Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-08-10

All That Remain
AT GaI|inger .
Other Stoffs in Ward
Also Are Far Below
Figure Recommended

The Gallinger Hospital psy-
chopathic staff, which q special
three-man committee recon-
mended to the Commissioners
nearly four months ago be in
creased from five to eight full
time psychiatrists, has been cut
to two psychiatrists as q result
of illness, death and transfer,
despite an increase of admissions
over last year, it was learned
today.
In addition, the ward attendants
staff which the committee found
should be increased to 30 has
dropped to 81 men and women,
while only four nurses, instead Of
the 10 recommended by the COM
mtttee, are in attendance.
DR.. Daniel L. Seckinger, acting
superintendent Of the hospital, adj
mitted the psychopathic section had
been very badly hit" by the man
power shortage and disclosed that
the two psychiatrists-Dr. Joseph
I. Gilbert, head of the section, and
DR.. Amino Perretti-were working
10 to IL hours day to keep up
with the increased admissions. DIR.
Gilbert estimated that between 40
and 100 regular patients are being
cared for.
The pinch was first felt nearly
two months ago when DR.. Ettore
Dephilippis leftrthe stah for a posi-.
ton in New York City, DR.. Seek.
niger said. About six weeks ago
DR.. Lillian Malone, assistant to DR..
Gilbert, became Ill and is not ex.
pected to return for several weeks.
ne said. The death Sunday of DR..
Isaac J. Silverman reduced the stan
to two.
The hospital Official said efforts
are being made to hire two add.
tional psychiatrists but that it might
be q matter Of months before they
are obtained.
Soldiers Are Aiding.
The section has lost 10 men ward
attendants, DR.. Seckinger said, cut.
ting the staff to 81. The Commits.
sloners' committee recommended a
doubling of ward attendants, This
shortage has been only partly re-
lieved by a group of enlisted men
from Walter Reed Hospital who
have been gaining experience while
serving in the wards, the ofncial
said.
At the time of the committees
report april 12), three graduate
nurses and 20 student nurses were
working in the section. Only one
graduate nurse and several students
have been added.
Figures released by DR.. Seckineer
showed admissions for the firss
seven months of the year were run
ming l22 ahead Of q similar period
last year, and the official said thu
total may exceed 200 by tie end of
the year. Total admissions to thu
psychopathic section in 1943 were
2,75l. From January / to July 81
OF this year. admissions totaled
Its compared with 1,65S in the
1rst seven months of 1913
In addition to personnel recon-.
mendations, the committee headed
oy DR.. Winfred Overholser, St.
Ellzabeth's Hospital superintendent.
urged renovation of the wards
which they described in an earlier
report as poorly planned, cherries
and crowded, and the formulation Of
plans at an early date for an en-.
tirely new ward plant.>
/ Funds Available.
DR.. Seckinger said that with
$50 ESQ now available from Congress
for renovation, it would be only a
matter OF weeks before District re-
pairmen could start work.
The appropriation provided SIS 600
Tor painting of the buildings ex-
teriors, $3.50 for plaster repair.
5000 for replacing the main lobby
moor, $1,000 for sanding and rem.
ishlng floors, $1,000 for surfacine
concrete floors with tile. 5000 for
protecting stairways with screens
and $4,000 for painting wards and
the nurses home.
Serving with DR.. Overholser on
the committee were DR.. Frederick
w. Parsons, former New York State
commissioner of mental hygiene.
and DR.. Samuel w. Hamilton Of the
United States Public Health Service.