Evening star., 1947-01-10

Ndshed 4lz,W,W;.
Y,191,0O0 Asked
Estimates submitted by the Health
Department for the operation of the
health services in the District for
the next fiscal year were cut nearly
$12,OOo,O0o by the Commissioners, it
was revealed today when the annual
budget was sent to Congress by the
President.
The department had asked for
$2o,o63 sos for expenses and new
buildings for the year beginning
next July /, but this was pared down
to $8,191 900. While this amount is
Q slight increase over the S6,802 1855
appropriation for the present fiscal
year, most of the increase is for the
mandatory salary boosts granted by
Congress last summer. The depart
ent has asked for supplementary
appropriations to carry on until July
/, which extra funds would raise
this years budget to $7,539, TOT.
The estimates did, however, pro-
vide for 72 additional nurses at Gal
linger Municipal Hospital, "a student
nurses and Is additional physicians
Health Officer George C. Rutland
had asked for $50 new positions at
the hospital, of which 300 were to be
for nurses.
For the operation Of Gallinger
Hospital the Health Department had
asked for $3.50, 900 for next year.
The budget today revealed they
would be allowed only $3,7S3, 600. The
present years appropriation is S.
10000. The hospital submitted its
estimate on the basis of having to
serve 400 patients day during the
next year.
Physicians Residence Refused.
The request for new psychiatric
building to cost 100000, a new
building for crippled children at ST.
100000, and physicians residence
to cost $3.50, 900, were all refused. The
new psychiatric building has been
recommended for several years by
experts in that field of medicine
while the building which now houses
the crippled children is very old and
is said to present a serious fire
hazard.
Glenn Dale Sanitorium for tuber-
cular patients, which is located in
Maryland 20 miles from Washing
ton, also would receive 20 additional
nurses and, 20 hospital attendants.
The sanitorium also would be
granted $4,000 for constructing
and equipping an apartment house
on the grounds as a residence for
physicians attached to the sani-
torium. Because of the distance
from Washington and the lack of
transportation the sanitorium has
been unable to attract enough
physicians for work among the
patients.
Health Department officials say
that even though the increase was
slight, the addition of the nurses
and attendants would enable the
sanitorium to reopen some Of the
wards which were closed on account
OF the shortage of help.
An appropriation of $2,266, 900 had
been asked for the operation of the
sanitorium for the next fiscal year
but the Commissioners cut this
amount to $1,645,000. This is a
slight increase over the $1,389, 1903
appropriated for this fiscal year. The
sanitorium was allowed an increase
of $21, 900 for food at the institution.
A $71 900 increase had been asked.
New Clinic Rejected.
Requests for $267 900 to start the
building of Northwest clinic in
the vicinity of Seventh and OI
streets, and $15, 900 to prepare plans
for a health clinic in Anacostia,
were refused. The department now
maintains clinic in the old Polk
School at Seventh and o streets
NV, but the building Is old and
unsuitable for the work of the clinic.
For the operating expenses of the
administering of the Health De-
partment request for $2,937 sos
was submitted but the Commission
ers cut this down to $1,928, 900.
While this is a slight increase over
this years appropriation, the
amount allows only for the man
datory pay increases.
An estimate for an increase Of
10 nurses for the nursing division
and 13 supervisors also was disal-
lowed by the Commissioners, as was
q request for Is more food inspec-
tors.
The Health Department has a
Federal grant of $1,000 to start a
cancer clinic here and asked for an
additional $17,376 for a director, a
technician and three clerks. This
sum was refused. The Health De-
partment estimated there are more
than $500 cancer patients here and
predicted that 10000 persons now
living In the District eventually
would die of cancer.
More Aid for Indigents.
The Bureau of Mental Hygiene,
which the department admits is far
behind many of the States, asked
for $4,000 for two physicians, a So
cial worker and clerical force addi-
tions. The Commissioners cut this
item from the budget.
The venereal disease clinic asked
for an additional appropriation of
$1,000 over this years appropria-
ton, which extra sum was refused.
Health officials said the clinic had
used up all its money allotted to 1t
until July l for the purchase OF
drugs to cure the diseases and would
be forced to appeal to other bureaus
in the department for funds to buy
the needed drugs.
The Commissioners allowed $685.
900 for the care and treatment of
INDECENT patients under contracts
Arrroyod hv the district pnverr1-