davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Navajo times., 1962-08-29
Greater Safety
May Result From,
Drug Tragedy


formed in Europe and produc ed the
Sherri Finkbine case in Arizona.
But a by-product. of this tragedy
may be an improved set of laws
affecting every American who uses
prescription drugs.
Present drug laws and regula-
tions are not as extensive as most
Americans might suspect. And they
are administered by Food and
Drug Administration which is
under-staff
The Americ an manuf acturer of
thalidomide distributed his product
to 1 ,248 American doctors who in
turn gave it to more than is, 900
women. There was nothing illegal
about this procedure. Under pres
ent FDA regulations manuf actur-
er need not even notify FDA when
the firm engages in this clinical
investigation" phase of new drug
development and sends trial sam
pies TO physicians. Now the agency
proposes to tighten its regulations
to give the federal government a
gre ater voice in planning and
watching this testing process.
However, FDA did keep thali-
domide off the general prescrip-
tion market. If it had not, thalido-
mide might have been prescribed
by your doctor or mine and we
would have had many thousands of
additional women wondering about
their coming babies.
Credit for this action goes to
DR.. Frances Kelsey. a bureau
crat' if you please, of the FDA.
Despite considerable criticism and
pressure, she kept thalidomide out
Of the corner drug store. Her stub
born skepticism saved many hun
dreds OF babies from possible
deformity and earned her the
President Award for Distin-
guished + deral Civil Service,
highest honor for federal workers.
NEW REGULATIONS AND LAWS
The thalidomide tragedy seems
certain to result in better en-
forcement of existing laws and
passage of new laws by Congress
aimed at further insuring the pub
lies safety. No one wants any
unnecessary regulation Of any part
of our lives: but failure to enact
measures to protect US from pre-
ventable disasters is equally bad.
THE KEF AUVER INVESTIGATION
Sen. Estes Kefauver of Tennes-
see has long been concerned with
the high cost of some new miracle
drugs and the laws regulating man
Wacture and prescription In $50
he held extensive hearings which
disclosed a need for changes in the
law. While American doctors have
been scrupulously careful with new
and untested products, Senator
Kefauver has questioned what he
believes are some manuf acturerS
high-presSure advertising tactics
directed at doctors as we'll as
patients.
On the subject Of drug prices,
it was pointed out. for example.
that predn; solone costs 10 cents
per tablet to make. sells to whole
salers at 14.3 cents and by the
time it reaches consumers the
price hits 29.8 cents or / ,763
per cent above production cost. The
Committee figured al arthritic
patient using prednisoione steadily
would pay out $50 a month for
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13

{ The maternity section of the
hospital also emonstrates the
sprawled-out nature of the IA
cility, which has been con-
structed building by building as
needs rose and appropriations
permitted. The buildings are
connected by tullrels and in
closed bridges.
The maternity wards are sep
arate from the main hospital,
which in turn is divided into
three main buildings. For an
X-ray, an expectant mother
must be wheeled through tun-
mel and bridge, a trip taking
about is minutes, to one of the
main buildings.
Child care is in still another
building on another corner of
the hospital campus in South
east Washington.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13

A similar poor arrangement
forcd by piecemeal construc-
ton has the emergency admit
ting office in one building and
the out-patient clinic to which
many are referred from the ad-
hitting office, in another.
mo one has died waiting, as
far as I know" one admins
traitor said during the tour of
the emergency section. because
accident victims and other
acute emergencies are handled
Immediately"
The administrator glanced
down at a slim woman, who
expecting the delay, h a d
brought her lunch and was
eating it.
Sometimes, the adminiStra-
tor said, the waiting patients
will be angered to see internS
doing nothing. Actually, he said,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13

these interns may have no plac,
to work and are waiting to us,
one of the cubicles used tt
inspect emergency patients.
No Space Available
The medical director, DR.
Schultz, also said in an inter.
view that it is no longer pos.
Sible to speed the admitting Of
patients by assigning more ply.
sicians. There is simply nc
space left for additional ply.
sicians to inspect these emer-
gency patients.
Crowding is obvious in other
parts of the hospital too. Racks
OF bottles, medical parapher-
malta and smelly laundry line
the Railways and tunnels be-
cause there is insufficient stor-
age space.
Both DR.. Schultz and DR..
Finucane believe the central
core" construction plan, which
may be made possible by the
Districts 1868 budget, is the
solution.
The overall plan merges the
hospitals three main buildings
into one modern unit, rings
this with a three-level section
providing expanded out-patient
and emergency facilities and
adds a wing containing a new
surgical suite.
The new driveway to the out
patient and emergency entrance
will be big enough to permit
d. C. Transit buses to drop
patients at the door. They now
must walk the equivalent of
two city blocks to public trans
portation, a member of the staff
pointed out.
The new out-patient facility
will permit the present out
patient building, near the child
care building, to be used for
maternity care. 1t would have
its own X-ray equipment.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13
Crime rend
Here Dips
Downward

