Evening star., 1944-04-03
Nearby Areas
Hit on Lack Of
Isolation Care
Case Of Child III
Of Scarlet Fever
Stirs D. c. Officials

"A 3-year-oll girl from nearby
seriously Ill with scarlet
fever and measles, was being cared
for today in Callinger Hospital de-
spite regulations to the contrary.
as District ofilcials criticized nearby
counties for failure to set up their
own facilities for treatment Of COM
diseases.
The child, Jeanette Ann Weaver.
daughter of Yeoman First Class
John G. Weaver, who himself is
confined with scarlet fever In the
Naval Medical Center in Bethesda,
was brought to Gallinger last night
by DR.. Isador M. Lavine from her
home In haywood Gardens, one
block beyond the District line. She
remained outside in an ambulance
OF the Brentwood Rescue Squad
for 30 minutes while DR.. Lavine
convinced hospital authorities she
should be admitted because of her
critical condition.
Condition Reported Better.
Her condition today was de.
scribed by DR.. Daniel Seckinger.
acting superintendent Of Gallinger,
as "a little better" although it Ia
still serious. The measles devel-
oped last night, DR.. Lavine said,
after the child had been suffering
for two weeks from scarlet fever.
Her temperature went up to 107,
which convinced DR.. Lavine, he
said, that something had to be done
at once.
Previously he had tried to have
her admitted to the Naval Medical
Center and two Maryland hospitals.
The naval hospital has no facilities
for taking care of children and the
new Maryland hospitals have no
wards for communicable diseases.
District health and hospital Of
f1cials today were critical of nAarby
counties for falling to provide ia
cilities. Under the circumstances.
it was pointed out, the closest point
at which such cases can be ham
died is Baltinore-about 40 miles
away.
Use of Funds Limited.
DR.. James G. Cumming, head Of
the communicable disease section Of
the District Health Department,
pointed out that under the act ap-
propriating funds for Gallinger, the
hospital is for the treatment and
care Of the INDECENT sick of the Dis
trict.
"We have direct orders not to take
Virginia and Maryland cases." he
said. "Of course, in an emergency
case like this, we can't very well re-
fuse admission. The child was very
sick and needed care"
DR.. Cumming said DR.. Lavine
called him last night and that after
he learned the child Was waiting at
the hospital doof, he Granted per-
mission to have her admistd.
"Our hospitals are filled to the
gills," he said. "We have waiting
list. Why should we be burdened
with Maryland and Virginia cases?
Those States should take care Of
their own people"
DR.. Lavine said he had made vari-
GUS attempts to obtain hospital
facilities for the little girl, but that
he had been unsuccessful during the
past two weeks. Yesterday, how
ever, the child was suffering under
fever Of 106 degrees and he con-
tacted Prince Georges County
health officers.
Baltimore Journey Advised.
He said he was advised to take
the patient to Baltimore and that
arrangements would be made
through the county this morning.
DR.. Lavine agreed to wait, but last
night the girls temperature went
up another point and her physician
found she had also contracted
measles. He determined to get her
into Gallinger Hospital, despite the
regulations.
He said an inferno to whom he
talked was very courteous and
agreed the child should be admitted
but did not want to take the re-
sponsibility. So DR.. Lavine called
DR.. Cumming He said the health
official was sympathetic and, al
though he pointed out the hospital
was not supposed to accept patients
from outside the District, he gave
his permission for the girl to be
DR.. Lavine said that while he was
arrangements, the girl was
in the ambulance outside the hos
pital with her mother, Mrs. Iona
Weaver. Mrs. Weaver, he said, is
not physically i'll but has been in q
nervous and worried condition be-
cause of her child's illness.