Evening star., 1948-03-03
Rutland Sees Attempt
oPutGa|IingerU Under
Universities Control

A ehlnQ-Lne-SceneS DatUle lOI
control over Gallinger Hospital in
spired the statement issued yester-
day by two surgeons who supervise
most of the operations at the hos
pital and who urged that the Health
Department be relieved Of supervis-
ing the institution.
This was the opinion expressed
yesterday by Health Officer George
&c. Rutland in reply to statements
issued jointly by DR.. Brian Blades.
head of the George Washington
University surgical staff, and DR..
Robert J. Coffey, who holds similar
post at Georgetown University.
The surgeons suggested admins
tration of the hospital be placed
under a separate agency to be
designated as the hospital depart
ment. Drastic changes are needed
at the hospital, they said, to keep
patients from needless and danger
GUS delays while awaiting operations.
Complains of Procedure.
DR.. Rutland said that, before
making any detailed statement, he
would like to see the arguments the
surgeons put forth to sustain their
opinion. The health officer said it
was astounding that the surgeons
did not make their complaint to him
before shouting it from the house
tops"
'It is the darndest bit of dis
courtesy and indecency to make such
charges before consulting the ad-
ministration of the hospital" DR.
Rutland said. THE schools these
men represent have contractual re-
lations with the District Govern
ment, and why didn't they make
their complaints to me. 1t is just
another bid to bring the hospital
under the schools domination.
we have repeatedly requested
funds from Congress to remedy con-
ditions at the hospital which we
do not believe adds to the efficiency
of the institution, and I have yet
to see or hear either of the sur
geons who are complaining, make
an appearance before a Congress
sional committee to lend their efforts
to obtain the needed funds"
Blades Man Appointed.
DR.. Rutland said the present
physician in charge of the surgical
department at the hospital, Dr.
Donald B. Efler, was recommended
for the post by Dr. Blades. Several
heads of departments at the insti-
tuition have been weaned away from
the hospital by larger salaries than
the Health Department can afford
to pay, he said.
The main trouble at the hospital
is the physical condition of the
buildings, DR.. Rutland, said. He
added he has been trying for years
to get appropriations to put them
in proper shape or build new ones.
The management may not have
been without blame in some in
stances, he said, but in the main
they have done the best they can
with the material they have.
When the Health Department
took over the management of Gal
linger from the Welfare Board sew
eral years ago, DR.. Rutland said, the
hospital was run principally by in
terms. Since then, he pointed out,
the Health Department has placed
in charge there physicians who have
been considered leaders in their pro-
fession. In the old days the We'll
fare Board allowed the patients to
remain in the hospital because they
did not have any other place to put
them, he said. But the Health De-
partment has maintained the hos
pital for the acutely i'll and removes
the patients as soon as they are able
to leave, DR.. Rutland explained.