Evening star., 1944-01-11
Randolph Asks
Views on Care
|0f Mentally III
Requests Advice
On Patients From
No-Mun's S Land
BY DON S. WARREN.

District officials were invited today
by Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee to give their
views on his bill to apply District
laws and to open District institu-
tlons to the care of mentally sick
persons found in Government build
ings In the "no-man's land" area
along the Virginia shore.
The emergency measure, intro
duced yesterday at the request of
the Mental Health Subcommittee of
the District Medical Society, leaves
unsettled the question as to who
would pay the hospital bills for per-
sons not found to be legal residents
of the District.
Plans Immediate Study.
Mr.. Randolph said he would make
an immediate study of this question
and that there would be time to
insert proper provisions before the
bill comes up for action. He added
ne would welcome the advice of the
Commissioners and other interested
parties.
Budget Office Walter L. Fowler
said he felt the cost in such cases
should be borne by the United States
II the States would not accept the
charge; that he could see no reason
why the costs of care and mainte-
nance OF non-District residents
should be placed on District tax
payers, although agreeing that lack
OF mental health facilities in nearby
Virginia may require some new ar
rangements.
Under District law, indigents Of
this jurisdiction are given free hos
pltal care, but graded scale Of
charges is provided for those found
able to pay part or all of the ex-
penses. After a mental case has
been adjudicated, the court decides
who pays the costs of institutional
care.
Problem Is Actual.
That the Districts financial prob
lem of caring for the insane and
mentally defective that come here
from all over the country is actual
and not theoretical is shown in con-
gresslonal hearings on the District
budgets, including that for the past
fiscal year. At that time Budget
Offlcer Fowler submitted data to the
Q OMahoney Senate Subcommittee
quoting Census Bureau reports for
1887 showing the District had 61s
mental patients per 100000 popula-
ton, whereas the average for the
Nation was but 1929 per 100 900.
He recalled that DR.. Winfred
Overholser, superintendent of st,
Ellzabeth's Hospital, testifying on
the Federal Security Agency bill for
1912. offered two reassn for the large
percentage of insane in the District:
) mat the District is urban and "pe-
culiar conduct" that is permitted in
rural areas is not tolerated here
ana that since the District is the
: Nations Capital many individuals
/ OF unsound mind come here to offer
their ideas and services to the Fed
eral Government.
Mr.. Fowler stressed that If ths
Jurlsdlctional residence of these in
sane cannot be determined. after
their apprehension and commit
ment to st. Elizabeth's, they remain
as charges to the District. The cost
OF District" patients at st. Eliza
neth.s Hospital this fiscal year is
sa,25O,o8O. He made the point also
That relatives of persons found of
unsound mind prefer that they be
cared for at st. Elizabeth's. "the
pest hospital in all the world" and
consequently they are dumped on
the District of Columbia"
1t was explained on the Senate
side OF the Capitol that in one re-
spect-handling of mental cases
the new Randolph bill was similar
IN purpose to that of Chairman Nc
Carran OF the Senate District COM
mlttee which would apply all Dis
trlct laws to the federally owned
properties in nearby Virginia.