Evening star., 1950-12-05
|DroytonHeods $548, ,OOODrive
To Finish ChiIdren's HospitoI

Appointment of Charles .
Drayton as general chairman of 9
$548, 900 fund drive to finish the
new Children's Hospital building
was announced yesterday at the
annual meeting of members of the
hospital.
Preliminary phases of the fund
campaign already are under way
and further plans will be an
nounced later. according to James
H. Lemon. president of the hos
pital Board of Directors.
The $54s,0o0 needed because OF
increased building costs. will sup
plement about $l.3 million raised
in former drive and about $685.
900 in Federal funds under the
Hill l-Burton Hospital Construction
Act, Mr.. Lemon told the members
In addition to Mr.. Drayton. q
former president of the hospital
members to assist in the drive in
clude Mrs. A. c. Oliphant. Judge
j. Edgar Murdock, Robert B
Swope. Rudolph Kaufman II anc
DR.. William S. Anderson.
Some Rehabilitation Effected.
Despite the need for construc-
ton funds, Mr.. Lemon said the
hospital has been able this year tc
meet expenses, effect some long
delayed rehabilitation and pur-
chase a small amount of neces-
sary equipment"
Miss Edith Torkington, hospital
administrator. outlined drastic
changes made in hospital depart
ments because of the loss of 318.-
900 cubic feet of space in connec-
ton with the construction project
She paid special tribute. as did
other officials, to personnel who
have been moved out of the hos
pital or into. cramped living quar-
ters as a result of the space loss.
The administrator said curtail-
ment of Community Chest aid has
forced the hospital to set up q
new Office to handle special bud
get plans for an increased number
of needy patients.
Difficult Personnel Situation.
She also reported that the hos
pital. this year, has increased
some salaries that were sadly
below the going rate" But she
warned that the personnel situa-
ton is "very difficult" because the
institution cannot compete with
salary levels, the f1ve-day week
and retirement benefits offered by
Government and commercial bus
mess enterprises"
Trained Office workers grow
daily more difficult to obtain
under any circumstances" she
declared. land particularly so in
view of the competition offered"
DR.. Joseph 8. Wall, chairman OF
the medical staff. told the men,
bers, in his annual report, that
this years extensive outbreak of
polio. coupled with the construc-
ton difficulties. posed special
problems for the medical staff
Pointing out that the prevalence
Of polio extended later than usual
into the fall, he said the hospital
admitted double its usual number
Of polio victims in 1850.
More Patients This Year.
DR.. Montgomery Blair. jr., hos
pital medical director. said a slight
increase in the total number OF
patients was registered this year
The 1882 patients represented an
increase of 1877 over 1949 figures
and the dispensary in 1850 has
handled 87.628 patients-an in
crease in the daily average from
225 to 240.
Children's, Hospital now is con-
Quoting a new study of viruses
seen in childhood illnesses-one OF
four research projects now under
way, DR.. Blair said. The others
include studies Of the effects of
glutamic acid on retarded chill
dren, effects of new drugs In
treatment Of diarrhea and treat
ment for various forms of cancer
Reorganization Of the Child
Welfare Clinic as the result of
withdrawal of Community Chest
support was described by Mrs.
Warren Delano Robbins in an
other report. To operate the clinic,
which includes a teaching pro-
gram, with a reduced nursing