Evening star., 1950-05-03
.Upsnur Hospital
Closing Plan
Seekineer Reverses
Himself on Need for
tuberculosis Center
BY George Beveridqe


District Health Officer Daniel l..
Seckinger plans to reverse himself
on recommendation to the Com
missioners that the Upshur Street
Hospital be closed soon, it was
learned today.
On March 13, DR.. Seckinger ad-
viSed the city heads he thought
the hospital. set up as a rehabili-
tation cetner for tuberculosis
patients. should be used for other
purposes"
The recommendation was made
in a letter in which the health
officer noted that more than $50
600 would have to be spent for re-
pairs at the institution and that
his department had either to
"close Upshur street at an early
date or plan for extensive repairs
there" Principal item, he said,
was a $4,000 estimate for re-
placement of the boiler system.
Sees Program Endangered.
Based on further considera-
ton, however," DR.. Seckinger said
today, I feel it would be ill-ad-
vised to close the center at the
present time"
Prime factor in his decision. he
said, was "a more mature con-
sideration" of Importance of the
tuberculosis rehabilitation pro-
gram, which he said he now feels
would be endangered by closing
the institution, located at Four
teenth and Upshur streets NV.
At the same time, DR.. Seek
niger said he has asked Archie
Hutson, District construction d.
rector, to re-examine the institu-
tion's heating system. to see if
it can be remodeled at less cost
on a "semipermanent basis" The
SAL 900 cost estimate, Mr.. 'Hutson
said, was based on a permanent
revision of the plant.
Savings Stressed.
Mr.. Hutson said the study will
take about week. 1t will include
an estimate Of expense involved
in operating the plant with slight
revisions as against a permanent,
more efficient replacement, he
said.
Importance of the tuberculosis
rehabilitation program was stress
ed at a conference with DR..
Seckinger yesterday by Edward
K. Funkhouser, executive secretary
of the District tuberculosis Asso-
citation.
Mr.. Funkhouser said the re-
Mobilization program is "the one
bright spot in tuberculosis con-
troll in the District" and that it
has saved the District thousands
Of dollars by preventing relapses
OF tuberculosis victims who are re-
leased from hospitals when their
active disease is curbed.
Meanwhile-in connection with
the proposal to close the insti-
tution-Budget Officer Walter L.
Fowler has urged the Commission
ers to find out why medical Off
GERS are living in buildings at
Glen Dale Sanitorium which could
house so tuberculosis patients.
Fewer Relapses.
He indicated that that number
OF Upshur street patients should
be cared for at Glenn Dale, after
DR.. P. A. E. Stebbing, Gallinger
Hospital superintendent, suggest
ed closing the Upshur street hos
pital June 80.
Mr.. Fowler said there was no
thought, when the center was
opened in 1943, that it would be
kept as a permanent hospital.
MI! funRnouSer said only 13 per
cent of patients passed through
Upshur have relapsed later, while
in some hospitals as many as so
per cent of patients have to return
for further treatment. He said a
study made in 1912 showed that
hospital costs the first time a
patient is admitted for tuberculosis
averages 5000, while "readmissions
cost about $4,000 per patient"
Patients, he explained, enter the
rehabilitation center when their
disease becomes non-contagious.
During a "hardening-up" process.
they go to school and learn trades
to fit them for work.