Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-09
Hospital Conditions
The article in The Sunday

The article in The Sundays
Star of conditions at D. C.
General Hospital was read with
keen interest, but I must differ
with a remark or two by Com
missioner Karrick.
Why does Commissioner
Karrick consider the doctors
have been "over-critical and
largely negative and non-con-
Structive." or that they have
"over- simplified the situation?
The publicity which has been
given D. c. General during the
past few months has made
clear the inhuman mess caused
by the inept administration in
the Health Department and the
hospital. The doctors have be-
haved in their own inimitably
ethical manner, and prescribed
the remedy. Their quoted
statements in The Star have
stressed what had already been
made crystal clear in their
letter to Commissioner Nc
Laughlin: =. Administrative
deficiencies are a chronic dis
ease which ironically affiicts
the Health Department" In
plain English, more money is
not adequate unless there is an
efficient administration to ham
die it.a
AS for DR.. Seckinger. he has
made himself appear 1udi-
crous in admitting he has dis
cussed dismissal of doctors for
criticizing him and his adj
ministration. We know that
it is not fitting for Govern
ment employees to criticize their
superiors, but there comes a
time in every mans life when
he must decide between being
a man or mouse, and because
they are dedicated to the we'll
being of their fellow citizens.
the doctors have chosen not to
be mice! It is up to Commits
sioner Karrick and all decent
citizens in this city to see to
it that the doctors win their
frustrating battle against the
wall of stupidity which blocks
efficient medical aid to the sick
and dying at D. c. General.
NJ. L. Newton.
4 \ X
The Chinese telegraph rep
resents crisis as danger plus
opportunity. This is the pic
ture presented by Star Re-
porters Charles G. Brooks and
John M. McKelway in report
ing the doctors rebellion at
District General Hospital as
Commissioner David B. Kar-
rick takes over District welfare
administration. The danger is
that the mess at District Cen
eral will be blamed on scape-
goats instead of basic errors
in public policy. The oppor-
tunity is for local doctors to
stop the general trend to So
cialize the healing arts.
Two of our commissioners
are lawyers and the other an
Army engineer. They believe
the answer to the District Cen
eral mess is more tax money to
spend. The rebellious doctors
blame it on lack of know-how
in spending and managing the
medical dollar. This is the
usual impasse between doctors
who believe lawyers should not
practice medicine and vice
versa. Despite their excellent
character and integrity, both
groups of dissidents could be
wrong.
The voteless taxpayer asks
the Commissioners: Why blame
money shortage instead of too
many social commitments that
are not your proper concern?
Beyond doubt, the state has a
duty to provide custodial care
for the mentally i'll. the vic
tins Of tuberculosis. the in
durable and other long-term
catastrophes whose bankrupt
ing costs are beyond the SOL
vency Of the average purse.
But is 1t the business of the
state to deliver babies, to do
emergency surgery or treat
short-term illness or catastro-
phies? If District General lin
tied its social commitments to
diseases and conditions prop
erly the direct concern Of gov
eminent. both its appropria-
ton and medical staff would
be adequate. Eventually the
taxpayer foots the bill for
competing hospitals serving
identical community needs.
Therefore, why should our one
and only pocketbook subsidize
duplicated systems Of medical
care The sensible thing is to
let the nonprofit system take
care of community health
needs that are not the direct
concern Of government.
This cannot be done unless
the medical profession formu-
lates a positive definition Of