Evening star., 1948-09-19
Mental Patients
Still Manac|ed
In GaIIinger
Few Changes Made
Since Disclosure of
Conditions There

SOHle improvements nave Uch
made in Gallinger Hospitals psycho-
pathic division, but patients are
still manacled to their beds.
That's what The Star found In
checking up to find out what has
been done since the psychopathio
division was labelled a disgrace
to Washington" more than 10
months ago.
The Star found these improves
ments have been made:
/. Painting of the grim interiors
has been completed except for the
occupational therapy rooms. That
work was started in January.
2. Roof leaks over the physio-
therapy department have been fixed
so that electric cabinet treatments
can be given without fear of electro
cutting patients. Some other repair
work also has been done.
3. Leather-covered chairs have
been put in some of the day rooms
and a donated television set has
been installed.
4. The addition of four practical
nurses has provided more trained
personnel.
Elevators Still Don't Run.
While these improvements have
made the. psychopathic wards more
livable, some of the major changes
promised by the District Commits
.;ooors -, reoo,,,y,, ~, dad l,,, p,fh.
lie Health Service consultant at the
beginning Of the year have not been
made. Here are few of them:
/. The elevators still do not run.
A contract has been let and, ac-
cording to District officials, work
is now underway at the factory but
because of the scarcity of elevators,
no date has been set for delivery.
As result. stretcher patients and
food still must be carried up one
or two steep flights of stairs.
2. The medical schools, with their
facilities for bringing modern care
TO mental patients, have not yet de-
cided to send their students and
psychiatrists into the psychopathlc
division. Health Officer George C.
Rutland said the medical schools
have included the psychopathic di-
vision in their organization plan.
but the plan has not yet been
adopted.
Soothing Tubs Not in Full Use.
3. Although Congress appropriated
funds in March to make the seclu-
sion rooms usable as means OF
eliminating the manacling OF pa
tients, the work has not yet started,
Archie G. Hutson, District director
of construction, said he has been
assured the work will be COM
pleted within month.
4. Although the continuous flow
tubs have been put In working order
so that disturbed patients can be
soothed instead of manacied, DR..
Joseph L. Gilbert, head of the dlvl-
sion, said they are used only to q
minimum extent due to lack OF ex-
perienced attendants. Supt. Of
Nurses Beatrice Ritter said she had
given instructions that If the doc
tors ordered soothing tubs they
should be given even If 1t meant
sending help from other parts of the
hospital. She said the attendants
had experience, but there wernt
enough of them.
5. The division is still plagued by
undertaking. There are shortages
of psychiatristS, nurses, physlothera-
pists and clerical help. ThesG Short
ages are due partially to inability to
recruit help but also to budget cuts.
No Action on New Building.
6. Although a new building has
generally been agreed on as an in
escapable need for the future, Budget
Officer Walter L. Fowler said he
wasn't sure whether or not the Com
missioners would even request tunos
for drafting plans in their next
budget estimates. He said the ma
jority of the patients III the psycno-
pathic division were alcoholics and
that he had received nothing from
the Health Department to show
whether a proposed new building
would include alcoholics or would be
for mental patients only Since the
latter were in the minority, he said.
| new building was questionable.
DR.. Rutland said he believed alco-
holics should be housed in the same
building with mental patients but
that there is a difference of opinion
on that. He said alcoholics COM
posed approximately third of the
patient load.
| DIR. Gilbert Doing Two Jobs.
| 7. Although the commissioners
voted to split up DR.. Gilberts two
| jobs, continuing him as District
alienist and setting up a new posi-
ton as chief medical officer of psy-
chiatry, and Congress approved the
position. DR.. Gilbert Is still doing
| two jobs. Dr. Rutland said he
had tried every conceivable agency"
but had been unable TO find a re-
placement.
8. Although comparatively low
salaries have been blamed for the
| failure to fill this vacancy as well
as those of two psychiatrists, no
action has been taken on District
Personnel Board recommendation to
make chief medical officers eligible
for periodic pay increases. District
officials said the problem was stin
under study.