Evening star., 1944-01-25
BULLETIN.

| NSAAS0 cOAdy OAIdt 1lc Ildu re-
leased the Guffey letters, as
Senator Guffey had announced
earlier. Mr.. Mason said the
letters were photostated with
out the knowledge or consent
OF the Commissioners and
given out by Health Officer
George c. Rutland and Mrs.
Ruth Buchanan. He reported
4 DR.. Rutland had admitted
having the letters photostated.
The Commissioners scheduled
a special meeting at 2 pm. to
discuss the Health Department
situation.
A suggestion that unless a doctor
was given, more of the work he
wanted to do, there might have
to be Senate committee in
vestigation of the District Health
Department was seen in photo
static copy of letter dated Decem-
Der Z, 1912, bearing the name of
Senator Guffey, Democrat. of Penn
sylvania--displayed late yesterday
on Capitol Hill.
The letter protested that DR.. George
c. Rutland, health officer, had given
the Pennsylvania Senator and the
Commissioners glorious run
around"
The protest had to do with re.
fusal by the health officer to COM
ply with request as to the hospi-
tai assignment of a physician and
surgeon, a friend of the Pennsyl-
vania Senator-according to this
letter and an earlier one, dated July
29, 1912, which also was given TO
reporters for their use.
Displayed by Mrs. Buchanan.
They were brought to light by
one of Washington's most active
women civic workers, Mrs. Ruth
Buchanan.
They, were give nto reporters as
they waited outside the closed doors
OF committee room, where mem
bers of the Senate District Commit
tee were considering the Gallinger
Hospital investigation report, which
calls for the removal Of two hos
pital physicians. Commissioner Guy
Mason and Health Onicer Ruhland.
Observers were quick to point out
that the Senate ordered investiga-
ton of Gallinger Hospital 10
months ooo follou,ipu thn Il t>sk ~f
the protest letters and then only
after long series of complaints
regarding conditions at Gallinger
were filed with the District Com
mittee by the General Accounting
Once.
Further, Chairman McCarran and
members of the Gallinger subcom-
mittee declare they had not been
advised of the Guffey Rutland dis
pute.
First Dated July, 1912.
The first letter, July %. 1942. ad-
dressed to Commissioner Mason,
reads:
when abroad four years ago l
had the pleasure of meeting DR..
Eugene de Savitsch in Vienna,
where he was pursuing his studies
and doing research work. About
three years ago he moved to the
United States and opened offices
for the practice of medicine and
surgery here in Washington.
Personally, I think he is one of
the brightest men in the medical
and surgical line that I have had
the pleasure OF meeting. Prior to the
time met him he had been in the
Belgian Congo doing research work
on sleeping sickness, where he nad
been sent by the Rockefeller Foun-
dation.
Shortly after his coming mere,
Commissioner J. Russell Young
spoke to DR.. Rutland about hos
pital assignment for him. He has
been assigned to some hospital staff
with nothing to do and he is very
anxious to get chance to do some
research work.
Il want to assure you there is
no better qualified man in the Dis
trict of Columbia than DR.. de
Savitsch and I cannot understand
why DR.. Ruhland doesn't give him
something to do. I want to tell you