Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-02-02
tuberculosis
Group Drops
Health Unit Aid
Action Based on Idea
Efforts Should Go
Toward Pioneering

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District and private medical lead
ers were stirred today over report
that the District tuberculosis Asso-
citation had withdrawn, tentatively
at least, financial aid for the District
Health Department for this year.
Friends of DR.. George c. Rutland,
health officer, were making strenu-
Gus efforts to straighten out the
situation, and some of them in
sisted the association as yet had
taken mo irrevocable action"
One member of the Board of Di-
rectors Of the association said the
issue was being "adjudicated" and
some hope was held by DR.. Ruiz
lands supporters that the associa-
ton yet may provide the Health
Department with donation of some
$4,000
Recent action of the board in de-
Ginning to appropriate that sum to
supplement clinical work by the Dis
trict Health Department, as re-
quested by DR.. Rutland, was based
on the boards feeling that the asso-
citation should concentrate its efforts
largely on pioneer and demonstra-
ton work, it was said.
$4,000 Voted for Clinical Work.
The board voted supplementary
appropriation of $4,000 for this
years clinical work in the District.
This Is $1,000 less than was appro-
priated last year.
The board, in declining to grant
DR.. Ruhland's request of $1,000
more than was appropriated last
year, pointed out that he planned to
use it to pay salaries of six clerks
and augment pay of the new full
time chest surgeon at the District
tuberculosis Sanatorium at Glenn
Dale, Md, rather than for expert
mental or demonstration work. Ac-
cording to the last published annual
report of the association, more than
$50, 1000 was spent for these pioneer
and demonstration services"
From talk in sources both in and
out of the District Building, it ap-
peared the services of the surgeon
may be jeopardized. if the associa-
tons donation to the Health De-
partment is greatly reduced or with
held.
The new surgeon is DR.. Harlon w.
Harrison, who was appointed in No
vember at a salary of $1,000 year.
It was understood at the time his
salary would be raised to either
$4,000 or $500 year, the extra
money to come out of donations to
the Health Department from the
tuberculosis Association.
In one source fears were voiced
that DR.. Harrison might not be will
ing to continue his new job here, II
he got no more than $3,800-less
$500 for housing at the institution.
Dr.. Harrison, when questioned by a
reporter, said he had not been in
formed of the situation and could
not make any comment.
Question of Official Action.
One official at the association,
questioned about the expected do
nation for DR.. Harrison's salary, said
there appeared to be "a question of
official action" on the point. How
ever, this official said there was no
reason why the tentative association
budget could not be changed at any
time.
DR.. Rutland declined to make any
statement DR.. j. Winthrop Pea
body, president of the association,
could not be reached this morning.
DR.. Peabody was superintendent
of the Glenn Dale institution until
some months ago, but served on a
part time basis. He was replaced
after DR.. Rutland found the need
for full time service, and last No.
vember DR.. Rutland recommended.
and the Commissioners approved,
provision for a full time chest
surgeon.
Previously DR.. Rutland had d.
rected that all major surgical cases
be transferred from Glenn Dale to
Gallinger Municipal Hospital, ex-
planning that the policy was desir-
able so that the patient would be
under the constant care of a sur
geon. This plan was dropped when
the full time surgeon for Glenn Dale
was appointed.