Evening star., 1937-11-27

Philadelphia.
at the two hospitals here were brought
about not because Of any grievances
brought to the attention Of the Budget
Bureau, but are aimed primarily at
improving the medical service in the
District of Columbia through con-
structive channels.
Freedmen's Hospital is unique
among the hospitals of the country
and is the only open hospital in
Washington. There are 200 colored
physicians in this city. DR.. Jones
said, against whom all other hospital
doors are closed.
DR.. Jones emphasized:
ANY suggestion in the ofdng to pry
Freedmen's Hospital loose from its
present moorings (under the super
vision Of the Federal Government)
would serve to act as a hardship on
the colored people and on the 200
colored physicians in Washington be-
cause Of this fact. These colored doc
tors do not have any other hospital
in which they can operate. Freed
mems must remain an open insti-
tuition to serve the INDECENT colored
as it only can do"
At Gallinger Hospital late yesterday
internes and nurses. indignant over
published version Of a report" to
the Budget Bureau, discussed the
situation at length. At the close of
the conferences, the internes did not
| issue statement on their own behalf,
though joining in declaring the charges
IAN outrage" They preferred to let
important heads Of departments speak
| for them.
DR.. Kane Makes Statement.
| A statement issued by DR.. Howard
F. Kane, head of the department OF
obstetrics. was typical of remarks
made by others. Dr. Kane said:
Regarding the character Of the
internes, would say that a third OF
the internes taken from George
Washington Medical School are picked
from the upper Is Of the class. !
should like to mention that the obstet-
rical residents are so we'll thought OF
that We have over so applications this
year.
Il should also like to say that in
spite Of lack of space and limited
equipment, our maternal mortality and
morbidity is one Of the lowest in the
country, and that can only be due to
the good care given by the house stafY
nurses and equipment, because our
! space is lacking"
Others who came to the defense of
| the internes and nurses included DR..
Charles S. White. head Of the depart
ment of surgery; DR.. Walter A. Bloc
dorm, chief of staff; DR.. Paul F.
Dickens, chief OF medicine. George
Washington division, and the Rev
Joseph F. Denges, chaplain of the hos
pital. who has been associated with il
the past 10 years.
Sees No Unprofessional Conduct.
As chief of staff for the past nine
years, DR.. Bloedorn said he has mot
observed a single instance of unpro-
fessional conduct on the part Of the
resident staff" He praised the staf1
as efficient, loyal and trustworthy. n
The conduct of the staff at all times
was highly commended by the others
as comparing with those Of any other
hospital in the city.
The SIS graduate nurses in an au-
thorized statement said, in part:
Since Gallinger Hospital is q city in
stitution, it is quite obvious to any one
that its facilities must be limited by
its appropriations. It does not re-
quire any degree of intelligence when
walking through the wards to ascer-
tain that the place is overcrowded and
that there is lack Of nurses and Or
derlies. However, the statement made
by the 'sef-termed private investiga-
tor that the hospital Is q place OF
filth overrun with mice and vermin
is deliberate untruth.
Perhaps he does not know that
each patient admitted is inspected fol
pediculi and that special procedures
are given for such a condition before
the patient is assigned to a place in
the ward"
The nurses said they were most
concerned with the unfair criticism
OF the nursing personnel quoted By
the Herald from the report"
| The classroom instruction and ia.
cilities in the school are considered
by the League Of Nursing Education
to compare favorably with that in AM
school. The school meets standard!
as set by New York State, which ar.
considered to be the highest. An,
physician will agree that no amount
OF nursing can prevent the condition
known as bed sores In certain type,
Of cases.
An allusion was made to the un.
seemly conduct Of the internes witt
girl personnel in the hospital. Tn,
investigator covered himself BY usin,
the word personnel. The public, how.
- ever, knows that the female personne