Evening star., 1939-03-07
University Heads
Defend GaAinger
Visiting Doctors
Declare Ineompetency
If Any, Lies With
Dr.. RuhIund
Continued From First Page.)

the visiting specialists would be
totally unavoidable" and would
serve to exaggerate present difn-
culties.
In a statement prepared prior to
the hearing Father OLeary and DR..
Marvin accused the health officer of
a breach of promise" in having in
structed the five resident physicians
to assume control over the visiting
staff.
At the outset of today's session,
which is being conducted by Repre-
sentative Bates, Democrat, of Ken
lucky, Dr. Martha Eliot, assistant
chief of the United States Chill
dren's Bureau, said a section of the
Public Health Service survey report
on hospital conditions (prepared un-
der her direction) detailed the need
for full-time resident obstetrician
and full-time resident pediatri-
clan.
Infant Mortality Rate.
DR.. Eliot, who spoke personally
and not for "the administration" !"
said she found in the survey the
District had high rate of infant
mortality, that it was excessively
high" at Gallinger. She said that
between 1885 and 1887, II per cent
of all District births occurred in
Gallinger and that 80 per cent of
infant mortality occurred at the
hospital. She presented details Of
overcrowding, lack of proper facili-
ties and lack of sufficient number
of nurses for mothers and babies.
She spoke of lack of continuity"
in medical services that existed in
of last year, and said i'm
provements which occurred follow
ing the appointment of the full
time men was testimonial of the
need for. their continuance.
Father OLeary. next called to
testify, declared that contrary to
the impression Of some there was
no warfare" between DR.. Rutland
and the schools. He said he be-
lieved all parties were in accord in
trying to do what is best" A little
later he explained that the hospital
heads and the health officer had
come upon the rocks" on the point
Of whether the five new resident
men should be placed in command
over the visiting staff. Graphically
describing the issue he said: "You
cannot have two captains in COM
mand of one ship"
Father OLeary recounted that
some time after he came into ofilee
Dr.. Rutland sought funds for more
resident physicians. After conferi
ence, the university heads agreed
that was desirable and volunteered
to help get the appropriation. How
ever, he said it was discovered that
the House had referred to the men
as heads of departments" in the
language of the appropriation acts.
Since this was contrary to what
Father OLeary called ..'the universal
practice" the university spokesman
raised the point, and as the supply
bill was finally passed the language
was changed to refer to the men as
chief resident physicians" To have
the men serve as heads of the de-
oartments, Father OIeary said,
would have been "a revolution in
such type of medical practice.
Mr.. Mackenzie, who investigated
the Gallinger administrative setup
for the commissioners, also made
a similar inquiry at Freedmen's
Hospital last spring for the In
terror Department, according to
Representative Bates, who has made
a futile effort to procure a copy of
his report resulting from that in
vestigation. At the Interior De-
partment, Mr.. Bates said, he was
told the Mackenzie report on Freed
mems is confidential"
Mind Open on Gallinger.
I'm just curious to find out"
said Mr.. Bates, whether there is
any similarity in the recommends
tions Mr.. Mackenzie made on
Freedmen's Hospital to the Interior
Department and those he made to
the commissioners on the Gal
linger situation.
Representative Bates also dis
closed he had received a letter from
a physician complaining that under
the former administrative organiza-
tion at Gallinger young medical
students were permitted to expert
ment on patients. He plans to insert
this letter in the record of the
hearings.
The doctor, Mr.. Bates said,
graphically described an operation
he witnessed group of medical
students attempt to perform on a
patient several years ago who had
been brought into the hospital with
gunshot wound in the abdomen.
The patient would have died, the
physician said, if he had not COM
pleted the operation.
Surprised by Action.
In view of the change of lam
guage in the Appropriation Act,
Father OLeary said, the university
heads were completely surprised"
when at a conference last June 30
DR.. Rutland revealed his plan,
showing that Dr. Bloedorn, one of
the visiting men, was to be replaced
as chief of staff. Thereafter the
university spokesman appealed to
the commissioners and at a joint
conference August II he said it was
decided to continue the old status
for one year.
In this connection Father OLeary
brought out that DR.. Rutland was
making use of informal advice that
1t was illegal" for the District to
accept volunteer services and Father
OLeary insisted they had disproved