Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-27
'BOCOCK DESCRIBES
GALL|NGERFUTURE
Says Hospital! Will Have At
tendant for Each Patient
Within Week.
Continued From First Page.)


the District, with visiting staff. drawn
from the faculties Of Georgetown and
George Washington Universities num-
boring 1853 doctors. The daily average
of visits of members of this staff for
the first seven month of 1929 was 1872,
DR.. Bocock said.
This, he said, is giving the hospital
the benefit Of the best medical advice
and practice In the District.
DR.. Bocock pointed with pride to the
approximately per cent death rate OF
the hospital during the month Of July
last. which. he said, is well below the
ordinary run Of death rates In hospitals
Of the Gallinger type, usually from
to 8 per cent or higher. The less than
one half of l per cent infant mortality
rate at the hospital for the same month
was an unusually good record also, he
declared.
Attending the hearing were w. w.
MILAN. chairman Ct the medical COM
mittee; DR.. George M. Kober. Mrs.
members OF the Board Of Public We'll
fare: George 8. Wilson. director; Paul
v. Kirby, assistant director; DR.. II. j.
Crosson. Judge Michael M. Doyle and
Mrs. Charles Goldsmith.
Oue SoActUc NoSC lS,VUVs
In response to queries from members
OF the committee. DR.. Bocock gave de-
tailed and revealing statement of the
department which he
said. unfortunately has been the subject
OF much recent criticism. Opened in
1923. the psychcpathic department has
treated $4,000 cases, he said. Out of
all this number there has occurred only
one case Of suicide, in 1924. In addi-
ton to this case, the superintendent ex-
planned, one person leaped from the
balcony of the building in the same
year. There has been IL minor acct
dents since the department opened, such
as falls and attempted suicides by pa
tlents.
I'VE believe this is a reasonably good
record, because included among the pa
tients are all sorts Of cases picked up
from the streets. such as acute alcoholic
and narcotic cases." he said.
IT feel the people of Washington
will be gratified to learn that in six
years in the treatment Of $4,000 patients
that there has been such limited
number Of serious accident cases"
Describes Four Buildings.
DR. Bocock described the four build
ings in the psychopathic department
said that any person picked up on the
streets. alIegedly of unsound mind. is
ordinarily sent to the receiving ward
tor 48 hours observation. Each Of the
buildings Is In charge Of full-time
salaried physician with a chief psyche
pathist i'll each building. While not
entirely adequate. DIR. BocOck pro-
nounced the professional staff in this
group as sufficient to insure reasonable
attention to all patients.
The year ending June 80. 1929, the
committee was informed that 2.440
patients had been received in the
psychopathic ward, about 20 per cent
OF which were found insane by juries
and committed TO st. Elizabeth.s Hos
pital, the balance being transferred
TO other institutions or released to their
families.
Referring to conditions generally at
Gallinger on January !, 1928. DR.. Bo-
cock said they were mot good" and the
physical equipment was poor" But be-
ginning in January of this year, when
the work of renovating and remodelipg
the psychopathic wards was got under
way.
These buildings have never been
painted; there were many defects" he
said. Roofs were leaking, the walls
were SCARED and physically they were
not in good condition.
Lack OF funds prevented the hiring
Of more than one skilled painter" he
testified, land the only assistance that
could be obtained was occasionally when
workmen were detailed from the District
Jail. 1t has been very disturbing to me
TO take SO long to do q job which could
be quickly done.
Personnel Situation Improved.
Otherwise. Dr. BocOck explained. the
In the psychopathic ward has
been greatly improved in regard TO per-
A year ago the hospital could
employ only two psychopathists,
today 1t has three full-time
psychopathists, one chief and inferno
in each building In addition, he tes-
titled. each ward Is IN charge OF
graduate nurse and fair number Of
student nurses and orderlieS. There Is
The Board Of Public Welfare in TAX
ing cogniZance Of this condition. he
explained, increased the facilities of the
school for nurses. BY reason
Of appropriation available. 20 extra
nurses will start their training next
week. This will greatly help the
situation.
d The Opening or the new hoSpltal
building on June 20, DR.. Bocock said,
marked the vacating Of the "old ram
shackle firetraps." "Gallinger has
ceased to occupy these old buildings
and has ceased to warrant the reputa-
ton which went with Them" DR.. Boz
cock testified.
As additional money becomes avail
able he expressed the hope that each
year would see additions TO the hos
pital so that Washington might have
In time what 1t deserves, "a l,000-bed
hospital OF the best type"
Since July q chief dietician has been
engaged In the psychopathic ward and
patients in this ward as well as others,
he testified, are receiving intensive
care" With the model laundry in
stalled fresh linen Is always available,
and it is always possible, he told the
to discard linen even slight
ly stained.
The X-ray apartment and other
scientific equipment, DR.. Bocock added,
was the most modern that could be sup
piled. The superintendent said that,
In his opinion, the outstanding achieve
ment of the year at Gallinger was the
Of its stan Of 1853 visit
ing physicians. with that number
there can be little lack Of attention
shown patients" he said.