Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-25
CH|LDREN'S PLANS
EMERGENCY WARD
New Room Will Provide Eff.
cient Handling OF In
digent Cases.

worked out Dy the EXECUTIVE COTninIt-
tee and staff Of the hospital.
The system will be substantial
change from the procedure in the past
and is expected to provio" more sat-
isfactory means Of recep Ion, observa-
ton, and diagnosis of such children.
The observation ward has been trans
formed out of what was formerly the
sun parlor, presented by the late John
Newboid, and will accommodate from
8 to 10 patients. Children will be
received there, and II considered public
charges, win be examined by physi-
clan from the Board Of Public Welfare
who will determine whether the child
As too sick to be moved from the Chill
dren's Hospital, and If 1t can be safely
moved, whether the Board Of Public
welfare has q bed for 1t at Gallingher
Hospital.
VIII Prevent Shunting.
This new program was worked out TO
develop more satisfactory and aoequaue
care of the unfortunate chlloren
brought to Childrens Hospital in emer-
Cency cases, and to prevent the posi-
BILE shunting of such children from one
hospital to another. The plan was de-
veloped at a meeting of special conn.,
mittee appointed by the chairman OF
the board of Children's Hospital, ana
p. w. McI2eynolds, chairman OF the
Medical Committee Of the Board OF
Public Welfare.
establishment of the new Observation
ward, and the system under which 1t
will operate. "This Is splendid step
forward" he said, lone which could be
Followed by other hospitals in the DIS
trict to the great advantage OF the m
digent sick"
Il was emphasized at the meeting
that the parents of Ill children couio
receive attention from quanneo pnysi-
clan much more quickly, and TO the
greater benefit of the child, by calling
the nearest police precinct. The police
are authorized to send in response TO
such calls q doctor representing the
Board of Public Welfare, who Will ex-
anime the child In bed first. Parents
were warned that 1t Ia sometimes very
dangerous to rush a child to hospital,
as Il may be too i'll to be moved and
the trip might endanger its lie. Inc
physician called through the police pre-
cinct, il was explained. VIII diagnose
the trouble and II found necessary Will
recommend hospital treatment, oeslg-
mating the hospital.
Gallinger Municipal Hospital Is ex-
clusiyely q free public hospital and Is
intended to carry the load OF the IN
dirent sick, it was explained, but is not
equipped to carry all the load. For In
stance, Il has no ambulance nor emer-
rency service, and its children's wards
are small. So that emergency cases are
cared for by Emergency Hospital and
Casualty Hospital, while many children
are taken care of at Children's Hospital.
Where these other hospitals take IN
digent cases the Board of Public We'll
fare paws these hospitals at the rate OF
50 per day per patient. For this pur-
pose Congress has appropriated 1000
for use at Children's Hospital, $50 1000
for use at Emergency and $4,000 for
Casualty. Another appropriation has
been made through the District Health
DEPARTMENT of $4,000 for the conta-
gious wards at Garfield Hospital.
While more facilities for children are
badly needed at Gallinger Hospital, Mr..
McReynolds explained, the next thing
on the program for construction at Gal
linger Is q building for contagious dis
eases. 1t Is hoped that following that
building there may be obtained chill
dren'S ward.
Chest Makes Up Difference.
But the 50 per day from the board,
however. does not take care Of the cost
for the day, which at Children's Hos
pital, for instance. is placed at S. a
day. The other So of expense Is met
cases.
The extent of the work done by Chill
dren's Hospital in the emergency ward
Is indicated by the figures which show
that there we're admitted from July l,
1891, to October /, this year, 954 emer-
gency ward cases, of which only 316
were Board Of Public Welfare cases.
The difference, $50 cases, was either
completely taken care of by the Com
munity Chest, or are zee cases admit
ted to the hospital from outside the
Greater WASHINGTON area. This Is what
adds more financial burden on the hos
pital and brings about the deficit which
Is incurred yearly.
Freedmens Hospital is characterized
rs well equipped to care for colored
children, and is supported by funds,
half of which come from the Federal
Government and half from the Dis
trict of Columbia. Plans are being
made to enlarge the childrens ward at
Freedmen's in the near future. At the
present time there are about rs BEDS
for children in the free ward. but this
will be nearly doubled when another
ward Is taken over soon. The present
maternity ward is to be moved into a
new building, now almost completed
and the present maternity ward will be
used for children. Thus FTeedmen'S
soon will have capacity for about Sc
children. providing more facilities r
the near future.
Restrictions Are Cited.
II was further explained that the pub
lie should understand restrictions re-
Garding the admittance Of contagious
diseases to city hospitals. and should
know Just where provision has beer
made for their care. Garfield Hospital
for instance. Is prepared to accept cases
of scarlet fever and whooping cough
and Gallinger is prepared to accept
diphtheria smallpox. chickenpoX anc
measles. Children with such contagi-
Gus diseases as there, it was explained
cannot be received at other hospital:
where there are no contagious wards K
care for them. To admit such diseases
not only would endanger the lives o
patients in these other hospitals, bu
would result in the whole hospital being
uuaranttned.
The need OF increased appropriation
from Congress for the care OF the 1ndi
was emphasized and the hope was ex
pressed that Congress in the near fu
ture may see At to provide for the Dis
trict of Columbia increased accommo
dations for helpless end INDECENT httl
children.
The new observation ward is brigh
and sunny place. 1t has a southern ex
poslre end is artistically decorated 4
catch the fancy of child. The wall
are not white They are painted il
oolors Of peach. trimmed with greer
About the walls are beautiful painting
in many cclors of fantastic figures ant
characters well known in nursery lore
For instance, there is a fine picture @
old Jack Spratt. another Of Sinbad. TIL
three blind mice are depicted In q larg
panel, and there are also other colorfu
panels Of ornamental design about tn
walls.
To give further protection TO the it'll