Evening star., 1939-05-13
Medical Society Urge,
lunacy Act Waiting
Period Be Dropped
System Characterized
As 'DepIorobIe' in
Effect on GoIIineer

Amendment of the lunacy law Of
the District so as to eliminate the
waiting period of 10 days" for pa
tients has been proposed by the
District Medical Society, it was
learned today.
Taking action on report of
its special committee looking into
the situation, the society in ses-
sion Wednesday night proposed
that the National Capital should
have more satisfactory and COM
prehensive law"
Overcrowding at Gallinger Hos
pital, where patients are kept dur
ing the waiting period before be-
ing sent to St. Elizabeth's Hospital,
was characterized by the society as
"deplorable.' Gallinger was said
to be 'by no means adequately
equipped to care for this type of
patient"
Decide Amendment Needed.
ut was finally determined, de-
clared report by the committee
headed by DR.. Charles r. l.. HALEY,
that an amendment to the pres
ent law. eliminating the waiting pc
riod of 10 days, for all patients
at Galinger Hospital after their
hearing before TIE Mental Health
Commission. offered the best chance
for the earliest relief at Gallinger
Hospital. This amendment is now
about ready for introduction into
Congress.
The 10 working days" delay be-
fore final commitment to St. Eliza
beths previously had been criticized
by DR.. George c. Rutland, District
health officer. He explained that
usually 30 days pass between the
time Gallinger first sees the patient
and final commitment to st. Eliza
beth's.
The special committee of the Med
ical Society. which studied the situa-
ton at length before making it's re-
port. announced that it Endorsed
previous action of the society's reg
ular Subcommittee on Mental Health.
This subcommittee had recommend
ed amendment of the act to elimi-
nate the 10 days waiting period.
Jury Trials Eliminated.
The special HALEY committee in
its report pointed out that the pres
ent lunacy act was devised "pri-
marily to eliminate the necessity of
jury trials for commitment of pa
tients to st. Elizabeth's. In order to
preserve the principle of due process
of law" continued the report, IAN
agent of the court. namely, the
Mental Health Commission. was
formed to hold hearings and to make
recommendations to the court =.
Your committee wishes to en-
phasize two points. first. that the
present law was framed to meet the
criticism of members of committees
in Congress, and secondly, as finally
passed, that 1t represented the best
compromise obtainable at the time
Since the law has been in op-
Grafton. it has been discovered that
its procedures have resulted in
marked delay in the transfer OF
patients from Gallinger to st. Eliza :
beth's. with consequent overcrowd-
ing of the former hospital. This
overcrowding, especially with a large
group of disturbed patients, has pro-
duced deplorable situation at Gal
linger, which is by no means ade-
quately equipped to care for this
type of patient"
Recommends Committee Study.
The society adopted a recon-
mendation that the special com.
mittee's report and the recommends.
tions of the Public Health Service
be referred to the proper commit
tees of the Medical Society for study
and that the report and recon-.
mendations ''be made the basis fol
a more satisfactory and compre-
hensive law"
Chairman HALEY had with him or
the special committee Dr. E. Hiram
Reede, DR.. Ernest E. Hadley. DR.
Joseph L. Gilbert. Dr. Loren B. T
johnson and DR.. Winfred Over
holser.