Evening star., 1946-05-28
Castle Elected Head
OF New|y-Formed
Hospital Council

William R. Castle, president of
Garfield Hospital. was elected presi-
dent of the new National Capital
Area Hospital Council. at its formal
organization session late yesterday
at Emergency Hospital.
Bylaws proposed by the Organi-
cation Committee were adopted on
a temporary basis. 1t was decided,
however. to have another meeting of
the official representatives to the
council within about 10 days to
consider proposed amendments. All
amendments are to be presented in
writing within the next five days.
Other officers named were Robert
G.. Whitton, administrator of Alex
andria Hospital, vice president; Mrs.
w. E. Perry, vice president of Su-
burban Hospital, treasurer: and Sis
ter Marie, president of the Board
OF Directors and administrator of
Providence Hospital, secretary.
Twelve names were presented by
the Nominating Committee, headed
by Arthur G. Lambert, of Suburban
Hospital, for the IL positions on
the proposed Executive Committee.
Actior~on this was postponed pend
ing consideration of the size and
composition of the Executive Com
mlttee at the meeting on bylaws.
Ramsey Plans Amendments.
DR.. Herbert P. Ramsey. of Gar
field Hospital medical staff who also
is chairman of the Metropolitan
Health Council of the Council of
Social Agencies. indicated he had
several amendments to propose.
The Executive Committee as
proposed, he said, contained no
members of the regular medical
STATS of the hospitals. despite the
fact shat it contained the names
of VERY estimable persons" He
warned that the new council al
ready was being looked upon in
some quarters with suspicion as a
very tight little community. He
assured the group his amendments
were desiged entirely to be help
full"
DR.. Ramsey indicated the forth
coming report of DR.. Claude w.
Munger, one of the three surveyors
for the Metropolitan Health Coun-
Gil, would criticize the public rela-
tions Of hospitals here, and that
public relations should be more
carefully considered by the council
Henry P. Blair of Episcopal Hos
pital, whose motion to adopt the
proposed bylaws temporarily was
adopted after some argument, said
he agreed with Dr. Ramsey that
the Executive Committee ought to
be representative body probably
with more emphasis on behalf of
doctors and laymen.
3 Hospital Representatives.
Representatives to the council
under the present bylaws are chosen
by each hospital. Each member
hospital has three representatives:
Namely, two designated by its
governing board, and a third who
shall be the administrative head of
the hospital" Some of the hospital
boards selected one director and
one member Of its medical staff for
the two representatives to act along
with the superintendent or admin
istrative head. But some others
did not name a member of the
medical staff among its three rep
resentatives, it was learned.
Mr. Castle former Undersecretary
of State. said after his election he
hod he1io,ed for , Io,o fiy,e a Iooe,,i
tai council would be very impor-
tant thing to bring the hospitals to-
gether."
Too much in the past" he said,
different institutions had been
working for themselves. That per-
haps is necessary. But We must
never work for ourselves in way to
hurt the charitable work of the
community. The new Hospital Coun-
Gil should have an excellent effect
on public relations of hospitals in
general"
"It will be important" he said,
to have the so-called Munger Re-
port" on hospitals available before
amending bylaws.
Representatives OF 18 hospitals
attended the meeting. From the
Navy Hospital at Bethesda was
Capt. Robert E. Duncan, U. S. NJ,
medical officer in command.
Maj. Gen. William D. Connor (re-
tired, head of the Organizing Com
mittee appointed at the first prelim-
mary meeting for the council, pre-
sided during the session yesterday.