The upward trend of crime"
in Washington has apparently
been stopped. a police report
to the District Commissioners
said yesterday.
/ Serious criminal offenses de-
clined 1.8 per cent in January,
compared to the corresponding
month a year ago, the report
said. The number of serious
crimes last year was 1,713, a
drop of 81 offenses from the
total for the corresponding
month last year.
The report said that this
drop last month and declines
reported in recent months lin
dictate a strong probability that
the increased manpower and
effort directed toward crime
prevention in this city are TAX
ing effect and that the up
ward trend of crime has been
stopped"
Declines in January were re-
ported in the following crime
categories:
Murder, six compared with
10 in the same month a year
ago; rape, seven against IL;
aggravated assault, FOG against
1888; auto theft, 1877 against 2O1.
Increases in January were
listed for the following:
Robbery, 207 compared with
200 for the same month a year
ago; HOUSEKEEPING, 408 against
1876; grand larceny, So against
81; and petty larceny, COG
against 605.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13
CAUDLE CALLED
IN LOAN INQUIRY

BALTIMORE, Feb. 10 (AP)i
IT. Lamar Caudle testified tol
day before a Federal grand jury
inquiring into savings and loan
scandals in Maryland.
Mr.. Caudle was head of the
tax division of the Justice LEI
partment during the Truman
administration.
He told newsmen before en-.
tering the grand jury room
that he was associated last year
with j. Kenneth Edlin willis
working for two Maryland saw
ings and loan associations.
He identified them as First
Colonial Savings & Loan Asso-
citation of Prince Frederick and
First Continental of Chevy
Chase.
MI. Caudle said he has sew
cred his connection with Edlin
and the two companies. He de-
clined to discuss the nature of
his services to them.
Edlin, 50, an ex-convict from
Miami, is awaiting sentencing
for mail fraud in the operation
of First Colonial. He pleaded
no contest to the charge De-
cember 8, in Federal Court.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13

or telephoning landlords OF
employers.
Dr. Schultz and DR.. Finucane
would like to have more clear
ance personnel and would like
to complete the accounting re-
form by mechanizing the oper-
alton. but both say there is no
room at District General-nc
additional office space for per-
sonnet and no space for the
proposed accounting equip
ment.
Crowding at the hospital, as
reported in the second part OF
this series, forces the staff to
dismiss maternity cases as soon
as possible to make room for
more. Many physicians believe
these short maternity stays
contribute to the Districts high
death rate for infants under a
year old.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13
New Buildings Seen Key Solution of c. Generals Problems

Ties OF District General under
a unified system. These i'm
|provements enabled the hospital
to collect $616,0O0 from persons
who could afford to pay part
or all of their bills in 1861.
This amount is more than
twice the 100000 collected in
1857.
A major aim. of the reforms
-mechanization lis still to be
completed. The directors say
this is badly needed to get bills
out on time and keep control
of delinquent accounts.
DR.: Schultz believes the bet
ter accounting that mechanics
ton will provide may produce
more than 100000 in addi-
-tional revenue per year.
As for additional workers to
check patients finances, DR..
Finucane says, II can't guaran-
tee we would save money" if
the cost is balanced only
against the additional money
collected from those found able
to pay.
New Checking System
But" he adds, I'VE would
prevent a lot of people from
getting free care they don't de-
serve in the first place"
It might never show up in
a cost analysis, DR.. Finucane
explains, but the news of better
screening would get around very
rapidly so that many freeload-
ers would give up the attempt.
to get something for nothing.
Screening in now done by 80
clearance workers, nine of
whom devote their time to
mental patients. They reach 30.
per cent of the persons admit
ted including emergency cases
who often must be treated first,
checked later.
They have no time for field in
vestigations, but they check on
patients statements by writing
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13

