Evening star., 1946-04-13
Senate Group 10 Open
Ga||inger Baby Death
Inquiry on Monday

The O'Mahoney Subcommittee of
the Senate Appropriations Commit
tee will begin an inquiry Monday
into charges by officials of Gallinger
Municipal Hospital that many pre-
mature babies born there have died
because of lack of adequate nurs-
ing care.
The OMahoney group yesterday
concluded consideration of most of
the large and important school
budget proposals, except for capital
outlay items. Health department
requests are scheduled for study
when sessions are resumed Monday.
A sympathetic" hearing was given
to requests by DR.. Hobart M, Corn
ing, the new superintendent of
schools, for employment of 1873 more
teachers and few other officials
above totals granted by the House.
S1,500,000 More Sought.
For capital improvements, school
officials, with the support of the
Commissioners, are seeking an ex-
penditure in the fiscal year begin
ming July l of about $1,5OO,o00 above
funds granted by the House.
Meanwhile, Health Officer George
@. Ruhland said today that char
women at Gallinger Hospital have
had to be pressed into service tax
ing care of newborn babies. He
acknowledged that the Health De-
partment has known all along about
the institutions high death toll of
newborn babies.
"But there was nothing we could
do about it other than appeal for
more help when we presented our
budget requests during the past two
years." he said. "It was purely a
matter of lack of personnel.
Il would appreciate it if all those
persons who are loudly criticizing
the situation would tell us what
they would do to remedy it. Per-
haps they would be willing to volun-
teer their services to Gallinger to
help take up the slack"
More Volunteers Needed.
DR.. Rutland said he has appealed
to the Red Cross and the Grey
Ladies and that they have supplied
volunteers, but that more were
needed.
The "unfreezing" of present nurses
salaries at Gallinger would aid the
situation materially, he asserted.
Another factor cited by Dr. Rutland
was the slow return here of nurses
who entered the armed services
during the war. Of 750 nurses who
left the city, only 100 have returned,
he said.
Suggestions for emergency action |
to provide more temporary help for !
the obstetrical division at Gallinger
were rejected yesterday by Com
missioner Guy Mason, who said the
question should be withheld until
the Senate subcommittee could re-
view the problem.
Charges by Gallinger Hospital Of
ficials that so babies died there last
year for want of proper nursing
care have been dramatized to OBJ
tain an increase in nursing person.
mel, Commissioner Mason said last
night.
Not Made Before Senate.
MIR. Mason pointed out no such
sensational statements as those
made to the Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee earlier this week were
made to the Commissioner last
September when the Health Depart
ment Budget was under considera-
ton by the city heads. Nor, he add
ed, were they made when the esti-
mates were scrutinized by a House
Appropriations Subcommittee less
than three weeks ago.
To the House, hospital officials
said merely that the infant mortal
ity rate had increased from 3.6 to
AZ per cent and that the rate re-
hected the nursing care given.
Mr.. Mason said the hospital now
has rs nurses and requested IS in
the 1947 budget which the Commits
sioners approved. The House cut
the number to 81, he said, and the
Commissioners are supporting the
Health Department plea for A ad-
ditional nurses to bring the new DO
sitions back to rs.