Evening star., 1944-08-02
Hearings Set
On Proposed +.
Medical Center
Dr.. RuhIond Hopes
For Glenn Dole and
Gollineer Expansions
By DON s. WARREN,

ny OON b. WAhMEN.
Health Onicer George C. Ruhland
today voiced hope for large scale
expansions Of the Gallinger Hospi-
tai and Glenn Dale Sanatorium in
the postwar period as the DALE
fsandro subcommittee Of the House
District Committee scheduled hear
ings to begin next Monday on q
suggestion for construction after the
war of modern municipal medical
center"
The medical center proposal was
made In a statement last night by
Representative D'Alesandro, Demo-
crat, Of Maryland. who expressed his
belief that Washington's present
hospital facilities would remain
overtaxed after the war and that
the lack of facilities would consti-
tute q health hazard.
Large Center In Mind.
While details of his plan are to
be developed during and after the
scheduled hearings, he said he has
In mind . large center to be built,
owned and operated by the District.
He plans to seek advice and testi.
mony from Federal and District
health officials as well as spokesmen
for all Of the Districts private hos.
pitals.
DR.. Rutland, who Is to be asked
to testify, said he was gratified
there was to be a congressional
study Of the problems, but added
medical authorities rathey generally
have been opposed to "centraliza-
ton Of hospital facilities" in any one
city section, on the ground it would
be better II such facilities were made
lregionally available.
The health ofhcer revealed CO.
incidentally he has written to
Surg. Gen. Thomas Parran of
the United States Public Health
Service. urging that the Federal
agency make q technical survey Of
the postwar hospital and health
center needs of the District as a
part Of q national study of such
facilities, for which Congress has
provided q large fund.
OnefS proposals.
The health offlcer also said he
had submitted to the Commissioners
long list of proposed improvements
to existing municipal hospital facil-
tiles for inclusion in q District gov.
eminent postwar program being de-
veloped at the request of Chairman
Colmer of the House Postwar Eco.
nomic Policy and Planning Com
mittee, forwarded recently by
Federal Works Administrator Philip
B. Fleming.
DR.. Rutland said there should
be included in such a program pro-
vision Of new psychiatric ward at
Gallinger; conversion of the present
psychiatric ward. the facilities of
which have been denounced by both
medical and congressional groups,
into housing for chronic and con.
valescent medical cases; a new chill
dren's ward; additional outpatient
facilities, expanded laboratories,
and new housing for the Gallinger
superintendent, and the resident
STAFF.
With the provision of additional
laboratory facilities, DR.. Ruhland
said the way would be opened for
development of District medical re-
search activities, which is one of the
objectives of Mr.. D'Alesandro in his
proposal for a municipal medical
center.
Other Proposals Made.
The DAlesandro proposal comes
on the heels OF similar suggestion
for creation here of a model city
medical center by Chairman Bilbo
OF the Senate District COMMITTEES
and the more recent request by
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee for provision of
site for building a new and larger
Providence Hospital.
The D'Alesandro hearings are to
be opened at 1890 am, Monday.
The project which hope to make
a model for the Nation" he said,
will necessitate a comprehensive
study of conditions as they exist
today. While Washington NAV b~
drained Of some of its swollen pop-
ulation after the war, I believe the
civilian population of the Metropol.
itan Area will remain close to SOC. :
600. Present hospital facilities are
overtaxed and will remain so, ems
dangering the public health.
\ Il intend to begin the study by
calling before the subcommittee
competent physicians and public
health authorities to help outline a
procedure SO We may make this the
No. l postwar project for the Dis.
ltricf"