Evening star., 1945-08-02
Visitors Board Urges
More Buildings and
Workers al GaIIinger

-
The Commissioners are studying
report submitted by the Board of
Hospital Visitors which called for
additional personnel and stressed
the need for new buildings and facil-
tiles at Gallinger Hospital.
DR.. Alvin R. Sweeney, superintend-
ent, agreed that there was room for
improvement at the hospital. Yes
terday he visited the municipal
architects Office to discuss plans
now being worked out for the hos
pital.
DR.. Sweeney said that plans have
been completed for a new pediatric
building at Gallinger, for which
Congress provided 100000 in the
1916 appropriation measure. 1t will
have $50 beds and be stories high.
Will Get Laboratory.
Congress also provided $50, 900 for
new laboratory, which Dr. Sweeney
said was very much needed. 1t will
be two stories high and will contain
is laboratories, animal rooms, 2
autopsy rooms, a morgue and steril-
ization room. DR.. Sweeney said he
thought the cremstory should be in
a separate building.
While the report strongly urged
that a request be made to Federal
authorities for ALLEGATION of laundry
machinery, the architects office re-
ports that a priority already had
been obtained.
The report, in general praised the
work of the StaffS of the hospital
during wartime with greatly reduced
personnel. 1t urged the Commits
Sioners to summon witnesses to Con-
greSS to testify on the needs Of Gal
linger. In addition to urging the
need for more personnel and better
pay scales, the report outlined a
number of physical improvements
the board felt desirable.
Would Enlarge T. b. Wards.
StreSSing the need for enlarglng
the tuberculosis wards at Gallinger
the report said they cannot possibly
care for the patients awaiting ad-
mission. The Commissioners re-
Gently were forced to allow hospital
officials to close the second floor OF
the tuberculosis building because OF
the shortage of nurses. The report
said that if suitable furniture could
not be found for the porches, they
should be incloSed and utilized for
additional beds for tuberculosis pa
tients.
The pay Of attendants in the
psychiatric wards-S1 ,260 to 81 $40
a year-was said to be too low. The
salary range does not serve as an
incentive to those seeking a per-
manent position and many have
resigned, it was said. Commissioner
Guy Mason announced last week
that he would press for higher pay
for nurses and attendants in the
pSychiatric and contagious disease
wards. 1t has been necessary to-
have a policeman on duty in the
psychiatric ward because of the
personnel shortage.
The lack of personnel in this
ward is deplorable and conducive to-
UdIlStIS NIllCll may ICdd W diAiiSAAl
situations" it was said.
Score "UncleanIiness."
Children now in wards with adults
should be removed Immediately, the
report added. In the isolation ward
it was said that children'S rooms
were in such state of "uncleanli-
ness" that a separate crew Of work
men should renoyate them. 1t said
that any delay in the building of
new pediatric ward would be in
human"
The report criticized the "pitiful"
amount. $500, provided for per-
sonal services for maintenance OF
the Gallinger property. which has
a value. of $1,000 900. 1t also urged
the employment of head house
keeper and six assistants.
Acting Health Officer Daniel l..
Seckinger praised the boards report
and agreed that one Of the press
ing needs was for a modern psy-
chiatric building DR.. Seckinger. |
who served as acting head of the
hospital for more than a year and
a half, said the present psychiatric
building is not suited to the needs
of the institution. but might be
used for convalescents.
Urges Salary Boosts.
He said there was need for the
reopening of closed tuberculosis
wards at Gallinger and Glenn Dale
and favored higher nav for nurses |
and assistants in contagious disease
and psychiatric wards.
DR.. Seckinger said the report
shows the progress that has been
made toward making Gallinger
municipal medical center and said
that when the new kitchen and
laundry units are put into operation
they will meet vital deficiency
that has existed for 10 or Is years.
Nairobi, Kenya, radio now broad
casts news in seven African vernac-