Evening star., 1937-11-23
RUTLAND PLANS
GALL|NCER STUDY
BYDOCTORS' GROUP
Medical Society Co-operates
in Making Survey of City
Hospital.
MOVE FOLLOWS CHARGE
OF OvERCROWDING
Lack of Proper Facilities for
Treating INDECENT Patients
Is Claimed.

AS the result of oft-repeated
charges of overcrowding and lack of
proper facilities for the INDECENT pa
tlents at Gallinger Municipal Hospital,
Health Officer George c. Rutland re-
Vealed today he plans to have condi-
tions at the instittion studied by lead
ing physicians, through cooperation
with the District Medical Society.
DR.. Rutland announced the follow
Ing committee had been named by DIR.
Thomas Neill of the Medical Society
Drs. Sterling Ruffin, past president of
the society; Matthew White Perry,
Harry H. Donnally, Joseph Wall and
Henry c. Macatee Because of the
Importance and size of the problem
DR.. Rutland said he hoped others
would be added to the group so that
subcommittee can be designated to
make a thorough survey of many as
poets of the case.
The health officer, in statement to
The Star, said the scrutiny of condi-
tons did not imply any criticism on
his part of Supt. Edgar A. Bocock.
Lack of Appropriations.
"The Health Department knows
that Gallinger. unfortunately, has not
been receiving the appropriations that
1t needs" DR.. Rutland said.
After months of study I had
planned to have examination of the
physical conditions and the made
quacles OF personnel and equipment
and other conditions studied by men,
bers of the Medical Society. 1t has
been my hope that this group would
submit recommendations which would
be helpful to us. to Gallinger and to
the public which receives care at the
hospital. I have hopes that these
representatives of the private medical
practice would be in a position to aid
our cause during the consideration by
Congress of the proposed appropria-
tions for the medical services during
the next fiscal year.
AT the present time we must con-
duct our activities at Gallinger under
the appropriations for this fiscal year,
which were granted some months ago
| oy Congress. That budget has been
liked. and there is nothing we can do
about that now"
Jurisdiction Changed.
Prior to last July Gallinger and
other District hospitals were under
the jurisdiction of the Board of Pub
lie Welfare. BY decision of Con-
gress the control over these institu-
tons was transferred to the health
ofhcer. DR.. Rutland indicated to-
day ne sees the need of some changes
In policies as we'll the need for larger
appropriations for personnel and
equipment, but said he was not now
In position to make a detailed
statement. He said he wished first
to get the advice of the Medical So
ciety Committee which is to make a
technical study of the needs.
A number of unnamed physicians
have written to the health officer
protesting against certain conditions
at Gallinger. Dr. Ruhland said he
did not know the names of the auth
ors, but that the conditions COM
planned of would be reviewed by the
Medical Society Committee. 1t is said
the complaints dealt with overcrowd-
ing and q commingling of different
types OF patients, caused by over
crowding; overworking of the hos
pital staff, caused by lack of person.
mel and the number of patients; lack
Of sufficient laboratory equipment;
patients being forced to be placed on
beds in corridors often draughty, and
lack of certain medical supplies.
Hopes For Funds Next Year.
DR.. Bocock, meanwhile. expressed
hope there would be sufficient funds
made available next year to correct
admittedly overcrowded conditions
and other shortcomings that might
tend to delay the recovery of patients
there.
ON account of the rapid growth
Of the hospital" DR.. Bocock said,
with shortage of appropriations in
proportion to the growth, the hos
pital has been very seriously handi-
capped in efficient expansion of its
medical and surgical activities. We
have been forced to struggle con-
stantly against almost insuperable
odds to offer even fair care to the
large number of INDECENT sick sent to
us which we were obliged to accept.
II am extremely hopeful that the
proper officials will allow to the hos
pital, in its annual budget now un-
der consideration, sufficient funds to
make possible immediate improve
ments in many directions that are
now inadequate"
Gallinger Long Overcrowded.
DR.. Bocock said that Gallinger was,
and has been for some years, greatly
overcrowded. For example, the Med
ical-Surgical Building, which was
opened in 1929 with bed capacity for
only 280 patients. today is caring for
AIS patients. During its first year the
entire hospital had daily average OF
27l patients, and during the last fiscal
+, year this had increased to daily aver
age Of 1868.
The increase in number of patients
has been taken care of, DR.. Bocock
said, by renovating and making the
best possible use of old buildings that
had previously been abandoned and
were not in any way suitable for the
purpose and in crowding patients into