Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-30
CALL|NCER STAFF
. G|VENCLEANB BILL
Testimony of Voluntary Wit
y nesses Favorable to Doc
tors and Nurses. a..

service committee of the Board OF Pub
lie Welfare at the District Building
this morning was favorable to DR..
Edgar A. Bocock. superintendent, and
the staff of Gallinger Municipal Hos
pital. All of the witnesses appeared
voluntarily and with several exceptions
testified they had found conditions sat
isfactory. and the doctors and nurses
courteous and helpful
Rev George w. Dow, superintendent
of Episcopal City Missions. who serves
as one Of the chaplains at the hos
pital, said that the psychopathic ward
was very gloomy and he did not be-
lieve that mental patients could receive
the proper care in such surroundings.
He said the fault was with the building
and not with the attendants.
Testimony Invited.
W. w. MILAN, vice president OF the
board and ex-officio chairman OF the
investigating committee, confined the
testimony this morning principally to
conditions since January l, 1928. He
permitted any one present in the room
to volunteer statements either for or
against the institution.
All witnesses who gave favorable
testimony we're asked whether they APP
peared voluntarily and whether they
had been requested by any one to come
Most of them said they came because
they regarded 1t as duty to tell what
they knew about the hospital and not at
the request of any member OF the staff
A Earring note in the testimony was
furnished by Mrs. Julia Wittgenstein Of
so21 Seventh street northwest, who said
that she had intended 10 place her
husband in the psychopathic ward, but
when she went over to look at 1t an
attendant told her that If he were
placed there he would be "a raving
maniac by morning"
Mrs. Wittgenstein said she took zone
peep" into the ward and made up her
mind that she wouldn't put dog IN
such place"
The committee tried to find out the
name Of the attendant referred to, but
the witness could not furnish 1t.
George S. Wilson. director of public
welfare, presented file of letters which
he has received in recent weeks relating
to persons in the hospital. Mr.. MILAN
laid before the board a letter from the
Womens Medical Society Of the District,
relating to conditions at the hospital.
and making certain suggestions for i'm
provement It was dated August 29,
and signed by Doctors Kate Karpeles.
president. and Helen Gladys Kahn, act
ing secretary of the society.
The first witness to appear this morn
ing was Joseph C. O'Hare, who lives at
the Wardman Park Hotel. He told OF
young man who had acquired the drug
habit and was picked up by the Federal
authorities and later sent to Galllnger
Hospital for an operation. Mr. O'Hare
said he was present during the opera
ton and everything was conducted IN
satisfactory manner.
Neglect Charged.
Mrs. Mary J. Malone, 1888 Brentwood
road northeast, testified that her daugh-
ter, Irene. had spent seven weeks at tne
hospital around Easter time, TINS year
and that she had suffered from conslo,
cradle neglect. She said that mice and
hedburs overran the bed on which she
slept and that the attendants failed 70
wash her after an internal operation.
She said she complained to several doc
tors there about the treatment. but that
she made no complaint to the superln-
tendent.
J. c. Bailey, an employe OF the Dis
trict Electrical Department for y years,
said that he had been visiting the nos
pital to do electrical work constantly
during the entire length of his employ
nent. He said that physical conditions
of the plant were bad in the old nos
pital building. He said that he had
seen nurses take punishment from pa
tients rather than to hurt them.
John A. Savage Of 1877 o street, pres
ident of the American Equity Assocla-
ton. testified that the Board OF Public
Welfare had declined to allow the as
ISOLATION to intervene in oehaf OF 81
attendants and other employees at the
1,,ta work.
ing conditions. He said that George S.
Wilson. director of public welfare, had
stated that the board was sympathetic
toward the employees.
P. H. Birch of 857 Van Buren, street.
assistant superintendent of the Govern
ment general supply committee. test.
fed that he had visited the hospital
in his official capacity and that ne
knew of mo cleaner place"
Another witness who spoke in praise
of the hospital was Mrs. Mary CAN'T
of 478 L street southwest, who said
her sister, Mrs. Elaine Hammer, had
been a patient IN Ward D for the last
three weeks, and she had visited the
hospital morning and evening every
day since her sister went there.
Chaplain Testifies.
Father Joseph F. Denges of the Holy
chaplains at the hospital, said that he
had been visiting the institution three
or four times week for the last two
wears and always found conditions very
satisfactory.
Asked why he had come to testify
this morning, Father Dcnges said some
one had called him on the telephone
and asked him to testify. but that he
had intended to come anyway.
Mrs. Rose Teachum of TOT Seventh
street southeast, who also praised the
hospital, said that during the last six
weeks she has spent many hours at Cal
linger visiting her brother, William H.
Kendrick, Spanish War veteran, who
is there for observation.
Rev. George w. Dow. superintendent
of Episcopal City Missions. who also
acts as one of the chaplains at Gal
linger, said he had been familiar with
conditions there since July, 1928, and
always found members of the staff and
the attendants very helpful.
Maid Well Treated.
Mrs. Marion Butler of 1900 r street
the wife of former Senator Butler OF
North Carolina, testified that one OF
her maids and one of her friends who
had been compelled to seek treatment
at Gallinger had been very well treated
Joseph r. wilkinson a retired Duilder
of 332a N street, had the same remark
to make of a brother-in-law who hao
been treated there. :.
Rev. II. c. Leman. 1113 South Caro-.
lima avenue southeast, said that ne hac
conducted services at the hospital every
sunday for eight years and had ioune
everything clean and the staff courteous
Mrs. Michael A. Hannah, 1908 Part
road. said that her sister was patlen
at the psychopathic ward IN June
1928, and that her trouble was moor.
rectlv diarnosed as dementia preaco'
nsranoid type, whereas, in fact, sh'
was suffering from a growth in he
throat. She said her sister secured he
release from the hospital on a writ O