Evening star., 1944-04-18

Nearby Areas
toAskU 5.
For Hospital Aid
GoIIineer UnobIe
To Take Contagious
Disease Coses

Health authorities In nearby
Maryland and Virginia counties to-
day were planning to ask Federal
authorities for additional funds for
the construction Of hospital facil-
tiles for the care Of contagious
disease cases after they were warned
yesterday by District authorities
that 1t would be impossible for
Gallinger Hospital to accommodate
outside residents.
The decision to seek means of
|remedying the lack of isolation
wards In nearby communities came
during q meeting of the Metropol-
itan Health Oficers Association.
called yesterday In Alexandria by
DR.. Daniel Seckinger, acting super
intendent OF Gallinger and president
|of the association. DR.. Seckinger
said he called the meeting to discuss
steps to provide care for commune
icable disease patients residing OUT
side the District.
Gallinger Overcrowded.
District Commissioner Guy Mason
said Gallinger Hospital is so over
crowded that cases from outside of
the District could not be admitted
even If the District ruling which ex-
cludes such patients were amended.
In addition, he said, the Virginia
and Maryland localities have no
funds to pay for treatment OF such
cases.
DR.. v. M. Hoge of the United
States Public Health Service told
the meeting that, in his opinion,
Lanham Act funds might be avail
able to construct additions to exist
ing hospitals for isolation wards, or
to build separate isolation units SO
located that one unit could serve
Northern Virginia, and the other,
Maryland.
The latter solution appeared to be
the most advisable, he said, follow
ing reports by the various health
omcials on their local problems.
Virginia ofIicers to Meet.
DR.. w. A. Browne, Alexandra
health officer, said Northern vir-
ginia health officers plan to meet
April 26 to discuss needs Of their
localities and to present findings TO
the governing bodies of their cities
or counties.
New hospitals have been built
within the last year in Cheverly,
Bethesda and Arlington County, and
a wing has been added to the Alex
andria City Hospital.
DR.. Seckinger also revealed that
when plans were being drawn for
the three new 100-bed hospitals and
the addition to the Alexandria Hos
pital the health officerss association
requested that careful consideration
be given to the care Of contagious
disease cases.
Despite our recommendation" he
said, these were not proVideds
Scarlet Fever Case Recalled.
He called the meeting yesterday,
me said, because the "situation again
became actue" when a physician in
nearby Maryland recently was forced
to bring 3-year-old girl, seriously
Ill with scarlet fever, into Gallinger
Hospital because no facilities were
available in nearby Maryland.
I'VE were criticized in some quar-
ters," DR.. Seckinger said, because
OF red tape which the doctor had
to go through to get his patient IN.
This situation is bound to recur
from time to time, and / believed
it was time for the health offices in
the counties to have some discussion
on the matter"
Rabies Control Discussed.
DR.. Seckinger said today that the
scarlet fever wards are filled up now
and some persons who live in the
city and who ought to be hospital
lied are being treated in their
homes.
In addition to hospital needs, the
group discussed the need for a uni
|fication of rabies control measures,
and planned a conference on the
problem.
1t was pointed out that Prince
Georges County enforces a shoot
on-sight law, Arlington has compul-
sorry vaccination. Alexandria and
Montgomery County do not enforce
the vaccination requirement, and
that various other differences should
be ended to control rabies more