Evening star., 1939-04-27
New D. T.. Unit
To Rule Hospital
Services Studied
Col. Hayden Proposes
Commissioners Back
Plan in Congress

A new element was injected today
into the revived controversy over
Gallinger Hospital and other munich
pal hospital services with a proposal
for creation Of separate depart
ment OF hospitals which would take
their jurisdiction from the Health
Department. but not return them to
the Board of Public Welfare.
The general idea it was said, is
under study in more than one quar-
ter, but the first to come out with it
was Col. H. B. Hayden, U. S. A., re-
tired, whose $5,4O0 job as business
manager of the Health Department
is destined to be abolished June 80.
Col Hayden, it was revealed, has
placed his outline of the plan before
various District officials, seeking
their support and suggesting that
the Commissioners adopt it as their
own and forward it to Congress.
Raps Past Administration.
Taking a slap at the past adminis-
tratlon OF the municipal hospitals,
Col. Hayden declared in his written
statement of the case: In my opin-
ion from a years experience (as
business manager of the Health
DEPARTMENT., the hospitals will
never function under either the
Health Department or the Board of
Public Welfare"
Col. Hayden said that "after sew
eral weeks of investigation he
thought he had found the "solu-
ton" to the Districts everlasting"
hospital problem In his outline he
specified that the proposed depart
ment of hospitals should be headed
by business executive. who wouid
report directly to the Commissioners
Jurisdiction over Gallinger Hos
pital, the Glenn Dale tuberculosis
Sanatoria and the private hospital
contract services was transferred u
the Health Department from the
Board of Public Welfare July ],
1887. A dispute between Health Of
ficer George c. Rutland and heads
OF the Georgetown and George
Washington Universities over the
relations between the Gallinger res
ldent staff and visiting physicians
who are members of the medical
schools OF the universities led to
one congressional investigation re-
Gently. and another probe now Is
proposed by Representative Nichols.
Democrat, of Oklahoma. Meanwhile,
the Senate District Appropriations
Subcommittee, it is said, will con-
slider a suggestion for transfer of
the hospitals back to the control
OF the Welfare Board.
Cites Other Cities.
Col. Hayden said many large cit
les.ssuch as New York. Philadelphia
Minneapolis and st. Paul, have their
municipal hospitals organized as
separate departments and that cit
works extremely we'll
He suggested the proposed new
department have a board of di-
rectors consisting of the director.
representatives from each Of the
local medical schools. the District
Medical Society. the Medico- Chirur-
glcal Society, the Health Depart
ment, the Board of Public Welfare.
the superintendents of the municipa !.
hospitals and the superintendent:
OF nurses OF these hospitals.
Col. Hayden has been making a
light to retain position in the Dis
trlct service since the House recently
eliminated the salary for his Helath
Department business manager lob
from the 1910 District supply bill.
Just recently he applied for appoint
ment as director of the Board of
Public Welfare to succeed Elwood
Street, who has resigned, effective
June Is. The welfare post paws
$1,000.