Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-03-03
Former Head Nurse
At Upshur Hospital
Blamed in FIare-Up

Upshur Street Hospital is operat-
ing today with a new acting SUPER
intendent and head nurse as re-
suit of fiareup in which a group
of nurses resigned and failed to re-
port to duty.
The former head nurse, Mrs. Ger
trude T. Haynes, was dismissed yes
terday along with five nurses, and
the superintendent, DR.. George B.
Jenkins, was transferred to duty at
Gallinger Municipal Hospital His
place has been taken by DR.. John
M. Stanley, assistant to DR.. Daniel
l.. Finucane, superintendent of
Glenn Dale Sanatorium.
Mrs. Margaret Wilson, night SUI
pervisor of nurses, also has resigned
according to DR.. Daniel L. Seckinger
facting superintendent of Gallinger
Municipal Hospital. He said, how
ever, that he had not seen the letter
of resignation
Meanwhile, Commissioner Mason,
who ordered the dismissals, released
"a letter from DR.. David Leibovici,
associate medical officer of Upshur
Street Hospital, claiming that lit is
my belief that the mass designations
have been instigated and helped
along by Mrs Haynes"
Named Acting Head.
DR.. Leibovici told DR.. Seckinger
that he was informed yesterday
that some nurses had resigned
and that only two were on duty for
more than 80 patients. One of these,
Mrs. Minnie David, has been named
acting head of nurses.
DR.. Leibovici's account follows:
MRS. Haynes was called in and
was asked why if she knew last
night Thursday at about 80 that
the nurses had resigned she had not
so informed either DIR. Jenkins or
myself. Her first statement was
that she did not think anything
could be done about it; followed
by another statement that she did
not think of it.
Il asked Mrs Haynes if she had
made any attempt to forestall a
mass resignation when she saw the
nurses last night. Her answer was
mo- because she knew that she could
not change their decision. However
pointed out to her that it should
have been her duty as chief nurse to
at least have attempted to restrain
such action"
Asks Investigation.
Five nurses who were ordered dis
missed by Mr.. Mason met Thursday
night with Mrs. Haynes. They were
Rebekah Reid, Josephine M. Jones,
Nellie M. Jones, Emma L. Rountree
and Alice B. Gilpin. In an appar-
ent reference to a telegram which
six nurses. including the five dis
missed, sent to Health Officer George
c. Rutland asking an investigation
of the hospital, DR.. Leibovici re-
ported:
In the course of conversation
Mrs. Haynes was asked if she knew
about the telegram that had been
sent to DR.. Rutland. Her answer
was that she had known about it,
but had nothing to do with it. How
ever, on a previous occasion when
asked about this tby DR.. Jenkins)
she had denied even knowing
about it,
Mr.. Mason ordered the dismissal
Of Mrs. Haynes for what he termed
administrative incompetence and
the dismissal of the other nurses
for neglect of duty, which he said
intolerable behavior in
a hospital.
While the six nurses who asked
an investigation charged DR.. Jenkins
did not enforce sufficient discipline
among patients, So patients pro-
tested that Mrs. Haynes had created
a reform school atmosphere which
"at times reached Gestapo peak"