Evening star., 1941-03-02
DR.. RuhIand Moves
To End Discord on
Health Center Project
Denies Medical Society
Withdrew Endorsement
Of Facilities in Northwest

or Facilities IN Northwest
BACKGROUND
Public Health Serpics experts
recommended Development OF
health center in northwest CEN
tral area, Dhere citys highest
mortality rate eriStS. National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission in December rejected for
second time DR.. George c. Rub
lands request to use park land
as site for projected center. Dis
trict Commissioners hare Uoiced
sympathy for project but in
cluded no fund request for center
in 1912 budget proposals.
Acting to smooth the rough road
being Travelled by the proposal for a
health center in the disease ridden
central Northwest section, District
Health Officer George c. Rutland
yesterday offered to present to the
District of Columbia Hospital Su-
perintendents Association any in
formation that would clarity the
relationship of the center to existing
hospital clinics.
At the same time, he made public
a letter to the association in which
he expressed his desire Ito correct
and stop stories that have recently
come to my attention.
DR.. Rutland, in his letter, denied
that the District Medical Society
had withdrawn its previous indorse-
ment of the health center and at
tached a note from Theodore Wlp-
rud, secretary of the medical So
ciety. stating the society was on
record in favor of the erection OF
the health center.
Nature of Qualifications Asked.
George Macatee, secretary OF the
Hospital Superintendent Associa-
ton, said Mr.. Wiprud's letter men
toned that the society gave its in
dorsement with qualifications and
added that he had been instructed
to request from DR.. Ruhland the
nature of these qualifications.
Commenting on the request, DR.
Rutland said that in the resolution
passed by the medical society there
was a preamble discussion OF out
patient departments in hospitals
but that the society wound up with
definite Endorsement"
BENJAMIN B. Sandidge, superln-
tendent of Emergency Hospital and
president of the association, SAID
the hospitals certainly would not |
stand in the way of any progress
sive health measures" but that his
association did not yet have all the
information on which to decide
whether the health center would be
an improvement over what the hos
pitals are now doing.
From two other sources yesterday, |
comments were forthcoming on the |
relationship between the proposed
health center and hospital out
patient departments. One state
ment came from Father David V.
McCauley, dean of the Georgetown
University school of medicine. The
second was from Ross Garrett, who
explained that he spoke as the ad-
ministrator of the Health Security
Administration which, he said, GER
titled more than 10000 clinic visits
for needy sick in out-patient de-
partments of hospitals last year.
New York Program Hailed.
"It is my earnest hope" said
Father McCauley, that in the near
future the Nations Capital will be
able to offer to the INDECENT portion
of its population health program
comparable to that now being fol-
lowed in the city of New York.
The 4 y means of strategically 10
cateu health centers, the poor peo-
pie of the city are offered facilities
through which they receive not only
remedial care in time of actual ILL
ness but also all those scientifically
recognized aids which serve to pre-
vent disease.
Our Washington hospitals have
performed and are performing an
excellent piece Of work in caring
for our INDECENT sick. Our local
deficiency lies in our lack of health
centers, such as those usually found
in our great cities whose admins
traitors have recognized the value of
extending to their poor constituents
program of preventive medicine
which will insure this particularly
vulnerable part of each community
from many of the ravages of
disease"
Agreeing that provision of general
medical care to thousands of needy
sick through the out-patient de-
partments of hospitals was a val
liable thing, Mr.. Garrett said:
"As I understand it, the health
center would house existing staff
and facilities covering the needs of
people in that area which are now
inadequately supplied. 1t certainly
would be an economy from the
standpoint of the rent now being
paid for inadequate quarters"
Needs Declared Greater.
He maintained that the growth of
the community and the growth of
the needs of the sick with it make
it necessary to increase facilities of
the Health Department as well as
the hospital out-patient depart
ments.
Il don't see" he said, that one
growth of the city, the needs for
supplants the other because with the
both are greater"
DR.. Rutland pointed out that
added to the administrative advan-