Evening star., 1942-04-10
House Members
Find Blue Plains
Much Improved
Still Inadequate
Official Says Of
Home for Aged

Home for Aged
A great improvement in conditions
at the Districts Home for the Aged
and Infirm was noted by two mem
oers OF the House subcommittee on
District appropriations during an
inspection tour of municipal insti-
tutions today, but one member was
displeased to learn that the Blue
Plains institution is forced to care
for number of alcoholics.
The tour, which included visits to
the District Jail, Gallinger Hospital,
Mcmillan Filtration Plant, and the
Anacostla section, one of the most
overcroWded areas of the city. was
conducted by the Commissioners and
other District officials preliminary
to the opening Monday of hearings
on the S55, 900 900 1943 budget.
Representative Stefan of Nebras-
ka, ranking minority member of the
subcommittee, said he was surprised
to learn that 38 alcoholics now are
under care in the institution. and he
was told by Supt. Otto Cass that the
institution has no facilities for seq
regating them from the other in
mates.
improvements Remarkable"
I'D like to know why they are
kept here" said Mr.. Stefan.
Chairman Mahon, the only other
member of the subcommittee to
make the tour, said ne thought i'm
provements made at the home were
remarkable"
Its wonderful what's been done
since the last time was here" he
said: It's really beginning to look
good"
Mr.. Cass showed the party some
OF the new floors. kitchen equipment.
wheel chairs and mattresses that
mad been added in the last wear.
pointing out at the same time that
there were still many major i'm
provements to be made under a de-
flclency appropriation authorized bv
congress in February This carried
s45 900 additional for maintenance
and $4,000 for repairs to buildings.
Sanitary facilities still are made
quate, Mr.. Cass said, and As more
wheel chairs are needed.
AT the jail Supt. Thomas Rives
showed the group through the new
acdltlon, with its modern medical
facilities and cell blocks. and the
two House members were strongly
impressed by the elaborate in
| firmary.
10 Care for All Institutions.
ASKED how much the medical ia
clltles might be used, Mr.. Rives
pointed out that it was planned
with view to caring for not onlv
inmates of the JAIL but those of
other District penal institutions who
could not be treated elsewhere with
the adequate safeguards available in
the new building.
The party also viewed the new
execution chamber-neW in every
detail except the electric chair.
which is the same one the District
has used since 1927.
Representatives Mahon and Ste
ian questioned DR.. Edgar A. Bocock.
superintendent of Gallinger Hos
pital, concerning crowded condi-
tions at that institution. and were
told that there is a need for addi-
tlonal facilities for the obstetrical
division.
Informed that $500 babies we're
born last year on the one obstretric
ward. Mr.. Stefan said he believed
that if there was any overcrowding
at all. that should be the first ward
TO be relieved. DR.. Bocock eX-
planned that there were more beds
set up in some of the wards than
there should be under ideal condi-
tionS
135 in Psychiatry Ward.
DR.. Bocock also told the members
that a new building is needed to
house the lnternes, now uuartered
in fourin four separate structures,
some OF the buildings old and dilapi-
dated.
The party visited the psychiatry
ward, where they were told bv DR..
Joseph L. Gilbert that new nurses
are needed to care for the divisions
average daily population of 135
cases.
Both subcommittee members said
they were concerned by overcrowded
conditions in the Anacostia section
and said they were happy that the
Kramer School, now under construc-
ton at Seventeenth and Q streets
Sc, would be turned over to the
District for school use as soon as it
is completed, instead Of being used
by the Federal Government as Of
flee space.
In addition to the House members
and Commissioners Young, Kutz and
Mason, the inspection party included
Budget Officer Walter L. Fowler, Will
liam Wilding, assistant budget di-
rector. and R. P. Williams, clerk of
the Appropriations Subcommittee.