Evening star., 1942-09-01
FWAApproves
Plan for $50
Hospital Beds
AIIots $3,2o7, 500
For District and
Nearby Areas

For District and
Nearby Areas
The long-awaited program to
increase hospital facilities in the
Metropolitan Area by $50 beds
was approved today by the Fed
eral Works Agency and at the
same time survey was ordered
to determine what buildings here
might be converted to hospitals
In case of an emergency.
The FWA approved allotment OF
e3,207 500 for construction Of hos
pital facilities in the District, in
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties, Md; Arlington County,
Va. and Alexandria, Va.
Chairman McCarran of the Sen
ate District Committee, terming the
program announced by the FWA as
grossly inadequate, announced
that he will confer tomorrow with
officials OF all Washington hospitals.
He repeated his statement that
his survey of hospital conditions
here showed a serious lack OF bed
facilities.
Fears Result Of Epidemic.
1.-THE proposal of the Federal
Housing Administration to provide
only $50 additional beds is grossly
inadequate" he declared. If any
sort of an epidemic started the hos
pitfalls would be unable to cope with
the situation and 4 scandalous con-
dition would result"
The allotments for construction
were contingent on the success Of
contractors in obtaining materials
for the buildings. The new buildings
will be of brick construction, with
concrete floors.
The committee named to investi-
gate the possibility Of establishing
emergency hospital facilities in Dis
trict building consists of Reid w.
Digges, hospital investigator . for
the FWA; DR.. George Raehr Of the
ONCE OF Civilian Defense and Henry
j. Sullivan, FWA assistant regional
administrator for the District.
$608,5Oe Grant for Gallinger.
The program of construction in
cludes a grant OF $608, 500 to build
ing additional facilities at Gallinger
Hospital. This will provide $50 hos
pital beds, quarters for SO nurses
and 80 internes, the necessary fur
niture and equipment and the re-
modelling of the hospital power
plant.
FOR Prince Georges County, the
FwA allocated 100000 for con-
struction Of = 100-bed hospital and
. 5O-bed nurses home. The site
for this has not yet been selected.
The sum of $685., 900 was made
available to Montgomery County to
construct 4 100-bed hospital and q
50-bed nurses home. No site has
been chosen for this.
$4,000 for Arlington.
To Arlington County went $780,
900 for a 100-bed hospital and So
bed nurses home. This will be con-
structed at Sixteenth and Edison
streets, just south of Glebe road.
The FWA already has an appli-
cation for a clinic to be operated by
the county on this ground, which is
owned by the Arlington Hospital
Association.
The Alexandria construction will
be completed with grant OF $685.
600 and q loan of $4,000. This
sum will provide for construction on
the grounds of the Alexandria Gen.
eral Hospital of an addition provid-
ing 100 hospital beds and 80 beds for
nurses.
In addition, the money will cover
remodeling of the present Alexan-
dria hospital and provide necessary
furniture and equipment.
Allotments for these projects are
to be made under the Lanham Act
and were recommended by the Vital
Area Board of the District. The
United States Public Health Serv-
ice recommended approval Of the
projects.
One Requirement Waived.
In developing plans for the new
facilities, all criteria for FWA war
time construction are being met
with the exception of the require
ment that minimum of four pa
tients to room be provided. This
requirement was waived on the ad-
vice Of the Public Health Service.
The program thus provided for
Is expected to alleviate somewhat
the crowded conditions in local hos
pitfalls, where patients are some
times put In sun parlQrs and
porches. The program, however, is
not considered entirely adequate by
those familiar with local needs.
Senator McCarran has held that
this area should have a minimum
Of 41a beds per 1000 population. The
FwA describes the current program
rs providing beds per 1000 popula-
ton.
The new construction program
was approved by Baird Snyder, act
ing FWA administrator, and sub
mitted by Mr.. Sullivan.
Aoile With Roth kevs