Evening star., 1937-12-21
HOSPITAL EXPERT
SHOCKED BY D. c.
MORTALITY RATE
Richard Mackenzie, Now
Making Surveys of FaciIi.
ties, Urges Action.
SUGGESTS CHECK-UP
FOR SOURCE OF FUNDS
Speaks Before Monday Evening
Club, Which Recommends g.
Point Health Program.

1olHI uedlIH frOSTdm.
A five-point program to relieve
overcrowding at "woefully inadequate"
Gallinger Hospital was adopted last
night by the Monday Evening Club,
meeting at the Y. w. C. A.
The program, including new con-
struction, more personnel, use of
Upshur Street Hospital for Con-
valescents and temporary con-
tracts" with private hospitals for the
INDECENT, met unanimous approval
following addresses by Dr. Daniel L.
Seckinger assistant health officer of
the District, and Richard Mackenzie,
hospital consultant, who conducted a
hospital survey for the Bureau of the
Budget and is now working on Q
survey of Freedman's Hospital.
Speaking as private citizen" Mr..
Mackenzie said he had been shocked"
amazed" and "dazed" at the mortality
rates here, pointed out that facts and
horse sense" were needed, and recon-
mended that he District of Columbia
look in another pocket for money to
meet the situation.
Says Ways and Means Explored.
Willard c. Smith, program chairman
for the evening, said the District had
looked in "the other pocket" knocked
on the door of Congress for adequate
appropriations, mostly in vain.
William A. Roberts, president of
the club. presenting resolutions from
the executive committee, said frankly
they lacked teeth" but might help.
The whole hospital and municipal
situation could not be remedied, he
predicted, until the District of Co.
lumbia is given tP2 vote.
Charges that District health officials
were misinformed, or else unable to
provide sufficient nurses for Gallinger
Hospital, where a child was burned
to death recently, were hurled from
the floor by woman member. DR..
Seckinger replied that a survey by
the Public Health Service was under
way at the hospital, and he could not
commit himself The critic said she
felt DR.. Seckinger had not answered
her question as to why more nurses
were not furnished when promised.
Volunteer services had been refused,
she said
Surgical Unit Sought.
The fve-point program approved
by the club led off with recommends
tion that Congress appropriate for
erection of greatly needed unit for
the medical and surgical service"
Other four points were:
20. That to fill long-existing need
and to relieve the present overcrowd-
ing at Gallinger to some degree, the
use of the now vacant hospital build
ing at Fourteenth and Upshur streets
be granted, at least temporarily, to
the Health Department as q con-
valescent center, and that an adequate
appropriation for this purpose be in
serted in the next District of Columbia
deficiency bill.
"3. That the inadequacy of per-
sonnel and equipment of Gallinger, so
generally recognized, be relieved at
the earliest possible moment by the
Congress by suitable appropriations.
4. If these proposed measures prove
insufficient to meet present conditions,
that the Congress authorize temporary
contracts for the care and treatment
OF Washington INDECENT patients in the
wards OF existing private hospitals on q
| cost basis.
Part-Pay Plan Recommended.
IS. Finally, we urge serious consid-
GRAFTON Of the practicability in the in
terest OF such Of Washington's sick as
are unable to pay for full care in our
private hospitals that Gallinger be
enlarged with the thought Of accepting
part-pay patients for whose care the
private hospitals now find themselves
running heavy deficits"
DR.. Seckinger spoke on co-ordi-
mating health work of the District.
Emphasizing overcrowding of GAL
linger, he pointed to ways and means
proposed to relieve it partly by pre-
| Ventlve work. Out patient clinics, he
said, had been found feasible by New
York City, where the cost is esti-
mated at 81 cents per visit. Twenty
four per cent Of the patients at GAL
linger, he said, could be taken care of
as convalescents, If there were room
| for them somewhere.
More prenatal care of INDECENT ex-
pectant mothers is operating to reduce
infant mortality here, he said, while
early detection of tuberculosis, and
follow-up of cases released from hos
| pitalization should help cut the NOR
tality. More nurses for Freedmen,s
Hospital would make available there,
he said, "much-needed" space, now
idle
Suggests Blame Be Traced.
Mr.. Mackenzie spoke mostly in gen.
eralities about hospital standards, al
though he declared he felt "ashamed'
for what you have been prevented
from doing" and asked Washing
tonians if you have ever asked your
selves where and by whom are We
blocked?"
Things are not as they should be-"
he declared. He referred to over
crowding" at Gallinger, shortage Of
nurses, antiquated buildings and chill
dren housed in an old structure.
rs 1t the superintendent" he asked.
''Is it the District budget authorities?
Is it the Commissioners? Or are they
impressed by arguments of taxpayers
and the Board of Trade?"
Leading up to an answer to this
question, he said it reminded him of
the story of a man who had lost q
$40 bill, had been unable to find it,
and finally admitted to friend he had
not looked in the last pocket, because
''he was afraid 1t would be there"
Perhaps" said Mr.. Mackenzie,
there's q pocket you haven't looked
into"