Evening star., 1941-04-06
McCodch Backs
New Gd||inger
Ward Building
Dote of Project Not
Decided, Pending
Budget Solution

Need for construction of another
new ward building at Gallinger Mu-
nicipal Hospital, voiced by Health
Officer George c. Rutland, was sup
ported yesterday by Engineer Com.
missioner David McCoach, jr.
Final decision as to when the new
building should be erected was not
reached and it was indicated this
would await solution of the whole
and large question of how next
years total budget needs are to be
financed. A new ward building is
estimated to cost between s5O0000
and S650O0O.
At the same time. it was re-
vealed the Commissioners plan TO
forward to the Budget Bureau a
Health Department request for S52-
900 in a deficiency appropriation
to provide supplies of food. medi-
cines and other materials for the
remainder of this fiscal year, to
meet a situation caused by an in
creased patient load said to have
exceeded expectations because Of
Washington's abnormal defense
program" growth
Two New Buildings in Year.
During the last year two new ward
buildings were completed and placed
/ in service at Gallinger. as part of
the Districts P. w. A. program. but
the daily average population at the
city's hospital during the last few
months has exceeded expectations.
DR.. Daniel L, Seckinger, assistant
health officer in charge of hospitals.
reported yesterday the average daily
/ patient population of Gallinger for
the year ended March 81 was 1,ol8,
whereas, he said, the rated capacity
of the hospital, including the two
new ward buildings, is only 925
patients
Health Department officials also
said that according to medical stand
ards the hospital should be given
about 100 more nurses. Gallinger
now has 212 student nurses, II
graduate nurses and % supervising
nurses to care for daily patient
population of more than 1000. Nurses
now employed are limited to shifts
Of no more than eight hours work a
day department officials said
Health Center Funds Urged.
Need for funds for provision OF a
health center in the lower Northwest
section of the city. where the Incl
dence of contagious diseases is the
i l,ioboct ,Iroc raitaro+ +oJ ,-or+arJo,, ~.
health officials. The Commissioners
said weeks ago they would seek pro-
vision of funds for the next fiscal
year sufficient at least to meet the
cost of providing site for this
center. They also approved need
for construction of the building, but
said they must wait to see how the
whole budget shapes up.
One of the new ward buildings at
Gallinger. opened during the last
year, is devoted to tuberculosis cases
and the other to general medical
cases. When they were built it was
thought Gallingers' construction
needs would be met for some wears
to come, but Health Department
officials Yesterday said the unex-
pected patient demands of the last
winter months had exceeded all ex-
pectations
Patient Load of 1.1S0.
Yesterday the patient load
amounted to 1.160 persons. DR.. EDGAR
A. Bocock, Gallinger superintendent,
reported. The highest level of the
last winter was 1870 patients. The
daily average for last March was
1925; the daily average for the fis-
cal year ended June 30. 1910, was
91O and the daily average patient
load for the fiscal year ended June
30, 1899, was 879.
Opening of the two new ward
buildings last year was supposed to
have permitted closing down of use
OF the several old frame buildings
that date back to Civil War DAYS.
but this was not found feasible. Only
one of these, two-Story frame af-
lair, was freed of patients, but still
is used for storage, officials said yes
terday. DR.. Seckinger said the net
gain in number of beds. resulting
from opening of the two new ward
buildings was about 300 beds. and
that the winter increase in patient
loads had about covered" the next
| increase in patiept load