Evening star., 1942-05-29
Irregularities
Al Freedmen's
To Bel Corrected
Financial Accusations
Said Not to Reflect
On Medical Care

Emphasizing that irregularities"
discovered in comprehensive in
vestigation of Freedmen's Hospital
affairs reflected in no way on the
quality of medical care, Capt. Wat
son B. Miller, assistant Federal Sc
curity Administrator said today
steps would be taken to reorganize
the hospital staff to correct the sit
uation.
Virtually all of the irregularities
discovered in a joint investigation
by the General Accounting Office
and the Federal Security Agency,
Capt. Miller said, involved matters
Of finance and bookkeeping. But
he hastened to eXonerate DR.. T. Ed
ward Jones, hospital director in
chief, of any personal or official
dishonesty" Some dismissals of sub
ordinates on the staff may follow,
Capt. Miller indicated
Charges Called Shocking.
On Capitol Hill, Representative
Hare, Democrat, of South Carolina,
which had been holding hearings on
the Federal Security Agency budget,
including appropriations for the
hospital, declared that some of the
charges in the report are very
shocking" During hearings on the
hospital estimates for the next fiscal
year, Mr.. Hare explained, the COM
mittee found that out of case load
of more than 1000 patients per
year, only about 10 per cent of the
cases were paid for. The committee
asked the Federal Security Agency
for report on whether patients ad-
mitted as INDECENT were able to pay.
The percentage Of pay cases was
too low, the committee thought.
AS result a report was obtained
from the General ltAccounting Office.
and is now in the hands of the
committee, Mr.. Hare said. He in
dicated he has every confidence" in
the report which was submitted by
the controller general, Lindss c.
Warren. A summary of the re. 0rt
will be included in the hearings
the subcommittee, which probabh
will be made public next Tuesday or.
Wednesday, he said
Among the irregularities discov-
cred, according to Capt. Miller, were
some instances where patients had
paid for treatment at the hospital,
but had been entered on the books
as INDECENT. There also were cases
of ambulance chasing" and fee
: splitting. he said, where apparently
/ there was some connection between
some one in the hospital and out
side lawyers or doctors
Medical Care Praised.
There were charges that persons
who had been discharged from the
hospital were declared later by out
side doctors to be more seriously i'll
than had been found by the hos
| pital, and further fees were thereby
| obtained. Irregularities also were
reported concerning the supplies of
/ liquor at the hospital. it was learned.
! Medical care at the hospital, how
ever. was given clean bill of health
by Capt. Miller.
Medicine there is of a high Or
/ der" he said. Diagnosis, labora-
tory, X-ray, pathology and treat
ment are all in surprisingly excellent
shape. Nearly all of the alleged
irregularities involve bookkeeping
and supplies"
| DR.. Jones, when interviewed by
The Star, said he had not been in
formed officially of any findings in
the report. Since the institution
/ is under control of the Federal
Security Agency, he said, the only
comment he cared to make would
! be that when he is called in officially
on the matter, he will give his
version of the situation to the
authorities.