Evening star., 1944-04-06
Stefan AssaiIs Lack
OF Isolation Care
In Nearby Counties
Areas Should Pay D. c.
For Patients Admitted
Here, He Declares
By DON S. WARREN.

BY DON >. WARREN.
Sharp protest over the failure OF
nearby countries to make provision
for the care of their own contagious
disease patients, instead of depend
ing on overcrowded District facili-
ties, was voiced today by Represent
ative Stefan, Republican, OF Ne
braska.
II can't see why District hospitals
should be made the dumping ground
for contagious disease patients from
the counties near the National Cap
ital," said Mr.. Stefan, who is rank
ing minority member of the House
Appropriations Subcommittee which
handles the District budget.
Certainly" he added, "if patients
from the counties are admitted as
a matter of necessity to Gallinger
Hospital or other District institu-
tions, then the counties should re-
imburse the District government for
the cost of the care given"
Problem More Acute Now.
The situation, he emphasized, is
more acute now because of the war
swollen District population, which
has placed an increased load on
Gallinger Hospital.
In this connection Mr.. Stefan
said he had found from a personal
inspection of conditions at Gal
linger that there is danger of a
spread of contagious diseases among
infant patients because the insti-
tuition lacks receiving ward for
children.
This view was supported by DR..
Daniel L. Seckinger, deputy health
officer of the District and acting
superintendent of Gallinger. He
revealed he is preparing a proposal
calling for development of a sep
arate pediatric ward at Gallinger
so that incoming child patients
may be kept apart from babies
born at the hospital and to provide
isolation for child patients having,
or suspected of having, contagious
diseases. Such facilities now are
lacking he said.
Ward Called "First Must"
Dr. Seckinger said he regarded
the proposed development of sep
arate children's ward at Gallinger
as "first must" on a program for
expanding the hospitals facilities.
He said he knew of no case in
which contagious disease had
been spread to an infant by the
admission of others who could not
be segregated until after the in
cubation period for communication
diseases had passed.
He added he did not regard the
situation as alarming" and that
maintenance of a constant watch"
had kept the danger to a minimum,
but he agreed with Mr.. Stefan better
provisions should be made at Gal
linger.
DR.. Seckinger also revealed he is
preparing recommendations for
other Improvements at Gallinger,
including expanded facilities for the
hospitals laboratory, for an out
patient medical clinic and for estab-
lishment ora unit system" of keep
ing patient records in a central
Office. Under the latter plan, the
case histories of all Gallinger
patients would be preserved for q
period of years for the advice OF
Gallinger physicians when patients
again are admitted to the hospital
Stefan Touring Institutions.
Mr.. Stefan, who is making tours
of District institutions in prepara-
ton for the District budget hearings
scheduled to open April "a, said he
did not see that residents of Mary
land and Virginia Counties had any
claim on service from District hos
pitfalls. They have, certainly, nc
more claim than the resident of any
State in the country" he added
"On the other hand, pupils from
Maryland and Virginia now get free
tuition in District schools and people
in the Metropolitan Area receive
many other benefits from the
District"
He said he found that despite the
present lack of an adequate kitchen
at Gallinger the food served pa
tients is we'll prepared and whole
some. Arrangements now are being
made for provision of larger
kitchen. He said he would make
other trips to Gallinger before the
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