Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-03
Sick Hospitor

lOSpltdi, WHICH appeared
following the publication of
data accumulated by the con-
gressional investigating COM
mittee concerning District
General Hospital. is an &C
curate summary of the situa-
ton. Further. it indicates
clearly the course to be
followed in correcting the
deficiencies.
DR.. Stebbing should resign.
Aside from the fact that he
lacks any formal training in
hospital administration, he
has demonstrated to the salts
faction Of Congress his mall
administration. Despite his
protestations and allegations.
the facts are known. His
inadequacies have been de-
tailed, and the tragic results
are a matter of record.
II DR.. Stebbing continues to
be obliviouS to the realities of
the charges, the new Di-
rector Of Health must indeed
consider the more drastic
alternative. Replacement of the
present superintendent by a
trained hospital administrator
is essential If the remedial
measures directed by Congress
are to be achieved.
Local Physician.
The recently published con-
eressional report about the
Districts Health Department
Is surely welcomed by the
citizens Of Washington, D. C.
Particularly. the portion Of
the report dealing with Dis
trict General Hospital calls
for applause. Many years have
passed with continued COM
plants about the administers
ton Of our city hospital. Now
Congress has made 1t very
clear that the fountainhead
OF the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. is
DIR. Stebbing.
DR.. Finucane has only re-
Gently taken over his duties
as director of the Health De-
partment. but 1t is hoped that
he will prove effective in his
job by seeing clearly, and
performing well. his duties in
the interest of the commu-
nity's health. II there is not a
new and more capable superin-
tendent at District General
Hospital by January /, 1858, I
am certain Congress Is going
to look askance at DR.. Finu-
cane.
Mary HenIy.
1t is evident that District
General Hospital urgently
needs a new administrator. A
lucid description of this ar
chaic, inept administration is
contained in Congress- report
Of its investigation OF the Dis
trict Health Department and
the District General Hospital.
A corrective measure was
taken when DR.. Finucane was
appointed Director of the
Health Department. February
!. 1857. Representative Rabaut
directed DR.. Finucane to make
the necessary changes in adj
miniatration and report them
to Congress by January, 1858.
This does not mean to wait
until then to replace the pres
ent District General Hospital
superintendent.
From recent newspaper re-
ports 1t would seem that both
DR.. Finucane and DR.. Steb-
bling. superintendent of the
District General Hospital, are
unaware that this replacement
should be carried out quickly.
In face Of the large bulk of
evidence made available by
Congress, the motives Of the
new Health Department adj
ministration might be open to
question II the superintendent
OF the District General Hos
pital is permitted to remain In
his present position until he
becomes eligible for voluntary
retirement early next year.
BY his own admission, &C
cording to the congressional
reports and The Star, he did
not know what his duties
really are" and twas stymied
by lack Of personnel and
funds after more than six
years In his present lob. A
good administrator must know
his duties. delegate authority
properly. and be able to dis
cuss his personnel and budg-
etary needs before Congress
intelligently. Running the Dis
trict General Hospital Is a So
million a year business. The
present superintendent has no
formal Arninlnn L. hnnnIA.I