Evening star., 1937-05-18
EXPANDED NAVAL
HOSPITAL 0NNEW
SITE SEEN LIKELY.
Tour Impresses House Unit
With Need for Larger,
Better Facilities.
NEW BUILDING SURE,
SAYS ONE MEMBER
Problem of War Expansion Held
an Acute One in Present
Location.

increasing indications that the Naval
hospital may be moved to another
ana larger site, where a great naval
medical center would be constructed.
were seen today as the House Naval
AHalrs Committee made a tour of
inspection of the present institution
at TWenty-third and E streets.
NO decision has been reached bv
the committee, but it was apparent
mat the visit had impressed members
with the crowded conditions. antiouat.
ca buildings and need for a larger
Sue particularly for war expansion.
oone dlHerence of opinion was an.
parent, as the committee inspected
hot only the buildings, but plans for
the hospital which had been designed
years ago to be rebuilt on the old site.
Inc committee is considering new
legislation to authorize construction
OF larger medical center either On
lhe present site or new one.
mo Question"
1here Is no question about a new
hospital being built, according to a
prominent member of the committee
Inc only question is whether it will he
oullt on the old site or some other
larger one elsewhere.
In view Of the fact that the proposed
new War Department is to be con.
structed on the east of the Naval Hos.
pltal site and the proposed new NAVY
department Immediately to the west
OF the hospital site, it was apparent
tnat the committee was impressed
with the claim Of the NAVY that it
needs larger site, particularly for
expansion in time of war.
Rear Admiral Perceval S. Rossiter.
surgeon general Of the Navy, who con.
quoted the tour, pointed out to Chair.
man Vinson and other members of the
committee that even the present site
would be further restricted in its new
building by plans Of the Park and
framing Commission. The commits.
sion, 1t was pointed out by the admiral
mas decided that the hospital buildings.
, IN any new construction on the old
site, should not go farther south than
the brow Of the hill," near the south
'front.' OF the present main building of
the hospital. Already, there are sew.
eral buildings to the south of it which
would mean loss of hospital area for
new building on the old site.
Group Impressed.
lhe committee was so impressed
With mere glance at the old tenn.
porary wartime shacks now being
used for hospital wards that it did not
even go through them.
AS an example Of the deteriorated
condition OF permanent buildings on
the site, the committee was taken into
the operating room of the hospital.
"here, experts pointed out, the roof
has sagged 3ll2 inches since the build.
ing was constructed in 1908. The re-
ln1orclng steel in cinder concrete was
SAID to have been badly corroded."
1he deep therapy X-ray machine"
was declared by Admiral Rossiter to be
the Oldest one in the Navy.
On the whole Naval Hospital plant.
the surgeon general told the commit.
tee, only sufficient money has been
spent to keep it going, until a decision
could be reached about new building.
Accompanying the committee, in ad-
dltlon to Admiral Rossiter, were Rear
Admiral c. S. Butler, commanding the
medical center; Capt. George Thomas,
commanding officer of the hospital:
Capt. H. w. Smith, commanding officer
| OF the Naval Medical School, and
Comdr. William McAlpin, commanding
the Dental School,
The pending Vinson bill would In.
volve cost to the Government OF
S4,85O,OO0 for new medical center.
1t was explained, however that the bill
in reality is an amendment to the acr
OF February IS, 1881, which authorized
the appropriation of s3,2OO,OOO, so that
the net increased cost to the Govern
ment for new medical center would
be $l,650,00O.