Evening star., 1947-07-31
Hospitals
Continued From First Page)

hospital today entered tradition OF
half century's nursing service anc
skilled medical care, provided by q
staff which will now have access tc
the most modern equipment thai
can be obtained.
Back in 1898, the first unit Of the
old Georgetown Hospital was built
1t cost $27,5O0 and contained "a
beds. The latest structure was erect
ed at a cost OF $500 900, psrt OF
which was furnished in Federal
funds through the Federal Works
Agency.
The new hospital and it's related
teaching institutions comprise the
only major Catholic medical center
east of Chicago.
Overall Expansion.
In addition to an overall expan-
sion in patient capacity from 24l
beds to 4o7, the new hospital will
provide:
/. An expanded outpatient depart
ment, replacing the cramped quar-
ters Of the old hospitals crowded
basement where such patients for
merly were treated. For some time
GEORGETOWN has furnished the only
free medical care in the city's west
tern outskirts.
2. Improved maternity and child
care. The hospital will double its
beds for expectant mothers. assign
ing 100 for this purpose. with special
facilities for premature babies
Thanks to a s55,000 donation from
the CIO. 1t will also have special
childrens wing. living memorial
to the late President Franklin d
Roosevelt.
g. Establishment Of a diagnostiC
clinic, where the latest laboratory
techniques will be made available
to assist the private physician In
diagnosing the illnesses he encoun-
tiers in his patients. without inter-
fering with the patient doctor rela-
tionship. 7
4. Expansion of the hospitals
medical staff, which will include DR.
Harold Jeghers, formerly of Boston
City Hospital, as chief Of medicine
DR.. Robert J. Coffey, one of eight
men in the country who are doctor
Of philosophy graduates Of the Mayo
Clinic in Rochester, Mimi, as direc-
tor of the surgery department; DR.
Andrew M. Marchetti, obstetrics and
gynecology; DR.. Murray M. Cope
land, oncology and radiology; DR.
Edward B. Tuohy, president of the
American Society OF Anesthesiolo-
gists, DR.. Willy Baensch, former
head of the great Leipzig Pathological
institution, in charge Of the depart
ment OF roentgenology, and DR.
Charles F. Geshickter, former head
Of the pathology department at
Johns Hopkins Hospital, now hold
ing a similar post at Georgetown.
Shaped Like a Cross.
Shaped like a cross on fiat
base facing Reservoir road. adjoin-
ing the Georgetown Medical and
Dental Schools, the new hospital
ranges from three stories In height
along the base to five stories on the
north-south wing and seven stories
on the east-west section.
Its construction took 81 months
and encountered many obstacles.
Built on filled ground, its founda-
ton required the sinking Of 1900
concrete-filled piles, some as deep
as SO feet. AS the building pro-
gressed, restrictions on the height
of new structures threatened to de-
lay the project, but the hospital
succeeded in obtaining permission
to exceed the 9e-foot limit by 20 feet
When the Very Rev. Lawrence
C. German, 8. j., president OF
Georgetown University, broke
ground for the excavation December
18, 1914, it was expected the hospi-
tai would be finished by January,
l946. Shortage of building mate
rials and equipment caused repeated
delays, and the job was delayed fur
ther early this year by a jurisdic-
tional dispute between two AFL
unions as to whether the carpenters
or metal workers should install
metal lockers in the hospital.
Long-term plans for disposition OF
the old hospital are still indefinite
For the time being. Georgetown
University officials expect it will
be used to provide overflow space
and possibly extra classrooms.
The existing nurses home will
continue in use, although it is hoped
another building nearer the new
hospital eventually will be erected