc
doctors. but could not recall any in.
stance in which retaliation was toter