Evening star., 1947-03-16
niger Patients Feted

The spirit OF frlendllneSS that has
characterized so many other projects
of the Washington Council of
Churchwomen is again the predom-
mating feature of its newest pro-
gram, the permanent adoption" of
20 occupied wards in the T. B., Med
ical and Surgical Buildings at Gal
linger Hospital.
In special ceremonies yesterday
Miss Beatrice Ritter, supervisor of
nurses at Gallinger, and Mrs. Chris
sy v. Mansfield, leader of the prof.
ect, launched the program and out
lined plans for its operation.
Sixteen women's groups, represent
ing seven church denominations, are
adopting" the 20 wards. Each ward
will have its own individual group.
The idea for the permanent
program grew out of ward adop-
ton" program at Christmas spon-
sored by the council at Miss Ritters
request. Under Mrs. Mansfeld's
direction each ward was assigned to
a different group. who provided a
Christmas tree, individual gifts, fruit
ana, IN many cases, Ddrty.
Christmas Project.
The Christmas project met with
such enthusiastic response from the
patients, and did so much to Lift
their spirits, that Miss Ritter ex-
pressed desire that the program be
continued on permanent basis.
Mrs. Mansfield, who was selected
to head the project on the basis OF
her experience with the Christmas
project and her long record of vol
unteer work at Gallinger, heartily
approved of the idea. She said she
felt that one of the biggest contribu-
tions church people could make
would be to provide friendship and
hope, particularly to the older
patients, many of whom have no
relatives or close friends.
The idea was also met with enthu-
siasm by Mrs. Irving w. Ketchum,
president of the Washington Coun-
Gil of Church Women; Miss Eta
Mai Russell, executive secretary, and
Mrs. Ruth Streeter, hospital repre-
sentative for the council
The program will include, to start
with, visits to the patients, special
programs at Easter and Christmas
and supply of a tray to each ward,
filled with toilet necessities. The
tray articles will include not only
such items likely to run short at an
institution which has to operate on
a limited budget, but personal items
for those patients who have no way
of getting them for themselves.
The group which took the T. B.
Building for adoption, got off to an
early start last week. They used
some of their funds to provide extra
fruit juice for the patients, to be
used to supplement meal or as an
afternoon drink, as decided by the
head nurse.
Tissues Supplied.
Another group found the supply
of handkerchief tissues running low,
and as handkerchiefs cannot be used
by T. B. patients, they purchased
enough small boxes of tissues to
meet every patients supply A
friendly touch was added when an
orange was placed on top of each
box, tied in bright colored tissue
paper.
Though council workers have been
doing hospital work at Gallinger
since last May, when the church
women first organized a hospital
room there, this project is the first
of its kind and assures constant
care of each ward by its individual
group, where such service was irreg-
ular and ever changing before.
Mrs. Mansfield feels that through
this plan members of each group
assigned to the different wards will
become better acquainted with their
patients and in that way may learn
their needs and bring comfort and
happiness into many forgotten lives.