Evening star., 1944-01-07
Improvements
Being Made
AT Ga||inger
Kitchen and Laundry
Problems on Way
To Being Solved
BY HAROLD B. ROGERS.

BY HAROLD B. ROGERS.
Several improvements already
have been made at Gallinger Hos
pital and others are under consid-
Grafton for action as soon as
possible as q result OF the recent
investigation by the Senate District
Committee, which recommended
sweeping changes.
Two OF the pressing problems-a
kitchen too small and inadequate
laundry service-have received i'm
mediate attention and are on the
way to being solved. A new kitchen
Is being designed, with hopes that
funds for its construction may be
obtained from Lanham Act funds at
the Federal Works Agency.
The Senate committee recon-
mended that "a suitable kitchen and
laundry be provided for as rapidly as
conditions permit"
Laundry EARNED Out"
Pressure on the inadequate laun-
dry already has been relieved by
farming out" some of the heavy
pieces, such as sheets. elsewhere. ]"
The dirty-linen room, formerly piled
to the ceiling with soiled pieces in
big bags, now looks more normal,
with only the current supply on
hand. When nurses turn in soiled
pieces from wards they get an i'm
mediate supply Of clean linen
equivalent to that turned in.
Anew kitchen to replace the old
nder-sized one Is deemed one Of
first needs of the hospital. The
present kitchen, designed many
years ago to serve $50 people q day.
is still being used under high pres
sure, and inadequate facilities to
feed about 1900 people. three meals
a day. There are only four ranges
to cook meals for the hospital popu-
lation, and refrigeration facilities
are entirely too small.
Plans for new kitchen to be
erected on hospital grounds south
OF the present structure are being
drawn in the Office of the municipal
architect, it was learned. District
commissioners are said to be strong
ly behind the effort to get funds to
build the new kitchen. 1t is hoped
the Federal Works Agency will give
favorable consideration to a request
for money out of Lanham Act funds
to construct the kitchen.
Other Steps Planned.
When and if the kitchen is built.
the old cookery will be vacated, and
the space used to enlarge the under
sized laundry, nearby.
Many other steps are being taken
by DR.. Daniel l.. Seckinger, acting
superintendent, to improve the
housekeeping" of the institution.
DR.. Seckinger has been placed in
charge, temporarily. succeeding DR..
Edgar A. Bocock., whose resignation
was demanded by the Senate Dis
trict Committee. Several other
changes in administrative personnel
proposed by the subcommittee MAX
ing the investigation were under
consideration by the Senate District
Committee for it's own further study
and possible action.
Rats, which had been the source
of complaints to the committee, are
being eXterminated as rapidly as
possible at the hospital, DR.. Seek
niger reports. In buildings the
rodents are being poisoned by squill,
which is effective only on such
animals, while in the grounds cya-
nide fumes are being used to trap
and kill wharf rats underground
Garbage no longer is collected for
hogs on the premises. but is removed
Immediately by the District Refuse
Department.
Tubercular Ward.
Patients have been removed from
the old frame buildings formerly
used as part of the tubercular ward
and have been housed elsewhere.
These buildings, which are to be
disposed of eventually, still house
the emergency ambulance service
and an out-patient clinic.
The problem of undermining the
psychopathic ward has been turned
over to committee Of three outside
specialists and the hospital admin
istration is awaiting their study and
recommendations
Most of the problems facing the
hospital, DR.. Seckinger said, were
still largely traceable to wartime
shortages of funds and personnel.
The rapid turnover of employees at
the hospital also has presented the
management with problems which
have proved difficult to surmount.
A recent supplemental budget for
Gallinger and other District agen-
cies failed of enactment BY Congress.