Evening star., 1942-01-18
Hearing Is Set
TuesdayonD DC.
Hospital Needs
Randolph to Offer
Bill to Provide
1000 More Beds
By WILL p. KENNEDY.

ny VVAAA AA13NANSDAs
Chairman Randolph OF the House
District Committee plans tomorrow
to introduce . bill providing for
1000 additional beds In District
operated hospitals at Gallinger
and the Glenn Dale Sanatorian.
On Tuesday he has arranged for
a hearing on the measure empha-
sizing the needs for adequate hos
pital facilities here, estimated at
1000 more beds.
This bill grew out Of recommends.
tions by former Representative
Maverick, now chief Of Govern
mental Requirements Branch OF the
o. P. NJ, who had stressed hospital
needs to Chairman Randolph. DR..
Georee c. Rutland, District health
officer, co-operated in drafting the
legislation and arranging for a COM
prehensive hearing.
Mr.. Maverick and DR.. Rutland
will be the first witnesses at the
hearing, together with hospital Of
ficials.
Mr.. Maverick told Chairman
Randolph that he has had personal
knowledge for some years of the
poor condition of health facilities in
the District, and that war condi-
tions will multiply the seriousness
of the problem.
Subsidies Urged.
Ia cs1nI tha road fap 81
least / 200 additional hospital beds
and eventually twice as many. that
the doubling up" process should be
organized more fully and expe-
ditiously and said 1T is possible that
private hospitals should receive sub
sides from the Government.
Washington is generally below
the level of good health standards
of American cities" Mr. Maverick
said. DR.. Rutland had notified him.
he said. that additional expansion
in existing hospitals can be made in
several places at Government
operated institutions at minimum
cost, and suggested 400 additional
beds at Gallinger and 600 at Glenn
Dale. without construction of new
heating and laundry plants. The
land space is already available, DR..
Rutland said.
The units. he said. could be built,
equipped and stated in about 30
days and at a cost of approximately
40 per cent of new, permanent
buildings.
Mr.. Randolph's bill authorizes the
Commissioners TO provide for the
construction of buildings OF tenn
porary construction with necessary
auxiliary structures, mechanical
equipment, heating and ventilating
apparatus. etc. 1t also authorizes
employment of additional officers,
nurses, personnel and equipment. 1t
also authorizes appropriation Of
necessary funds.
Capt Wells Cites Shortages.
Chairman Randolph made public
recommendations he had received
from Capt. Chester Wells, president
of the Board of Directors Columbia
Hospital for Women. and Col. N. L.
McDiarmid. superintendent. Both
| of these officials have been invited
to testify at the hearing
Capt. Wells told Mr.. Randolph Cd
| THE number of beds in the metro
politan area is entirely inadequate:
q, there is particularly shortage
in the number of beds for obstetrical
care-at least $50 additional beds are
needed for that branch: 49, the
shortage of hospital facilities exists
even with the natural growth OF
the District, but with the influx
of defense workers it becomes ex-
ceedinglv acute: a. in the esti-
mate every existing bed was count
ed as available regardless Of age
or condition. while many Of the
citys hospital facilities are obso-
/ lete. both as regards buildings and
equipment, and many new hospital
buildings should be erected; 80 In
dependent organizations support this
summary.
The situation at Columbia Hos
( pital can be met in part, Capt.
Wells said. by erection Of tenn
porary two-story building Of Army
camp type. He suggested that the
basement be of permanent con-
struction on which a permanent
| building could later be erected. He
recommended that authorization be
granted for erection of the tempo
rary structure, pointing out that the
land is owned by the United States
and that the power plant is ade.
uuate for expansion.