Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-10
PROBE BY EXPERTS
LOOMS FOLLOWING
GALL|NGER REPORT
Committee Requests Govern
ment Medical Officials to
Name Board of Inquiry.
HOSPITAL GIVEN CLEAN
BILL BY INVESTIGATORS
Welfare Board Makes Specific Rec
concentrations for Improve
ments of Service.
A further investigation of the equip

A further investigation of the equip
ment and conduct of Gallinger Munich
pal Hospital by board of disinterested
medical experts of the Government
loomed today as a result of the three
| weeks inquiry conducted into condi-
tions at the city Institution by the
medical service committee OF the Board
of Public Welfare.
Submitting its formal report to the
District Commissioners today, the Board
Of Public Welfare stated that there is
nothing seriously wrong with Gallinger"
and generally exonerated the hospital
staff in the treatment of patients. The
report informed the Commissioners,
|'however, that the investigating COM
mittee has requested Government medi-
cal officials to designate a board for
the purpose Of conducting further
Asked to Name Board.
The request was addressed to the
surgeon general of the Army, the sur
geon general Of the Navy, the surgeon
general Of the Public Health Service
and the superintendent of st. Eliza
beth's Hospital. 1t requested that each
of these officials designate an officer
OF righ rank to form committee "for
the purpose of making an examination
and inspection Of the equipment and
conduct Of the hospital, with view to
having report from competent experts
not in any way connected with the ad-
ministration of the hospital or with the
District Government.
Although Gallinger Is given a general
clean bill of health in the official report,
the Board of Public Welfare did make
certain specific recommendations for
fVN re
One of these. suggestion that more
than one nurse should be on duty in a
crowded ward was based directly upon
the attempted escape from Gallinger of
Mrs Nettie B. Thompson, a patient who
died following an operation. and whose
case was the subject Of an extensive
inquiry.
Nurse Not Blamed.
The report stated that while this un-
fortunate occurrence may have con-
tributed to the death of the patient" it
attached no fault to the nurse In
charge. With respect to the need of
ever, the board adds: "The standing
committee on medical service win deal
with this situation and see that proper
steps are taken"
It was revealed that the elevator op-
orator who carried Mrs. Thompson to
the first floor in night clothes and
sheet is no longer employed at the
hospital and his conduct was severely
criticized in the report.
Two other matters which the stand
ing committee on medical service will
take up for special consideration, the
report stated, are:
The question of adding a female
psychiatrist to the staff.
The question of the use of strong
rooms for amnesia patients concerning
which there seems not to be a COM
plete record.
1.-THE charges that patients are
placed in strong rooms as a matter Of
routine, is, however, completely dis
proved" the report declared. mo pa
tient is ever so confined except upon
order of a doctor, unless in an emer-
gency with violent patient
The report of the Board of Public
Welfare, which covered IS pages and all
phases of the recently conducted in
veStigation, was signed by John Joy
EdSop as chairman and attested to
by George w. Wilson, director of pub
lie welfare. 1t was prepared by w. w
MILAN, who acted as. chairman of the
investigating committee.
Taking conditions and the equipment
of Gallinger as whole, the report COM
pared the hospital favorably with any
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