Evening star., 1942-09-02
FWAtoConsideI
Dormitories
For Nurses
Plan Would Make
Present Homes
Hospital Annexes
By ]. A. OLEARY,

by j. A. OIEARY.
Omcials OF the Federal Work
Agency told Chairman McCarrar
Of the Senate District Committe,
today they would consider plans tt
provide temporary dormitories fol
nurses at Washington hospitals te
make the existing nurses quarter.
IN permanent buildings available te
meet the city's wartime need foi
more beds for patients.
Additional beds obtained in this
way would augment the $50 new
hospital beds for which FWA allot-
ted $3,200,000 yesterday. Believing
that number would not meet the
Capitals need adequately, Senator
MsCarran arranged today's discus
sion between spokesmen for the hos
pitals and Federal Works officials.
The first suggestion that more
beds could be obtained quickly by
Using nurses homes if some place
could be found to house the nurses
was put forward by the Rev. D. V
McCauley of Georgetown Hospital
Could Build in 40 Days.
Baird Snyder, acting Federal
Works administrator, said he would
be glad to consider proposal to
erect for the nurses a dormitory
that could be completed in 40 days
thereby making from IS to 100 more
beds available for patients in the
hospital.
John M. Orem of Sibley Hospital
explained that institution also has
nurses home of permanent con-
struction adjacent to the hospital,
IN which so to rs more hospital beds
could be provided if other facilities
were available for the nurses.
Mr.. Snyder said his agency would
make survey to determine how
many more beds for patients could
be found all over the city by hous-
ing nurses in temporary dormitories.
Mr.. Snyder indicated such dormi-
tories would not call for as much
critical material as building hos
pltal annexes would require.
While most of the discussion re-
lated to precautions against posi-
BILE epidemics while the city is
crowded, Evan H. Tucker of Cas-
ualty Hospital, stressed the need for
more adequate facilities to treat
emergency cases in the event of air
raids. He pointed out that Casualty
handles substantial part of the
street emergency calls.
Plans Enlargement.
G. D. Drayton of Children,s Hos
pital said it has had plans drawr,
for some time for enlargement at
Its present location, and said he did
not know why that land could not
be considered as still available for
emergency wartime use.
DR.. F. j. Eisenman of Garfield
said that hospital also had plans
under way before the declaration of
war for a $50 to 800 bed addition
on the south side of its existing
property.
Mr.. Snyder said his agency has
not yet acquired sites for the $50
beds planned in yesterdays allot-
ment. OF that number, $50 are to
60 to Gallinger Hospital in the Dis
trict and the remainder in adjacent
Maryland and Virginia counties.
Health Officer George c. Rutland
told the committee the city needs
1000 instead Of $50 more beds, and
that the most practical way to meet
the problem is by additions to exist
ing hospitals, including Gallinger.
DR.. Edgar A. Bocock, superintend-
ent of Gallinger, said that, while he
appreciated the 150-bed addition
allotted by FWA yesterday, that will
not meet Gallinger's need.
In response to questions by Mr..
Snyder. B. B. Sandidge, superintend-
ent of Emergency Hospital, said the
nurses home there might provide
space for rs more beds if it should
be decided to house the nurses in
temporary dormitories.
Meanwhile, details of nearby area
plans for hospital expansion were
made known. In Alexandria, where
grant of $582,00 and a loan of
$4,000 was made available, the old
Daingerfleld House on South Wash
lngton street, now used as a nurses
home, will be torn down as the first
step toward enlarging the Alexan-
dria Hospital. Robert G. Whitton,
Hospital superintendent, said.
Five Story Addition.
1t Is planned to build a. FIVE story
addition which will provide 100 more
beds on the east end of the present
building along Washington street
A new nurses home of 80 beds also
Is included in the plans. and the old
Snowden house on the hospital
grounds will be reconstructed as a
home for internes.
Plans drawn by Buckler & Fen
hagen of Baltimore. call for a build
ing of the double pavilion type
with central corridor for facilities
and equipment to serve rooms on
both sides Of the floor. This type of
construction will save space and
materials. Mr.. Whitton said.
Renovation of the present build
Ing which has 100 beds. and installa
ton of additional equipment there
are to be included in the plans. Mr.
Whitton believes that necessary en-
largement of the staff will not be
a problem as the new building and
equipment should attract nurses
and hospital personnel.
Funds for Montgomery.
Members of the Suburban Hos
pital Association, Inc, are not ready
TO announce plans for the institu.
ton to be built in Montgomery
County, where the FWA has mad,
available $665 900 for a 10O-bed hos.
pital and 50-bed nurses home.
Five sites. each containing II
acres, are being considered, TIL,
grant is for s165,000 more than tn,
hospital association had asked. Tn,
institution will include surgical