Evening star., 1948-05-11
Committee Asks
IL Millions for
DC. Hospitals
Bill Sent to House
CoIendor Provides
Federal Grants

The House District Committee
has approved and sent to the House
calendar the bill for Federal grants
to non-profit private hospitals in
the District not participating In
the Washington Hospital Center.
It would allocate to such institu-
tions about $12,000,000 OF the
$35, 100000 already authorized by
Congress in an act for the hospital
center, to be built on the Navsf
Observatory gounds.
Meanwhile the House Education
and Labor, Committee filed with the
House its formal report on a recently
approved bill providing for volun-
tary admission and treatment Of
mental patients at st. Elizabeths
hospital.
In the report on the st. Eliza.
beths bill, Representative Buck, Re-
publican, of New York, acting for
the House committee, explained
that ANY such applicant would have
to be discharged within three days
after demanding his release, unless
before the expiration of that period,
judicial proceedings for his COM
mitment to the hospital are insti-
tuted."
Procedure Now "Cumbersome."
Under present procedure, the re-
port pointed out, patients are ad-
mitted to st. Elizabeths in the vast
majority of cases only after SUBJ
mission to the cumbersome judicial
procedure now in effect"
Testimony at hearings developed.
the report says that mental irsti-
tutions should no longer be looked
upon as lunatic asylums for the in
generation Of the insane. Instead"
it continued. they should be re-
garded as hospitals for the early
diagnosis and treatment Of the men,
tally i'll, to which persons in need
Of mental care may go as readily
as one who is physically Ill goes
to and obtains treatment at . gen.
eral hospital. =.
Under voluntary admission. the
untoward psychological effect upon
the patient. which the existing COM
mitment procedure in the District
all too frequently occasions, IL
eliminated and the patients CO.
operation in the treatment and care
afforded by the hospital Is en-
couraged. This In turn makes re-
adjustment to normal life, and
comparatively short stay at the
hospital, much more likely
Restores Original Provision.
In reporting the bill for aid to
private hospitals here, Representa-
tive Miller, Republican, Of Nebraska,
| for the House District Committee,
explained the measure would amend
the Hospital Center Act of 1916. It
would restore to the act provision
originally carried in the bill setting
up the center but stricken on the
floor of the House. As amended, the
present act finally provided only
for aid to the center. including
Emergency, Garfield and Episcopal
Hospitals.
The District government would
be charged with 80 per cent of the
net amount spent by the Federal
Works Agency on the private hos
pitals but would be entitled to 80
per cent OF the sale price Of any
properties sold by the FWA and 80
per cent of the rental received from
leasing of any hospital facilities
acquired or constructed by the FWA.
The bill amending the center act
provides that grants to other in
stitutions not joining in the hospital
center would be limited so as not to
exceed so per cent of the value OF
the hospital plant as improved with
the aid of such grant"
The District Committee report
says that, under the Hill-Burton
Act providing Federal aid to hos
pitals throughout the country, the
District would receive only $274 900
annually over five-year period.
ITO match these annual pay
ments, the hospitals would be re-
quired to contribute $447,000," the
report says. 1.-The total Of the two
amounts, s6o5,00O. would not be
sufficient to provide for the needs
of the public hospitals alone