Evening star., 1950-05-27
End ofChestA Aid
Cited in Hospital
Admission Case
Infant With Cancer
Sent by ChiIdren's to
Arlington Institution
By George Beveridqe


The question of inadequate
community funds for Washing
tons hospitals was at the center
of conflicting reports today on
the disqualification problems of a
nine-week-old Arlington cancer
victim.
The patient, Barbara Elizabeth
Gambrell. is at Arlington Hospital,
where she was routed Thursday
night, after first being taken to
Children's Hospital.
Her mother, Mrs. James Gam
brell, 1908 Birch street, Falls
Church. said Barbara was taken
to Children's on advice of the
family doctor. The infant, she
said, had a growth on her throat
at birth, which was diagnosed as
cancer after an operation about
three weeks ago.
At Children's, Mrs. Gambrell
said, she was told by a resident
physician, DR.. E. o. Bean, that the
baby could not be admitted. After
calling several other hospitals.
Mrs. Gambrell said, DR.. Bean tele-
phoned Percy Weinberg, American
Legion welfare director.
Legion Offered to Pay.
MIR. Weinberg said the physician
told him the infant needed hos
pitalization, but that there were
no funds available from the Hos
pital Service Agency, which dis
tributes Community Chest money
to hospitals for treating needy pa
tients.
The Legion official said he told
DR.. Bean to admit the child, and
that the Legion would pay hos
pitalization costs at least through
the next day. Mr.. Weinberg
quoted the doctor as saying he
would send the child to Arlington
Hospital, since the institution is
nearer the Gambrell's home in
Falls Church.
John Anderson, Arlington Hos
pital administrator, said the baby
was admitted that night. Except
for the Legion's statement about
meeting costs for one day, he said,
he knew of mo financial arrange
ments" for subsequent care of the
child.
James H. Lemon, president of
Children's Hospital, denied that
the cutoff of Community Chest
funds for hospitals earlier this
month was the reason for routing
the baby to Arlington.
Risk of Life Not Involved.
In fact, he said, Chidlren's
"knew at the time the patient was
referred to Arlington there was
financial support on the case"
from the Legion.
Mr.. Lemon said the hospital
now has Ia patients for whom it
will receive no payment, and that
what has happened with the
HSA funds does not alter what
our policy has been for years-we
are going to take any child that
is sick.
The hospital president said
there is mo question but that
the (GambrelD child was SICK"
but that DR.. Bean had reported
to him that it was mot a point
of life or death to get that child
IN the hospital at that moment"
If there had been no question
OF financial payment, the child
would have been admitted i'm
mediately, Mr.. Lemon said. But
she would have been admitted
also if she were critically ill, re-
gardless of payment" he de-
clared.
Arlington Nearer Home.
Mr.. Lemon said the doctor re-
ported to him that the reference
was made to Arlington in order
to get the child closer to the
family home. 1
Officials of HSA, however, said
q call to the Children's Hospital
admitting office yesterday about
the case brought the response
that the child was not admitted
because she was not a District
resident and because there were
no HSA funds.
HSA cut off all payments to
hospitals May 16, when it used up
all money allocated for May by
the chest.
A spokesman for the agency
added that the question of Dis
trict residency was not involved in
the situation, since the Gambrell
family would not be eligible for
welfare aid to meet hospital costs
Mrs. Gambrell said her hus-
band, James. "a, is a refrigerator
mechanic here