Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-10
SEEK GALL|NGER
PROBE BY EXPERTS
Committee Asks Government
Officials 10 Name Board
of Inquiry.
Continued From First Page.)


professions of the city, giving free
service for operations and treatment at
the rate of about 20 visits per day, and
visiting for monthly conferences and
inspections in groups of more than 100, y
the report stated, should be an added
assurance that there is nothing seriously
wrong with Gallinger."
With the exception of the Thomp-
son case, the report dismisses briefly
the charges made by Judge Kathryn b.
Sellers of the Juvenile Court, which
were directly responsible for the public
criticism leading to the inquiry.
The board accepted the testimony Of
the operating surgeon and nurses that
Mrs. Thompson gave her consent to the
operation which ultimately resulted in
her death. Judge Sellers and the pa
TENTS mother had charged otherwise.
Cannot Disregard Testimony.
The report added that the board
"does not see how it can disregard the
testimony of surgeons that this oper-
alton was desirable and necessary II
the patient was to improve"
While negligence, improper methods
and lack of skill in deciding upon, ar
ranging for. or conducting a single
operation. if found to exist, merit the
severest condemnation and summary
treatment of the guilty parties, the
board feels that one such charge un-
sustained by evidence does not justify
the wholesale condemnation of the hos
pital and all its activities" the report
continued.
The report follows:
ITO the Honorable, the Board of Com
missioners of the District of CO.
lumbia.
Recently there appeared in one or
more newspapers of the City of Wash
ingtou articles containing certain state
mentS alleged to have been made by
the Judge of the Juvenile Court of the
District of Columbia, from the bench.
severely criticizing Gallinger Municipal
Hospital, particularly with. reference to
certain specified cases, and avowing 1t
10 be the purpose of the judge to send
no more wards Of that court to~sald
hospital under any circumstances.
About the same time there appeared
IL one Of said newspapers a series OF
articles, in which a reporter of said
paper, who had obtained admission to
the psychopathic department of the
hospital by feigning amnesia, gave a
detailed account of what purported to
be his experience, observations and
treatment while an inmate, which &C
count was likewise severely critical.
Probe Is Ordered.
"Gallmger Hospital is one of the in
situations under the control of the
Board of Public Welfare, and the board,
because of the gravity of the charges,
and especially because of the high source
from which the aforementioned criti-
cisms emanated at once took up the
question of an investigation of the
hospital in all its departments. It was
decided to make such investigation, and
the committee on medical service was
directed TO take up the task for the
board. 1t should be stated here, for in
formation. that the extended character
of the boards duties makes 1t impera-
tive to operate through committees.
Each member of the board serves on at
least two committees. The committee
on medical service has for its chairman
one of the medical members of the
board. One of the regular members OF
the committee has been absent from the
city during the entire period of the in
veStlgation. His place was filled by ap-
pointment of the other medical men,
Der of the board The vice chairman
rot regular member. was directed to
assist the committee. The investigation
has thus been conducted by two doctors,
one lady member and the vice chair
man, lawyer. Other members of the
board have attended the hearings I'M
officially and have made suggestions.
The board and the committee have
spent about three weeks in the con-
sideration of these matters, during
which time they have examined more
than 10 witnesses. whose testimony
covering every phase Of the hospitals
equipment and operation. its personnel
and organization, is herewith submitted.
These witnesses range from the super
intendent of the hospital, down through
the paid professional staff, to the lowest
grade of employe, besides Sundry men,
bers of the volunteer, unpaid. visiting
staff. composed of one hundreds and
fifty-eight 158) physicians and sur
geons from the faculties of two medical
schools of the city, Georgetown Uni
versity and George Washington Univer-
sity Medical Schools, nominated by
those universities Besides these, all
persons, with one exception. presently
to be noted, coming forward to make
statements concerning the hospital we're
given opportunity to be heard. after
public announcement through the
newspapers that all persons desiring to
make complaints would be heard at a
designated time and place.
Judges Testimony Invited.
1.-THE newspaper reporter in question
was invited to testify and promptly re-
ton was sent to the judge of the iuve-
nile court:
August %, 1929.
dear Judge Sellers:
1.-The Board of Public Welfare is
engaged in an investigation of Gallinger
Municipal Hospital. The attention of
the board has been called to articles
in the local press in which certain
statements in connection with the hos
pital are attributed to you.
1.-The committee in charge of the
investigation. being DESTROYS of cover
ing thoroughly every phase Of the oper-
atoms Of the hospital, has directed me
to inquire whether it would be your
pleasure to make any statement, either
oral or written, for its information in
connection with the matters mentioned
in said articles or any other matters
within your knowledge concerning the
hospital.
Eff it should be your pleasure to
make such a statement orally, the COM
mittee would be pleased to hear
you at any place in the District OF
columbia and at any time that you
LNy designate. as suiting your conven-
ienSA not later than the fifth of Sep
temb$ 1929. If it should be your
pleasure to favor the committee with
a statement in writing, they would be
pleased to receive it on or before Sep
tamber 5th, and If it Is not your pleas
ure to make statement in either form,
YOU are respectively requested to so In
form the committee by the date men,
toned. Such date is named because
public interest seems to demand that
The investigation be pushed as rapidly
and concluded as speedily as may be
consistent with thoroughness.
"'If you should indicate an oral
statement, it, is requested that you give
one full days notice of the time and
place suggested by you for receiving
the committee Reply may be address
ed to the undersigned care OF the
Board of Public Welfare, Municipal
q