Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-19
4 Hospital Beds
Per 1000 Held
ExcessiveHere
WPB Spokesman Says
Survey Shows 3.5
Would Be Adequate

SS~A~J oAA1p q 4CCOlIlIlSIl0A.
tion against provision of four beds to
each 1000 population in the Dis
trict will be one outgrowth of the
survey now under way to determine
the necessity for expanding essen
tial war materials in the construction
OF new buildings as a part OF the
proposed local hospital expansion
program.
-Four beds per thousand persons
was the formula used by the Federal
Works Agency. the Government
bureau charged with investigating
local hospital needs and allotting
money therefor, and whose recon-
mendations now are being held I'D
while the WPB makes its own in
vestigation.
The Federal Works Agency allots
funds made available by the Lam
ham Act, which is not an enabling
act. but legislation designed to as
sure proper expenditure of funds
wherever an emergency need exists.
Asked today whether the FWA
planned to bring the delay in the
hospital program caused by the WPB
survey to the attention of the Pres
ident, as the responsible official for
proper administration of the act,
an FWA official said the agency was
not planning such action and that if
the matter did reach the White
House 1t would have to get there
through some other source.
The WPB survey has shown.
according to the spokesman, that
three and a half beds per 1000
population would be fairer
average than four beds. This con-
clusion. it was explained, Is sup
ported by the fact that most other
cities have only a three-bed av-
erage and that use of beds in local
hospitals, even during the most
crowded times, has averaged only
three and half per 1000.
The spokesman said the survey is
being carried on by two experienced
hospital consultants, one of them
the head of 600-bed hospital in a
large Eastern city for the last eight
years. The study, it was added, has
been under way for two months and
should be completed within the next
two weeks.
Need Admitted.
He scoffed at the suggestion that
politics had played any part in
either the order for the investiga-
ton or recommendations which will
be included in the final report. He
said the study was ordered not with
the thought that the District does
not need the additional 1,172 beds
proposed, but with the idea that
these beds might be provided in the
present emergency without using
vital materials in erecting buildings.
In answer to this, a representa-
tive of the Federal Works Agency,
by which the hospital projects were
prepared with the aid of the United
States Public Health Service. has
pointed out that the WPB and FWA
had reached an agreement in writ
ing last summer as to what ma
terials are regarded as essential to
the war effort. The projects as sub
mitted were in accordance with this
criteria, it was said.
The, WPB spokesman said the
head consultant brought here to
aid the war agency in it's rulings
concerning priorities involving hos
pitfalls has wide experience both in
engineering and hospital admins
tration. He was graduated in en-
cheering from a leading American
university and served in the Medical
Corps during the First World War,
holding responsible assignment in
hospital in France. During his
years as a consultant, he has visited
practically all of the largest hos
pitfalls of the country.
Will Review Report.
The spokesman reported that the
survey already has revealed that
much of the new construction in
cluded in the s4689, 700 hospital pro-
gram can be eliminated.
He announced further that the
WLB had gone into the survey
solely with the war effort in mind.
A board of review will consider the
findings and will either reject or
approve them.
All recommendation are pre-
pared after a careful investigation
by the consultants. Past reports
and applications have been shelved,
it was explained. and new findings
are based on what the specialists
actually have found by their own
inspection to be true.
Expect Criticism.
THE final report, we realize, will
not be received without criticism"
the spokesman said, but we believe
its findings will be for the best of
all concerned. Some local hospital
officials already have told us that
they agree with the findings of the
consultants and believe that the
substitute plan would be best at
present Changes mentioned in the
report will be those which are con-
sidered essential and. which will
save vital material, he added The
consultants are paying particular
attention, he said, to projects for
enlargement and addition of OBJ
stetrical wards, which they consider
necessary.
ITO show the sincerity of these
consultants in their work" the
spokesman related, lit was the hos
pital head from the Eastern city
who kept the 150-bed obstetrical
addition to Gallinger Hospital, now
in progress, from being pigeon-holed.
This project was virtually shelved
when the consultant came to its
rescue"
To Reduce Hospital Stays.
The final report is expected to
urge these three steps:
/. Reduction of the average stay
of patients to 10 days, or even less.
2. Reduction of the average stay
of maternity cases, except In in
stances of complications, to five
days.
8. Better use OF existing facilities.
The spokesman said reduction OF
the average stay of patients would
increase accommodations of exist
1T tn On