Evening star., 1932-02-14
CR0ND|NG,BARES
NEW HOSPITAL NEED
Naval Institutions Tempo
rary Buildings Held No
Longer Adequate.

Overcrowded conditions at the Naval
Hospital here and the fire hazard Gre
ated by obsolete wartime structures, in
the opinion of naval medical authori-
ties. demand that construction OF the
projected s3,200,O00 new hospital should
60 forward as early as practicable.
officials Of the Navy Bureau Of Medi-
cine and Surgery say the temporary
buildings, erected to meet World War
conditions. are no longer adequate for
modern medicine
Hospital authorities are not able to
house patients who are seriously Ill on
the second floors of these temporary
buildings. due to the necessity of get
ting them out quickly in case Of fire.
This handicapS the officials In the
proper arrangement Of the institution
Furthermore, officials say. patients
have to be hauled by ambulances UP
steep grades from one building to an
other in order to get proper treatment.
The Veterans administration has a
long list of patients waiting to be ad-
mitted to the hospital, but in view Of
the lack of proper equipment their
disqualification must be deferred.
Beds on Uneven Keel.
The floors of the wartime structures
have a roller-coaster effect and in
some cases it is necessary to place the
beds on supports to preserve an even
keel. It is necessary to keep force of
men busy on repairing plumbing and
other equipment and this, officials say
causes additional overhead COST
Constructed of beaver board, these
buildings, put up hastily. are veritable
fire traps, according to officials To
meet this condition. fire chute has
been constructed, designed to permit
the escape of patients on the upper
floor in the event Of conf1agration
Some tuberculosis patients are housed
in corridor on the second floor Of one
of the wards, SO crowded is the con-
dition. There are a dozen or more
beds empty on the second floor of an
other building. but as the rules require
that only patients able to handle them
selves in case of fire should be quar-
tered there. these beds cannot be used
for those seriously i'll, the medical Of
fcerS say.
The Naval Hospital here. according
to naval authorities. has a wider func-
ton than other naval hospitals in that
carries on instruction work. The pres
ent buildings are scattered, making for
ineffective administration. Under the
program for the new building the Ma
val Medical School. which is a post
graduate institution for officers; the
dental school and the naval library, as
we'll as the hospital, all would be un-
der cne roof.
Constantly Filled.
The hospital is constantly filled with
q considerable number Of patients in
real need of disqualification. Within
the past two years. it has been found
necessary to place beds out in the cor
riders to take care of the overflow. In
times of epidemics or should a big
accident occur. the hospital facilities
would be overtaXed. officials say
Hospital authorities say more than
SO per cent of the patients at the hos
pital are housed in the temporary
the present hospital is 432 beds. The
new hospital is being designed for $50
beds.
At present the Navy Department Is
without funds to proceed with con-
struction, although Congress has au-
thorized $3.2oo.0OO for building the
structure These funds. however, have
not yet been appropriated. Congress
has made available money for prelimi-
present the Allied Architects Of Wash
1ngton.. Inc, is engaged in preparing
final plans. The Fine Arts Commission
is being consulted on each step.
The new hospital will require re-
moval Of the old observatory building,
now used as a medical school: the orig
inal masonry hospital building con-
structed in 1903; the contagious ward
building and the hospital corps build
ing, constructed in 1sio, and the power
house, laundry and greenhouse at the !
foot of the hill
The new hospital and medical school /
group will occupy all Of the site of the !
school and the present permanent hos |
pital The removal Of the other build |
ings is to give an unobstructed view to
the south and to permit Of regarding |
the grounds. The Fine Arts Commis- |
sion has suggested that there be three
competition with the Lincoln Me-
mcrial.
Modern Facilities Urged.
Up-to-date laboratory facilities would
be included in the new equipment, ma
val officials say. permitting medical Of
Ulcers to keep abreast of the latest de-
Eelopments in medicine. The Naval
Medical Library would be expanded so
fthis branch of activity could be mod
sernized.
; The present site Of the Naval Hos
pital was acquired in 1894, but the old
Naval Observatory existed there since
president Tyler selected the spot in
l1842. When the hospital buildings
were commissioned, the area consisted Of
i2l acres, but subsequently five acres Of
the western part were transferred to the
Public Health Service and now contains
its laboratories.
In 1906 the main building of the
present hospital was constructed at a
cost of $223920 Since then, a power
house and 10 other permanent struc-
lures have been added. During the
World War, eight emergency buildings
were erected costing $401 ,534. As the
present site also includes the old OBJ
servatory building, the total valuation
given to all buildings Is $1,429.81O.
Lieut.. Col. q. 8. Grant, Sd, director
OF public buildings and public parks,
said today that the present program of
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission does not call for the
extension Of New York avenue to the
Potomac River, through the Naval Hos
pltal grounds. He pointed out that
there is little traffic on this thorough
fare, which Is not an arterial highway, |
because it is blocked by the State, War
and Navy Building and the White House
grounds. The land southwark of the
line OF New York avenue extended will
De turned into park area under tentative
plans for the development of that sec
ton adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial.