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

A 3-year-old girl from nearby
Maryland, seriously Ill with scarlet
fever and measles, was being cared
for today in Gallinger Hospital de-
spite regulations to the contrary.
as District ofdcials criticized nearby
counties for failure to set up their
own facilities for treatment Of COM
municable diseases.
The child. Jeanette Ann Weaver.
daughter Of Yeoman First Glass
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 80 minutes while DR.. IAvine
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 1t 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 I'D to lot,
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
ficials today were critical Of nearby
counties for failing to provide ia
cilities. Under the circumstances,
1t was pointed out, the closest point
at which such cases can be han.
died is Baltimore-about 40 miles
away.
OSC VI UuOS LIIUlt0Us
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.
I'VE 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 door, De granted per-
mission to hive her Admittd.
Our Sh0epitals are fiIled to the
gills," ~ ae3. ~ have . waiting
] list. Why odld re 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 interne 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
accepted.
DR.. Lavine said that while he was
making arrangements, the girl was
in the ambulance outside the hos
pital with her, mother, Mrs. Iona
Weaver. Mrs. Weaver, he said, is
not physically Ill but has been In .
nervous and worried condition be-
cause of her child's illness.
- - AA