Evening star., 1960-01-19
Oppose Split
From D. G.
Health Unit

The major objection was
that the hospitals activities are
too closely connected with the
Health Departments total med
ical care program for city
indigents.
Mr.. Mcmillan said today
large numbers Of letters and
telephone calls are reaching his
Office backing the proposal.
He said these include mes
sages from many physicians.
Last week he threw the pro-
posal out for public reaction
saying that if this was favor
able he would introduce legis-
lation placing the controversial
hospital under a board of di-
rectors composed of responsible
citizens.
Employees Letter
Meanwhile, the hospitals
Employees Committee, which
had circulated petitions back
ing Joseph Karlton Owen,
Ph.D.. the departing admin
istrator, also wrote Mr.. Nc
MILAN.
For many years this insti-
tuition has suffered under the
present type Of bureaucratic
control and the administrator
of this institution has been
more or less a whipping boy for
the criticism brought to hear
on the Public Health Depart
ment," the letter said.
( In the past two and a half
years four administrators have
been ushered through the Of
flee. first with praise of their
I great ability to solve the prob
lem and shortly thereafter be.
ing either fired or forced to
resign.
1T must now be an accepted
fact that the trouble lies in
the organizational control
under the Health Department.
A change must be made to a
progressive form of control.
namely a board of trustees"
the Employe Committee said.
Petitions Circulated
Meanwhile the committee is
circulating other petitions
backing Mr.. McMillan's pro-
posal. More than $50 names
have been obtained to date.
Nearly 100 signatures have
been obtained on similar petit
tions being circulated through
employees neighborhoods.
DR.. Owen last month an
nounced his resignation and
the Commissioners appointed
William w. Baird, associate
, administrator. to the post
effective January 29.
Today, Mr.. Karrick made
public a memorandum sub
mitted to him from DR.. Finu-
/, cane opposing Mr.. McMlllan'S
plan The Commissioner, who
heads city health matters, said
|. he indorSes the Health Depart
ment directors viewpoint.
Mr.. Karrlck added. however,
that he will seek the opinions
of local civic leaders and di-
:. rectors of the medical schools
I on the matter.
In his memorandum to Mr..
= Karrick, DR.. Finucane said
that District General Hospital
today is more closely aligned
and a part of the Department
S of Public Health than, perhaps,
y they have ever been in the
e past"
Cites Relationship
o DR.. Finucane said:
/ There is just too much
I intra relationship between the
activities of District General
o Hospital and the total medical
" care program for the medically
INDECENT residents of the Dis
4 trict Of Columbia to divorce"
the hospital from the depart
+ ment.
+ If Mr.. Mcmillan'S proposal
was carried out. DR.. Finucane
said. it would complicate ad-
ministration and tend to dis
rupt coordination of the
medical care program, which is
operated by the District gov
ernment. rather than to i'm
prove coordination of such a
program"
The hospital. DR.. Finucane
said, is one part of the medical
: care program operated by his
= department. About 81 out Of
every So of the departments s
&C appropriation is spent on the
s medical care program, he said.
4 Over the past few years, the
,s Health Department director
= said, I'VE have accomplished
= greater integration."
- In announcing his proposal.
= - Mr.. Mcmillan had declared
g that emergency patients at
:, District General Hospital still
must sometimes wait for hours
- before receiving treatment.