Evening star., 1945-11-05
St. Elizabeth sReady
To Fix Major Defects
Cited in PbA Survey


money to remedy two Of the worst
defects cited in q survey by the
Public Buildings Administration,
but it needs greatly increased per-
sonnel and facilities to meet the
postwar need, Dr.. Winfred Over
holser, superintendent, said today.
A survey conducted for the Fed
eral Security Agency, found 1885
patients crowded into housing with
a capacity Of 5,725.
DR.. OverholSer said the number
of patients has dropped 200 since
the survey was made. But he said
the institution will have to think in
terms of 10000 patients in the near
future.
New Housing to Start.
The PBA said 800 patients were
quartered in a building unfit" for
habitation. These patients have
been moved, DR.. .Overholser said,
and construction soon will begin
on 500-bed infirmary for which
funds have been appropriated.
Congress also has appropriated
money for q new laundry and store
house which PBA said was needed
DR.. Overholser added.
Lack of an adequate food-distri-
button system, delapidated pEimbing
and a need for better lighting and
ventilation were found by the sBA
in an investigation.
Another committee of three med
ical authorities commended the
psychiatric treatment at the hos
|pital but called for periodic medical
examinations and increased per-
Sonnel.
Larger Staff Suggested.
The medical authorities were DR.
Edward A. Strecher, chief consultant
on psychiatry to the Navy surgeon
general, DR.. r. w. Lorenz, head OF
the institute of research on mental
diseases, University of Wisconsin
and DR.. j. H. Musser, professor OF
internal. medicine at Tulane Uni
versity.
While approving of experiments
in psycho-drama and shock therapy
treatment, they recommended six
additional psychiatrists and an in
crease in the number of residents
and internes. Physical examina-
tions should be conducted at least
once a year, they said.
DR.. OverholSer conceded the staff
has been "decimated" by the war
but predicted that the return of men
from the armed forces would i'm
prove conditions.
Blocked by Lack of Funds.
II have had Is applications for
positions on our medical staff, but
I can't hire them because we haven't
got the money" he commented.
In spite of handicaps, the hos
pital has maintained an excellent
record In the treatment of mental
diseases, DR.. Overholser said. The
discharge rate, he reported, was 78.a
lper cent of admissions-2,2 ,229 COM
pared to 2,935, in the year 1944-45
He reported an even more rapie
recovery rate for Navy patients al
the hospital. The hospital dis.
charged 1903 of the 1897 Navy
patients admitted, representing 9
discharge rate Of 88.5 per cent.
Navy patients have not suffered
from the shortage of personnel be.
cause the Navy has sent its owr
nurses and corpsmen to care fol-
them, according to the investigat.
/ ing committee.
Want Beds Separated.
In the survey PBA noted thai
spaces are allotted for as many bed.
as possible, and recommended ir
designing new quarters, the beds bs
arranged in groups of four to sia
each.
The water supply system, it add.
1 ed, is in need Of thorough over.
hauling. Toilets should be separated
from baths, and more installed, se
there will be one to every eight
patients.
Food preparation and distribu.
tion should be redesigned to re.
duce the number of kitchen and tt
provide more sanitary and attrac.
tive means for the distribution o1
/ food" it said.
Ovcrcrowding Scored.
The investigators issued their fig.
ure on the capacity OF the institu.
tion reluctantly because some ol
the buildings included do not con.
tain essential facilities and are not
deemed satisfactory"
They pointed out that 975 Negro
males are housed In accommoda
tions for TAI; that 725 men live
In quarters for $50; that 86l Negro
women are housed In space for 49l
| Or. Overholzer declared that Il
would be incorrect to give the public
the impression that patients are moi
receiving adequate care He warned
however. that the population Of th,
institution and the need for expan-
sion viii increase.
The incidence Of mental disease il
rising with the average age Of thu
population, he said, predicting ths
permanent population Of the District
will increase.