Evening star., 1939-03-16
Need Of Funds
For Ga||inger
Cited in Report
Supt. Bocoek
Calls for More
Adequate Housing


tional nurses and other personnel
and provision Of more adequate
quarters, equipment and supplies,
are voiced by Supt. Edgar A. Bocock
in a report for the past calendar
year, released for publication by
Health Officer George c. Rutland.
DR.. Bocock recommended that in
tensive efforts be made to secure
funds to start construction Of per-
manent new housing for the chill
drens ward, family quarters for
staff officers, an internes' residence,
laboratory and enlarged kitchen and
laundry facilities. He also urged:
/. Provision of funds for a more
adequate staff of nurses, laboratory
personnel, clerical workers and me-
chanics, Including one added physi-
clan for tuberculosis work.
2. Arrangements to permit the
occupancy of the Washington Asy-
lum Building, oldest permanent unit
of the Gallinger institution, as an
out-patient clinic in which could be
concentrated all clinics now func-
tioning at the hospital.
Wants Effective Tumor Clinic.
3. Procurement of funds from
either public or private sources to
permit establishment of an effective
tumor clinic.
4. A concerted effort to bring
about amendments to the Lunacy
Act of June 8, 1898, that would per-
init a more elastic handling of in
mates in the psychiatric depart
ment of the hospital.
DR.. Bocock protested that present
requirements that the hospital Sc
lect its graduate nurses through the
Civil Service Commission had not
resulted favorably." He said there
had been considerable delay" in
filling positions with some classes
of personnel. He said the situation
could be corrected readily If the
District government had civil
service commission of its own. Such
q plan, to effect all classes Of en-
ployes. row is being considered by
District officials.
DR.. Bocock also reviewed the rela-
tionship between the resident physi-
clans and the visiting physicians
who are appointed from the medical
schools Of George Washington and
Georgetown Universities. The long
controversy over jurisdiction was
settled recently by the signing of a
new contract between the District
Commissioners and the universities.
The plan calls for the appointment
of a new high-salaried medical di-
rector for Gallinger who would be
IN control over both the visiting and
resident STATS.
Reports on Visiting Staff.
The hospital superintendent re-
ported that during the past calendar
year the visiting staff made 1900
visits to the hospital and that the
attendance by visiting physicians
averaged more than II physicians
per day throughout the year. The
heads Of departments from the
university medical schools, he said,
made 322 visits during the year. 1t
Is required, he said, that all patients
be seen by a visiting physician each
day.
DR.. Bocock added: During the
latter half Of the year the attend
ance Of the visiting staff was not
satisfactory. 1t Is believed that
this situation has been due to the
appointment of the full-time chief
medical officers for duty with the
respective major professional serv-
ices.
"Since the relationship that was
expected to exist between the visit
ing staff and these full time officials
was not entirely clear, an impression
prevailed among the former that
their services were not fully re-
quired and an unduly large number
Of absences then took place.
"A constant endeavor has been
made both by the hospital and the
medical schools to correct this i'm
preston and to effect regular at
tendance on the paIt of the visiting
staff, and the end OF the year points
to an improvement in this direc-
ton with more clearly understood
relationship between the staff and
the local full-time physicians
Cites Debt to Faculties.
DR.. Bocock gave much credit to
the full time resident physicians,
appointed last July l, for improve
ments in the care OF patients, and
added:
"At this point, it must be clearly
understood that Gallinger must
always rely heavily on its visiting
staff, since the diagnostic and ther-
apeutic burden of 800 seriously i'll
admissions on the medical wards
each month is large one. CALM
ger owes great deal to the men,
bers of the faculties of George
Washington, Georgetown and the
Naval Medical Schools who are so
unsparing of their time and pro-
fessional abilities"
Announcing that plans are under
consideration for increasing the
degree of participation of university
medical school students in the rou-
tine administration of ward duties,
DR.. Bocock said "Gallinger will i'm
prove and gain in Importance as a
medical center only as it improves
Its teaching facilities"
DR.. Bocock predicted this year
would be the beginning of an "era
Of further progress" at Gallinger.
due to provision Of funds for con-
struction Of large additions to the
hospital plant, under the Districts
p. w. A. program, and due to the
employment Of the extra five full
time resident physicians. He added,
however, that the hospital personnel
of the last year docs not present an
attractive picture" blaming insuffi-
cient funds for major difficulties.
Due to the limit of $455, 500 made
available for this fiscal year for per-