Evening star., 1942-10-10
Hospitals
Continued From First Page.

partum cases only where the mother
and child and home conditions are
normal. Where there are compli-
cations the patients are kept as
long as necessary.
o. K. Fike, superintendent of
Doctors Hospital, who is leaving as
the delegate from the District of
Columbia to the American Hospital
Association annual convention in
vSt. Louis this week, explained that
the policy had been adopted be-
cause of the great pressure on all
the obstetrical facilities of the city,
and the increasing number of ex-
pectant mothers asking hospital
care. ~
Z The new plan, when thoroughly
working throughout the city, prob
ably will increase the maternity IA
cilities of Washington hospitals by
20 to Is per cent, according to Dr.
Prentiss Wilson. This will be a
great help in relieving the pressure
but does not solve the shortage of
hospital space generally, he pointed
out, nor does it relieve the pres
sure on the delivery rooms and
operating rooms. Washington still
needs more hospital facilities, he in
sisted.
Home Births Raise Problem.
In regard to the proposal that
more mothers should have their
babies born at home, Dr. Wilson
said the increasing demands of the
armed services for medical person.
nel makes it more important that
expectant, mothers should be de-
livered at hospitals, where they
could be cared for by fewer doctors
Home delivery of babies at resi-
dences scattered all over the Met
ropolitan Area, he pointed out,
would require the services of many
more doctors than are available.
From other sources it is known
that several mothers are planning
to have their babies born at doc
tors offices. Certain sources have
suggested the use of midwives to
help relieve the situation.
DR.. Herbert P. Ramsey, chairman
of the Obstetrical Board, said sta
tistics show that there has been a
steadily rising number of births in
the District over several years. More
babies are being born now, both in
hospitals and in homes here, than
ever before, he said. But he could
make no estimate as to the propor-
tionate increase in home deliveries
as compared to the total increase,
or to the births in hospitals.
May Double 1885 Figure.
Live births have been on the in
crease sharply here from 1885, when
they totaled l0,803, DR.. Ramsey re-
ported. They rose to $1,000 in 1910
and 1924 in 1941. There were
6,582 births in the first four months
of this year, indicating, DR.. Ram
sey said, that there may be $1,000
births here this calendar year.
Mr.. Flke pointed to an example
of how the new system increases
the number of mothers who can be
cared for. He said that any insti-
tuition which had maternity facili-
ties to handle 10 cases for 10 DAYS
each could use the same facilities
and take care of 100 cases if they
remained for only days each. OF
course, there is no hard and fast
rule, Mr.. Fike indicated, and each
case Is carefully considered on its
own merits.
Such a system can work success
fully, 1t was explained by DR.. Edgar
A. Bocock. superintendent of CALM
ger Municipal Hospital, where it
has been in effect for several years,
on account of crowded conditions.
Gallinger has been overloaded with
maternity cases. DR.. Bocock ex-
planned, caring for about $500 moth
ers year. A new obstetrical ward
is to be constructed there soon
with funds just made available by
Congress, to help take care of more.
Some Leave After Five Days.
Our experience here shows" !"
said DR.. Bocock, that with proper
safeguards concerning home condi-
tions, and in cases of perfectly nor
NAL mothers, 1t Is considered ap-
propriate and suitable to discharge
post-partum mothers and babies on
or about the NTH day after birth.
When the need Is sufficiently
great, and 1t SENS to be greater