Evening star., 1948-01-25

ferent fields of health are ade-
quately served by present facilities,
the council concluded that the Dis
trict is deficient in every respect.
d. C. Must Provide Funds.
When Obsolete hospital facilities
are omitted from consideration, &C
cording to the report, the District
has 10.4 per cent of the chronic
hospital beds it needs; 1877 per cent
of the health centers; 480 per cent
of the general hospital beds; $50
per cent of the mental hospital beds,
and 70.6 per cent of the tuberculosis
beds.
The D. &C. Hospital Advisory
Council is not convinced that the
mathematical formula by which
relative need was computed herein
can represent the Anal statement
of such need" the report stated,
however.
It was stressed that for every dol
lar advanced by the Federal Gov
ernment under terms of the Hos
pital Survey and Construction Act,
the District Government or private
organization sponsoring any project
must provide two dollars.
Budget Provision Dropped.
Accordingly, said the council, the
availability of funds to go along
with the Federal contribution must
be taken into consideration in ap-
proving any project. Also OF I'M
portance, it was announced, is "the
intent of the sponsoring agency to
begin construction within reason
able length of time"
Dr.. Rutland has already indicated
he hopes to use the Federal funds
to help build the five new health
centers he has repeatedly sought to
include in the Health Department
budget. His 1949 budget request
contained a substantial sum for
this purpose, but provision for the
health centers was later dropped
from the budget submitted to Con-
gress.
At present, according to the
Health Department, there Is an un-
expended item of $108,000 which
could be used for matching pur-
poses. Officials estimate they would
need several times this sum, how
ever, to build a health center at.
present construction costs, even
&ith the addition of Hospital Sur
vey and Construction Act funds.
Council Report Outlined.
Dividing the Districts health ia
eilities into five main categorles'
here is the picture presented by tne
council:
/ Chronic hospital beds-accept-
able standard, two per 1000 popula-
tion. or 1880. Number available
ais: in good condition, ITO; replace
ments and additions needed l'4oo'
The shortage of beds Tor peopie
who are chr6nically i'll, in contrast
TO those whose illness is temporary
and can be accommodated at gen.
eral hospital, was noted as an OUT
standing Washington health neeo
bv the Metropolitan Health ana
Hospital Survey two years ago. Inc
Hospital Advisory Council noted
that any chronic bed units shoulo'
if possible, be built as departments
of a general hospital.
2. Health centers - acceptance
standard, one for every 10000 CIT
izens. This would allow the Dlstrlct
27 but the council observed that
since the Washington population Is
concentrated in a small area, SIX
would be sufficient, as requested py
DR.. Rutland One center now exists
In Southwest Washington. Otners
are needed in Central Northwest,
Anacostia, Northeast Central, Dean
wood and Georgetown, according 10
the report. .
3. General hospital beds,-accept-
able standard, as per 1000 popula-
tion. or 1868 for 1875 population.
Number available, 3,76l, OF whlch
only l.7Go are relatively mooerh'
requirements needed, l,9Oo. Inc
new George Washington Hospital
containing 400 beds as against 89 IN
the old hospital, will add 3ll TO the
total in a few months. Another
hosnital. the Nichols Avenue Clinic,
will add about 40 more beds Wnen
II is finished, the report noted.
Fire Precautions Stressed.
Existence of open stairways, lack
ef proper fire precautions and gen
eral obsolescence were considered IN
determining which of the. existing
hospital beds need replacement, tne
council announced.
Mental hospital beds-accept-
able standard, per 1000 popula-
t;on or 4,076. Number available,
s1sl: in good condition, 1857; re-
nlacements needed, 1903. st. Eliz-
abeths Hospital was included IN the
Ddstrict figure, with rs per cent OF
canacity assigned to District. pa
tients.
The District, it was noted. has
far more than its share OF mental
disease largely the accumulated
result of neglect in the field OF pub
lie health over a great many years"
An aggressive" preventivevprosram
in mental hygiene could reduce the
need for mental beds considerably,
the council said.
8. tuberculosis beds-acceptable
standard, 21a times the annual av-
eraee tuberculosis deaths, or 1,491.