Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-04-04
Medical Investigator!
Criticize Psychiatric
Ward at Ga||inger
Term 1t Poorly Planned
And Unrestricted, but
Exonerute Doctors
A commission of three doctors

A commission of three doctors,
appointed to investigate the
Gallinger Hospital psychiatric
ward, said in a preliminary re-
port to Commissioner Guy Ma
son today that it was poorly
planned, cherries, crowded and
understaffed, but cleared the
staff there of professional neg
lect of patients.
The Board of Investigation was
appointed by the District Commits
sloners after criticism of Gallinger
by Senate subcommittee last fall.
which demanded the resignation of
DR.. Joseph I. Gilbert, head of the
psychiatric section.
Pointing out that a staff of five
doctors now cares for 5000 patients
year in the ward, the board rec
commended that it be increased to
eight. Declaring that the institu-
ton was at times dangerously
short-handed,' they also urged that
30 attendants-or double the present
number-be supplied the ward.
See Undue Restraint.
Because of this understanding, the
doctors reported, they received the
impression that restraint is unduly
used" adding:
Restraint breeds restlessness and
the need for more restraint
The letter to Commissioner Mason
was in the nature of a preliminary
report summarizing the boards
official findings, a document of so
pages, which has not yet been made
public.
The investigators included Drs.
Wlnfred Overholser, superintendent
OF st. Elizabeth's Hospital; Samuel
w. Hamilton of the United States
Public Health Service and Fred
erick w. Parsons of New York City
for many years New York State
commissioner of mental hygiene.
The doctors severely criticized the
layout out of the department, its
lack of cheerful decorations and in
ADEQUATE personnel.
The principal defect of the in
stitution is structural" the report
/ said. What should have been done
under one roof is under four. The
institution is ineptly planned and a
lplace of astonishing inconvenience
Ihere IS space where it is not
wanted, but where room is urgently
needed, space is unbelievably skinny,
furthermore, the place was
never decently furnished. It is
barnllke in appearance. There is
not a bit of floor covering nor a
picture on the walls, and windows
are as naked as the carpenters left
them. The old paint on the walls is
| unattractive; water has come
through in few places and de-
stroyed the plaster"
Urge Repairs at Once.
Admitting the difficulty of securing
adequate personnel and pSychiatrists
under wartime conditions, the doc
! tors said for the present "a few
thousand dollars should be spent for
| AAAoAS AiNiP, toOlllC lllOIlSy IOl
paint and minor repairs, furniture
and furnishings, and some outside
help, such as visiting staff of four
or five experienced hospital admin
istrators from the District, Mary
land and Virginia to bolster the
medical staff"
The present structures, built il
1928 at a cost of $752,000 are no
worth the expenditure of a large
sum of money for notifications,
the investigating doctors told Com.
missioner Mason.
In the end, you will have a struc.
ture unsuited to its purpose and eX.
pensive to operate We believe il
will be an economy to devote the
present buildings to some other hos.
pital purpose and start afresh.
I'VE visualize a more compac
building containing an administra
tive center and eight wards, four or
each side, to serve the functions O
those in the present building"