Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-11
GALL|NGER SURVEY
BY EXPERT BOARD
|SSET IN MOTION
All But One of Examiners
Named to Conduct In
quiry at Hospital.
TECHNICAL SIDE TO GET
MAJOR CONSIDERATION
Senator Capper Also Favors Special
Study of Institution by
Senator Copeland.

Machinery was set In motion today
FOR a complete and impartial survey
of the equipment and management OF
Gallineer Municipal Hospital by board
of experts representing the medical
services of the Federal Government. AT
the same time, Chairman Capper OF the
Senate District committee announced
that he may ask Senator Copeland OF
New York to make a study OF conol-
tions at the hospital when the latter
returns to Washington about october /.
In view of Senator CopelandS VIDE
experience in health matters, Chair
man Capper said he would be the Logical
member of the District committee 10
look into the question. The New YORK
Senator is a physician and former
health commissioner of New York City.
Upon his return to the city In lew
weeks, Chairman Capper will confer
with the Senator on questions that
arose in the recent inquiry conducted
into conditions at Gallinger and de-
termine then if there Is need Tor
further investigation.
Report Is Approved.
Satisfied that there is nothing seri-
ously wrong with Gallinger," the Dis
Commissioner Sidney F. Taliaferro, their
unqualified acceptance of the clean bill
of health given the hospital in the
report submitted by the Board of Public
Welfare. They gave their approval also
to the proposed second inquiry with
view to having report from competent
experts not in any way connected with
the administration of the hospital or
with the District government"
nf
partment representative, the personnel
of this board of inquiry was announced
today. Action was expected to be taken
by the War Department later In the
day.
Commissioner Taliaferro was the au-
thority for the statement that the in
quiry is not intended as an lnvestlgatlon
into conditions at the hospital SUCH as
recently conducted by the committee OF
the Board of Public Welfare. Pubic
hearings will not be held, and testimony
regarding charges previously inquired
into will not be taken. The inquiry Will
be strictly a survey Of the equipment
and general management OF the nos
pital, with particular attention to be de-
voted to the psychopathic department.
Those Already Appointed.
The personnel of the examining board,
as announced thus far, is as follows:
Asst Surg Gen. F.. c. Smith, represent
ing the Public Health Service; Capt.
Charles M. Oman of the Naval Medical
Corps and DR.. Herbert G. Woolley, flrst
assistant physician at st. Elizabeths
Hospital. Surg. Gen. Ireland OF the
Army will announce his appointee as
soon as authority is given by the Secre-
tary Of War.
are concerned, they contemplate no
further action with regard to Gallinger.
I'm view of what Gallinger had to
start with, we feel there is every rea-
son to be proud of the hospital" COM
missioner Taliaferro said. The report
speaks for itself. We think 1t is
very good report, and accept it as
While pointing out that no public
m. priyate institution could be 100 per
cent perfect, Mr.. Taliaferro said ne
was confident that such things as
needed correction at Gallinger would
be taken care Of by the Board OF Pub
lie Welfare.
Some Changes Possible.
The report, in giving the hospital
clean bill of health, did point out Ger
tain minor matters which the standing
committee will take under further con-
sideration. AS indicated to the Com
niissioners these matters are:
The question of adding a female
pSychiatrist to the staff.
The question of the use OF strong
roSms for amneSia patients.
che question of separating mental
patients from drug and alcoholic ad-
diG1S.
the question of having more than
one nurse on duty in a ward in which
thef& are an unusual number OF
patients.
The treatment of patients at the
courthouse awaiting court hearings and
finally the ACCESSIBILITY of allowing pa
tients in the medical and surgical
wards to assist in carrying meals to
other patients.
Some of these matters, it was be-
lieyed, would come within the scope of
the medical survey to be made, in so far
as they affect management of the hos
'pital.
it was expected that the initial steps
toward this survey would be taken this
week. The members of the board are
all medical men of wide experience in
f,aie