Evening star., 1947-06-23
Inquiry Is Asked
On NegroBani in
DC. Hospitals
a Groups Join in
Protest to Committee
On Civil Rights
By Thomas G. Buchonop


Charges that District hospitals
discriminate against Negro patients
doctors and medical students now
are before the Presidents Commit.
tee on Civil Rights,
-Four local organizations, includ-
ing two medical societies, have ap-
pealed for Federal inquiry into a
situation described as menacing te
the health of the Negro population
"and thus of the entire Washington
community"
Requesting the investigation were
the District Medico-C Chirurgical So.
ciety, organization OF local coloreo
doctors, the biracia. Physicians
Forum and the local chapters ot
the American Veterans Committee
and the Southern Conference fol
Human Welfare.
Charge Training Barriers.
Charges of discrimination by the
group include:
l. That Negro medical students
at tax-supported Howard Univer-
sity are barred from training op-
portunities at unsupported Gal
hr1ger Hospital, where an average
OF rs per cent of the patients are
Negroes, while students from
Georgetown and George Washing
ton Universities have been getting
clinical experience there.
2. That no Negro doctor car
enter the publicly financed Gallinge1
and st. Elizabeth's Hospitals, OF
any Of the private institutions, ex-
cept as visitor or a patient.
8. That Negro patients who need
private rooms and have the money
to pay for them must travel to Phil
adelphia or New York to escape this
citys segregated wards.
Negroes share in paying taxes
which maintain Gallinger and st.
Elizabeth's and Federal funds have
made possible the new Georgetown
and George Washington University
hospitals, the four organizations
point out.
Testimony Cited.
They regard the denial of equal
opportunity for training medical
students of Howard University as a
matter of national significance, since
Howard is one of the two principal
training centers for colored doctors
in the country.
Almost entirely dependent upon
the facilities of Freedmen's Hospi-
tai. these students find their med
ical instruction seriously handi-
capped by the fact that two impor-
tant categories of disease-con-
tagious conditions and mental ILL
ness caSes-are not admitted there,
according to the report.
The four organizations cite testi-
mony by DR.. Mordecai Johnson,
president Of Howard University, be-
fore House committee this year
that If training facilities we're avail
able at Gallinger Hospital the out
put of Howard Medical School could
be almost doubled.
Once the colored medical student
receives his diploma, 1t is charged,
he continues to be handicapped by
the fact that only Freedmens Hos
pital pital permits him to follow
pital permits him to follow his own
patients into the hospital when hos
pitalization becomes necessary.
Excluded From Group.
Denied the professional advan-
tages of hospital experience, the
Negro physician also is excluded
from the scientific and educational
activities of the District Medical
Society, the organizations charge in
their report.
Even If Negro physician should
somehow manage to receive courtesy
privileges at one of the local hos
pitals," they assert. there is no
room available to which he could
bring his private Negro patient"
Almost all beds at Freedmen's
Hospital are ward Accommodations,
and there are no private or semi
private rooms for colored patients
in other local hospitals it is charged,
even for those who are willing to
pay.
The 15-man Committee on Civil
Rights was appointed last December
by President Truman to recommend
action against racial and religious
bigotry" injurious to public welfare.
A committee spokesman said the
Washington Hospital situation is
under study. Sue h recommend
ations as the committee may make
will be incorporated in a general
report on civil rights, expected to
be submitted to the President late