Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-27

move 10 Abandon
|Upshur Hospital
While District health authorities
were discharging patients from the
Upshur Street Hospital and plan
ming for release" of others, Edward
K. Funkhouser, executive secretary
of the District of Columbia Tubercu-
losis Association, strongly opposed
suggestions the structure be aban-
doned.
Mr.. Funkhouser insisted the in
stitution was needed for patients
improving from tuberculosis, that
both the patients themselves and
the community at large be pro-
tected.
Ten patients have been discharged
from the Upshur Street building
since last Thursday, four of them
for disciplinary reasons, DR.. John
M. Stanley, acting head of the hos
pital, said late yesterday. Six of the
ten patients were discharged for
medical reasons, DR.. Stanley said,
and three others might be dis
charged today, following a study of
their home condition"
Hits ''Flophouse" Phrase.
Mr.. Funkhouser. in a press con-
ference at the association head
quarters, took sharp exception to
the phrase ''fophouse, which Com
missioner Guy Mason called the
hospital. Mr.. Mason said a num-
Der of patients work either all day
or part time and receive free medi-
cal care. His charges that many
working patients were not paying
for care were substantiated by Dis
trict Auditor Arthur L. Pilkerton.
Whether patient pays or not,
Mr.. Funkhouser said, was not the
important thing. The most i'm
portant factor in the situation, he
asserted, was to provide proper
medical supervision of tuberculosis
patients. tuberculosis, he said. is
never cured. 1t is only arrested,
at best.
Emphasizing he was not familiar
with recent troubles of the institu-
ton, Mr.. Funkhouser insisted that
this city needed such hospital for
hardening" of patients until they
are safe to go home Such treat
ment, he said, could not be pro-
vided by overburdened tuberculosis
clinics here.
Health Officer George C. Rutland
reported over the week end that
some 40-odd" patients might be
moved from Glenn Dale Sanatorium
to Upshur Street. DR.. Stanley said
Upshur Street Mad only 70 patients
out of 1875 capacity.
Report Under Study.
Meanwhile, the Health Depart
ment is investigating figures in a
report by Mr.. Pilkerton showing
that only $4,000 has been collected
out of 1921 900 due from paying pa
tients at Gallinger Hospital in a IS
month period. DR.. Rutland has
promised a prompt report to the
Commissioners.
Douglas N. West, head of the Hos
pltal Permit Bureau, said he vas in
agreement with the recommended
lions of Mr.. Pilkerton for strength
ening the collection machinery. In
his report to the Commissioners Mr.
Pilkerton said that because of the
number of emergency patients ad-
mitteo to the hospital the Commits
sioners should give consideration to
the placing of a medical officer in
charge of the bureau, which passes
on financial statuses of patients, but
does not collect fees.
Yesterday, however, Mr.. Pilkerton
said he was not criticizing Mr.. West,
whom he termed competent Off
cial. Actually, according to DR.
Daniel L. Seckinger, acting superin-
tendent of Gallinger, doctors of the
hospital do pass on admission of
emergency cases. He said that Mr..
VESTS Office was handicapped by
lack of social workers to investigate
the financial status of patients.
Bureau Understaffed.
The Permit Bureau is now said to
be short seven social workers and
three clerical workers, which has
resulted in the Office at Gallinger
being stated only in the daytime
and not in the evenings or on holi-
days.
A proposal to raise base pay of
four clerical workers from $1,44O to
ST $50 in. the permit Office is now
before the Civil Service Commission,
while the District Personnel Board
is considering proposal to raise the
pay of eight social workers from
$1,000 to $4,000 and have a super
visor at 5000 and assistant super
visor at $1,000.
Mr.. Pilkerton in his recommended
lions said that the Permit Bureau
should establish at Gallinger an
admittance and discharge Office suf-
flciently stated to clear and certify
all admissions: that the Commits