Evening star., 1943-01-31


and some satisfactory conclusion is
expected shortly.
Yesterdays statement from the
WPB again, as in the case Of the
recent request for definite commit
ments from the superintendent as
to how many beds they were pre-
pared to install without new con-
,truction, places the initiative in the
lap of hospital officials.
The recent poll of hospital heads
revealed that approximately 326 new
beds will be needed and will re-
quire priority rulings from the WPB
before they are purchased. Three
of the IA hospitals that agreed to
install a total of 627 beds indi-
Gated that they would be able to
supply their own beds. These we're
Gallinger, committed to put in $50;
Garfield, 81, and George Washing
ton, 6.
Seven Must Buy All.
Of the others. only seven reported
that they would need to purchase
the entire number of new beds
they could install. These were Cas-
ualty. committed to put in IL, Co.
lumbia, 2; Doctors, So; Freedmen's,
$50; Homeopathic. 5; Sibley, %, and
Leland Memorial, 25.
Emergency already has installed
80 and has agreed to put in nine
more if given priorities for beds.
Episcopal can furnish two of the
six new beds for which it has been
committed. Providence officials said
they had four or five with which to
make a 35-bed expansion, and at
Washington Sanitarium it was re-
ported that Is beds were available
for 50-bed expansion.
A few of the hospitals indicated
that they will need additional funds
with which to purchase beds. This
money should be available, it was
pointed out, through application for
Lanham Act allotments, which must
be made to the Federal Works
Agency. Both FWA and United
States Public Health Service au-
thorities are ready to aid with this
routine it is understood.
a Minor Changes Needed.
Some hospitals reported that GER
tain changes of a minor nature.
most of them pertaining to wiring
and plumbing, would be necessary
before the additional beds could be
installed. In few instances this
work already has been started, while
others indicated that it could be
completed in short time.
Notice to hospitals that applica-
tions for priorities on beds now will
be acceptable was recognized as vir-
tual assurance that the WPBs Board
of Review has approved the recon-
mendations of its chief hospital con-
sultant Everett w. Jones, who con-
Quoted the survey of local hospitals
and directed activities leading
toward the substitute program. His
recent report of his findings, how
ever, was accepted at that time to
represent the war agency's final
action
With the program now at the last
stage before it actually is put into
effect, the hospital situation,
brought about by an estimated
shortage of approximately ll00
beds, stands to be relieved at an ap-
proximate expenditure of s2,5OQO00,
as compared to original estimates
under the Lanham Act construction
program of s4869,770.
Five Constructions.
Mr.. Jones has recommended con-
struction in only five instances.
These will supply $50 beds at Gal
linger, 28 beds at Georgetown, 100
beds at Bethesda, 100 beds at Chev-
erly and IS beds at Alexandria.
The Alexandria addition repre-
sents a. change from the original
recommendation Of the hospital
consultant and was decided on after
recheck Of the area it will serve.
1t will be constructed in the rear
and TO the north of the present
building. By eliminating pro-
posed new wing on the east, WPB
officials explained, approximately
$40 900 worth of critical war ma
terialS were saved.
Two meetings on the Alexandria
project were held before the con-
struction was recommended for ap-
proval. In report to Mr. Maverick,
/ DR.. V. M. Hogue, surgeon of the
hospital facilities section Of the
Public Health Service, chairman of
special committee appointed to
/ reconsider the proposal, explained
! that the addition had been turned
! down originally because of an as
+ sumption that in a suburban county
contiguous to a metropolitan CEN
ter the hospital requirements would
not exceed Is beds per l 900 persons
AIeXandria's Status.
Il feel that this assumption is not
! sound in the case of Alexandria be-
cause of the fact that this city Is not
| Immediately contiguous with WASH
! ington and because it is an old
established city and more self-con-
tanned than the average suburb" :"
Dr.. Hogue informed MI. Maverick
In study of the hospital service
area, the surgeon reported, it was
found that the area extended con-
! siderable distance south of AleXan-
drla and included parts of Fairfax
and Prince William Counties. In the
FBI Official to Speak