Evening star., 1937-12-01

The municipal hospital system
here long has been controversial
issue, Dith conditions at Gdllnger
the focal point. Jurisdiction ouer
Galhnger tDas trnnterred from the
Board of Public Welfare to the
Health Department on July I
last, in an effort to effect a better.
ment.
Investigations of health conditions
In the District will be enlarged by a
survey to be made under the direction
Of Surg. Gen. Thomas Parran Of the
United States Public Health Service,
1t YVES announced today.
DR.. Parran agreed to order the gen.
eral survey Of health facilities and
services and disease in the District at
the request Of Commissioner George
e. Allen, who has supervision over Dis
trict health activities.
Meanwhile, District Health Oficer
George G. Rutland discussed with his
tuberculosis Advisory Board in a
hours conference today the problem
OF whether adult and child patients
| may be treated in the same buildings
at the Glenn Dale tuberculosis Sana-
torium or shall be permanently segre-
gated in different buildings. No deci-
| sion was reached and the group will
meet again.
Another development expected in
the general health situation here was
| the arrival of Richard Mackenzie.
| hospital consultant who recently has
completed a survey for the Budget
Bureau of hospitals maintained by
Federal funds, to begin an admins
trative reorganization of Freedmen's
Hospital.
Allen Requests Survey.
| Commissioner Aliens request for the
Public Health Service survey followed
recent publicity concerning health
conditions in the District particularly
with reference to overcrowded and
understaffed conditions at Gallinger
Municipal Hospital
After conferring with Dr.. Ruhland
and Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen,
Mr.. Allen telephoned DR.. Parran and
said:
There has been lot of talk In the
! papers about our health conditions.
There has been lot of buck-passing
about the proposed survey, so I'll take
the bull by the horns and ask you if
you can make the study. I think it
would be good thing. and Mr.. Hazen
agrees with me-"
Mr.. Allen then announced that DR..
Parran had agreed to order the sur.
vey. The scope Of the study, It was
assumed. will be announced shortly by
Dr. Parran.
When Mr.. Allen first was asked this
morning if the District was requesting
that the study be made, he said that
If Health Officer George C. Rutland
wanted the survey made he was en-
tirely in favor of it.
Ruhland's Attitude.
DR.. Rutland said he thought such
a study would be desirable, but, since
it had been suggested that the Com
missioners make the request, he felt
1 AiS cAiooAA 4iOU StSp uiOO tlIC
When Commissioner Hazen was asked
to comment, he asked If DR.. Ruhland
had requested the survey.
At this juncture Mr. Allen called
Mr.. Hazen into conference and tele-
phoned to DR.. Parran.
Some years ago, before he was made
| head Of the Public Health Service,
DR.. Parran participated in study
of health conditions in the District,
| specializing on the venereal disease
situation. His findings were made q
| part of the Preble report, which sug-
gested comprehensive reorganization
| OF health services, most of which were
ignored until the last year or two.
DR.. Rutland said he would seek an
other conference later with the Tu-
berculosis Advisory Board, and would
accept its decision as to whether
treatment of adults in the same build
ing with child patients involved dan
ger Of cross-infection for the children,
as charged by critics of this policy.
DR.. Ruhland ordered all patients
who had been hospitalized In the
children's building transferred back to
the adult building last Saturday pend
ing final solution of the controversy
stirred by his announced policy Of
operating the two buildings as . sin
gle institution. with no restrictions on
the age Of patients admitted to either
building.
Freedmen's Reorganization.
In directing reorganization of Freed
mems Hospital Mr.. Mackenzie will
work in close cooperation with DR..
T. Edward Jones, surgeon in chief,
and Secretary of the Interior Ickes
In efforts to iron out administrative
defects so as to improve the hos
pitfalls service to the colored popula-
tion as much as possible under ex-
isting appropriations. Interior De.
partment oficials said.
Mr.. Mackenzie was borrowed"
from the Budget Bureau to undertake
administrative reorganization of
Freedmen's Hospital after . verbal
report in connection with his survey
there for the Budget Bureau con-
vinced Secretary Ickes Of the need for
immediate action.
Interior Department officials ex-
pected him to begin the assignment
today and said he would consult daily
with DR.. Jones and Secretary Ickes
in developing and carrying out the
reorganization program.
It was emphasized that the reor-
ganization plan did not involve criti-
cism Of members Of the present ad-
ministrative staff but was designed to
iron out defects for which no one
In particular Is to blame. There