Evening star., 1937-11-29
D. c. HEADS SEEK
. HOSPITAL FUNDS
Commissioners Will Meet
With Budget Director
This Afternoon.

Commissioner George e. Allen said
today Anal plea for additional es-
Inmates to relieve the acute situation
at the "overcrowded, understaffed"
Gallinger Municipal Hospital would be
made at special session with Budget
Bureau officials this afternoon.
Called in by Director Daniel w. Bell,
the Commissioners were to 60 over the
entire budget for the 1889 fiscal year
with view to ironing out kinks in the
estimates that range up to nearly
$50 900 900.
Meanwhile, Chairman Collins Of the
House Subcommittee on District Ap-
propriations, announced he proposed
to force immediate action toward de-
velopment Of the first Of series OF
health centers here. He blamed failure
of Health Department and school
officials to proceed with the develop
ment on "shilly-shallying tactics%
Chairman King of the Senate Dis
trict Committee promised sympathetic
consideration for any requests for ad-
tlitional funds necessary to provide
adequate service at Gallinger Hospital,
but said he is not committing himself
to support any definite amount until
specific items are presented.
Maximum Benefit.
Mr. Allen, under whom comes the
administration of welfare matters, said
the Commissioners were in accor" on
a desire to see that Gallinger Hospital
receives the maximum benefit pos
sible" under the new budget 1t will
be their last opportunity to take up the
hospital case with the budget officials
before the 1889 estimates are forwarded
to Congress.
One of the most urgent needs. DR..
George c. Rutland, health officer, ex-
planned today, is the restoration OF a
Sl50,000 item to begin immediate con-
struction of a new 200-bed medical
building at Gallinger, the ultimate cost
of which would be s450,000.
DR.. Rutland also stressed his desire
that the Budget Bureau permit the
Health Department to use the recently
vacated Upshur Street tuberculosis
Hospital as home for convalescents.
The use of this building would
relieve the load at Gallinger by 10 to
Is per cent" he said The Upshur
street hospital was vacated early in
the fall, when its adult patients were
transferred to the new Glenn Dale
Sanatorium.
40 Per Cent Less.
DR.. Rutland said it could be op-
Grated for convalescent patients at
about 40 per cent less than the cost
Of operating regular hospital.
Although Mr. Allen did not 60 into
details regarding what he proposed
to take up with the Budget Bureau in
the case of Gallinger Hospital, he said
he always has been and always will
be in favor of securing as much
financial assistance as possible to re-
lieve the conditions at Gallinger,
which have been known for many
months" He indicated he would seek
an increase In the number Of nurses
as we'll as funds to make necessary re-
pairs and improve conditions gen.
orally at the hospital.
Although Dr. Ruhland was not in
vited to attend the final budget con-
ference. he made a trip to the Capitol
earlier today, it was understood. to
consult with various members Of the
House Appropriations Committee with
regard to the hospitals needs.
Efficient Service.
DR.. Rutland did not come out
o,~ol,, iy, of
vanced by Dr. Henry B. Gwynn, a
member of the visiting staff at GAL
linger, suggesting that the hospitals
doors be closed when capacity has
been reached He indicated some
sympathy with the idea, however, by
remarking: Il want to see Gallinger
restricted to its intended capacity, so
as to render decent and efficient serv-
ice to those who need it,
Meantime, the general health Sit
uation in Washington was developing
on three other fronts.
DR.. Rutland said today the last
Of the adult patients who had been
hospitalized in the children's building
at the Glenn Dale tuberculosis San
atorium had been moved back to the
adult building, where n beds are
available. He had announced on Sat-
urday that he had temporarily revoked
a decision to house the adults and
children in the same unit, the reason
having been to halt the controversy
aroused over this policy.
He explained he was satisfied, how
ever, to leave the final decision to
the tuberculosis Advisory Board of
the Health Department. That board,
he said, will meet Wednesday at IL
am. to take over the matter under
consideration.
In Boards Hands.
Whether the Advisory Board deter
mines to operate the Glenn Dale
institution as a single unit or maintain
the children's and adults sanatoriums
separately, DR.. Rutland indicated, was
a matter he was satisfied to leave
entirely in the boards hands.
He did point out, however, that the
ss: