Evening star., 1942-06-27
Broader Inquiry
Into Glenn Dale
Food Indicated
Complaints Made
To Officials Who
Visit Hospital

Visit Hospital
A more extensive study of the food
situation at the Glenn Dale Tuber-
culosis Sanatoria to determine
whether patients are receiving
their moneys worth" was indicated
today after preliminary investiga-
ton brought disclosures of careless
ness in the preparation and serving
of meals at the institution.
On the basis of verbal report
from Renah F. Camalier, counsel to
the Senate District Committee, who
visited the institution with Commits
sioner Guy Mason yesterday, Chair
man McCarran Of the committee
said he believed it would be good
idea to examine records of food
purchases and the quality of the
food served to the patients. It was
indicated Mr. Camalier would be in
structed to continue the inquiry.
After making the unannounced
inspection tour Mr.. Camaller told
reporters the food at the institution
appeared to him to be of excellent
quality and he said the patients, al
though fully justified" in their
complaints of poor meals, were OBJ
jecting more to the methods Of pre-
pairing and serving the meals than
TO the quality Of the food.
Food Called Not the Best
When he returned to the Capitol,
however, Mr.. Camalier said he had
received intimations that the food
served to the 600 Glenn Dale pa
tients was not the best and SEN
ator McCarran expressed belief the
whole question of equipment and
food purchases for the institution
should be studied to determine the
quality and amount of waste, if any.
Both Commissioner Mason and Mr..
Camaller agreed on two points: /.
That some workers on the dietary
staff have been careless in prepar-
ing and serving meals to patients
and 2. that an administrative as
sistant is needed to relieve Dr.. Dam
iel L. Finucane. the superintendent.
of some of his administrative duties
so he can devote more time 10 rem
edying conditions complained of by
the patients.
The 1923 District appropriation
bill provides for addition Of an ad-
ministra.ive assistant to the Glenn
Dale staff If it is found this addi-
ton doesn't fill the gap. Mr.. Cam
alier SAID Dr. Finucane will request
another such assistant.
Invest CATION of the institution
was prompted by petition signed
by IS patients complaining about
'unsavory" meals and other condi-
tions. Mr.. Camalier and Commits
sioner Mason said they found the
complaints about poor meals justi-
fed. Tkey also noted that an at
tempt had been made 10 improve
conditions since the petition was
made lblic.
Several patients told them a sud-
den Improvement was noted in the
meals, and while the investigators
were there the main kitchen in one
of the wings was being given a
thorough cleanlng.
"No Excuse for Filth"
Mr. Camalier declared that there
was no excuse for any filth at all
at the institution. and DR.. Finucane
gave assurances that steps would be
taken Immediately to correct the
food situation, even if it neceSSitated
discharging some employees.
The superintendent said the food
complaints very likely were justi-
fed. and he said the situation prob
ably was caused largely by rapid
turnover IN personnel. especially in
the dietary department. which has
resulted in employment of some per-
sons not competent to handle the
work. Within the last seven or
eight months, he said. the turnover
in dietary personnel has been more
than so per cent.
DR.. Finucane said complaints
that chlpped glasses and chinaware
sometimes were used also were true.
He said .he institution has been un-
able to get delivery of chinaware
ordered months ago.
Other grievances were voiced BY
seven patients, men in their late
20s and early 30s, at an informal
conference Mr.. Camalier and Mr.,
Mason held after completing part
of their inspection tour
One complaint was that the nurs-
ing and supervisory personnel
treated a
inals." When they complain about
something the nurses simply record
it on the complainant's chart. In
fact, said one, they list practically
everything We do on the charts"
Some OF the men who helped draw
up the petition said nurses and
supervisors started calling them
"agitators' and ''ringleaders'
"Favoritism" Charged to Nurses.
Many of the nurses play favor
ties" among the patients, too, one
man said.
You'd think We were in a penal
institution the way some of the
nurses treat US" he said. I'VE aren't
asking for anything special. We
just want to be treated like human
beings just like any other hospital
patients This is hospital and to
many of us this must be our homes
for long time. Why can't We have
a pleasant atmosphere instead of
always having tension because of
the attitude of the personnel"
The patient went on to say that
he could stand the attitude of the
nurses if ne got good food all the
| time.
But I can't stand both mean
nurses and poor food" he said.
The patients voiced their griev-
ances in a quiet, straightforward
manner and said that the last thing
they wanted to do was stir up trou-
BILE But they said when the same
situation continued week after week,
with only an occasional good meal,
they felt obliged to do something
al hp1lt