Evening star., 1937-11-30

Rutland sought to pour oil on troubled
waters The text as made public last
night, follows:
Let me assure you that greatly
regret the rather unfortunate pub
licity concerning Gallinger Hospital
in which it was made to appear that
I was placing the blame for the con-
ditions there upon yourself and your
colleagues. Nothing, assure you, was
further from my mind. The record of
Congress in providing the tuberculosis
sanatorium at Glenn Dale and the
contagious disease hospital at CALM
ger speaks for itself.
1T was mainly through your efforts
that the Health Department budget
TO; the current fiscal year received the
additional funds which it has for much
needed Improvements in the service.
If these sums are still inadequate to
meet our needs, it should be recog-
nized that health services in the Dis
trict of Columbia unfortunately face
the accumulated effect of years of in
sufficient planning.
ITO hold Congress solely responsible
for this situation, repeat, would Ger
tainly be unfair. In discussing the
health needs of the District, I have
consistently maintained that if mat
ters are not as We would like them
to be it is essentially because those of
us who are off1cially responsible for SER
vice have somehow failed to convince
the appropriating bodies of the neces-
sity that exists.
L have every confidence that on this
basis Congress will be willing to help
remedy the local health problem.
Cites Recent Transfer.
so far as the institutional services
(Gallinger and Glenn Dale) Just re.
Gently transferred to the Jurisdiction
OF the Health Department are con-
cerned, understand that it was the
planned policy, within necessarily
limited funds, to devote every effort
primarily to the upbuilding of the
much-needed tuberculosis hospital
This. no doubt. in part accounts for
the needs that now appear at GAL
llnger Hospital. Furthermore. it
should be recognized that with the
withdrawal Of S6 w. P. A. workers
from Gallinger Hospital that institu-
ton was left to carry on with an ad-
mittedly inadequate stan and per-
sonnel. and so is doubly handicapped.
Notwithstanding these obvious dis
advantages, I am happy to be able to
report to you that already worthwhile
progress has been made in reorganiz-
ing some Of the service at Gallinger.
Through a cooperative service plan
with the three local medical schools,
we have been able to develop q home
delivery service that already has re-
lieved the obstetrical wards from over
croWding, will save the taxpayer ap-
proximately $4,000 = year, and above
all, will at the same time help to re.
duce the maternal and infant mortality
in this community.
Adjustment Process Limited.
While service plans such as the
one just cited will help to improve
conditions, there is obviously 4 limit
to what can be accomplished by such
administrative procedure. Lack Of
equipment and supplies
cannot be met by adjustment alone.
Until, therefore, these needs are met
more adequately the patients and the
staff at GalAnger will be at q dis
advantage. recognize the necessity
OF rendering service both ef1,ciently
as well as economically and for this
reason have thought It we'll to ask
for an advisory council to determine
with me the needs as well as the rem
edies that the situation requires.
Il trust that whatever may be said
elsewhere, I may always have the op-
portunity to speak for myself directly
with you 80 that unfortunate. ham,
perins misunderstanding may be
avoided"
Senator Copeland, who is himself a
physician and former health commits
sioner OF New York, in discussing the
problems Of 0allinger's lack Of ade-
quate funds, said:
I'VE are trying to stretch Z rubber
band around 4 bushel basket, and 1t
can't be done.
II the hospital authorities limited
admissions to the efncient capAcity
OF the institution, it would soon be-
come apparent to the public that
something would have to be done to
increase the capacity. But DR.. Bocock
(Supt. Edgar A. Bocock) and his
superiors have realized that this IA 4
city hospital and must take care Of
the sick"
Two Main Factsrs.
Shortage Of capacity and insufficient
personnel form = combination of cir.
cumstances that create the present
criticism, the New York Senator
added.
The hospital has stan Of personnel
for stated capacity, the Senator said,
"and when you crowd the wards
beyond their hygienic and physical
capacity you put An added strain on
the personnel"
With . capacity Of 800, the medical
and surgical building, Senator Cope
land said, has 400 or more patients
most Of the time. In the past several
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