The present maternity build.
ing-a temporary structure
built years ago probably will
be used for storage.
The new surgical wing con-
Struction will force the destruc-
ton of a century-old, unsafe
structure now used as a dormi-
tory for interns and residents
A new residence is now under
construction.
Tight budgets in the past
have been partly to blame for
the patchwork manner in which
District General was built
Ironically, this penny-pinching
now wastes time and, thus,
money.
Drs. Schultz and Finucane
have corrected some of the sins
of the past with catch UP"
programs. One three veal
catch up" is not being COM
pleted so that the hospital will
have what DR.. Schultz calls
adequate minimal equipment"
More Revenue Urgent
Similarly, he says, the staff
has been increased to a more
reasonable size.
Thus, many of the problems
of the hospital are being solved.
In r-.1y ways it is a very good
hospital. In all ways it is big
one of the 10 largest general
hospitals in the Nation.
Slim budgets, however, have
hurt it in the past and may
again. The central core" is a
priority plan of the 1868 budget
if the District gets the addi-
tional revenues it has asked
Congress for.
If, as seems likely. the Dis
trict gets only part of the re-
queSted revenues, the hospital
construction will have to be
considered against the city's
other pressing needs.
Tomorrow: Radiation Safety
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13
PorIey Held
On Better
Cab Service

District Public Utilities Com.
mission officials met today
with spokesman for the city.
cab drivers to discuss ways Of
improving cab service here.
The PUG. chairman, James
A. Washington, jr., has an
nounced that the commission
would investigate the cab oper-
ationS.
| At a closed conference today
two commission members, Mr.
Washington and Harold Kertz,
and the P.U.C.'s executive Sec
rotary, Joseph S. Greco, re-
ceived suggestions from repre-
sentatives of the cab compan-
les and the independent drivers
on ways to improve service.
After the meeting, Mr.. Greco
said the cab industry appears
to be failing to give adequate
service during rush hours"
Some of the cab spokesman, Mr.
Greco said, had stated that a
hacker has a hard time making
money during rush hours be-
cause of the heavy traffic.
Mr.. Greco, who said that no
conclusions on possible i'm
provementS have been reached,
added that the part time driver
owes a greater responsibility to
residents of the city"
There has been speculation
by P. U. C. officials on the pos
sibility of requiring the part
time driver to work a specified
number of hours in order to
keep his hackers permit. Mr..
Greco today said that the
P. U. C. must be careful not to
adopt any regulation that would
drive the full-time driver out OF
business.
To point up the cab shortage
during rush hours, Mr.. Greco
reported that Mr.. Washington
the P. U. C. chairman, recently
wasted As minutes for a taxi in
front of the District Building
one afternoon.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13

| Wearfa NUMBER on a towel Gu
so it can be worn over the head
The number will enable tn,
TV watchers to keep track O.
individual reactions and CORE.
late them with medical test.
which have already begun a
the hospital.
The tests will continue dur.
ing the stay in the shelter ano
for 48 hours or more afterward
Time a Secret From Men
The group will live in the
shelter for a number of days
unknown to them-though &C.
cidentally leaked to the press
off the record. The volunteers
reactions to their uncertainty
on how long they will remain
is part of the test.
Teams will leave the shelter
to test radiation levels" out
side. There will be a small ra-
diation source placed outside
the shelter entrance. The mer
will measure its decay and try
to determine when it is safe
to go outside.
The shelter itself provides
far less room than a submarine
Altogether it is only rs by Al
feet, a quonset-shaped struc-
ture of corrugated steel like
those the Navy uses for am
munition storage.
1t is reinforced by arching
steel beams to withstand blast
and also has protection against
gas and germ warfare.
The shelter has no heat OF
cooling. An important purpose
of the test is to see how well
the mems body heat can warm
the shelter. (In a two-day test
begun January 80, local NAVY
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13

men found the shelter warm
enough.)
A second long test will be
made this summer to see what
Washington's weather will do
to another group of men.
In the present test, half the
men will sleep while the others
are awake. eating their two
meals a day. Each meal basil
cally will consist of coffee or
tea 26 vitamin-filled crackers
and soup OF, jelly. .,sssSg
Ninety-six of the men were
chosen for psychological fit
ness after boot training. They
will be commanded by 1t. (j.g)
John T. White of Toledo, Ohio,
whom they met yesterday at
the hospital.
If the shelter proves ade-
quate, it may be the prototype
for shelters that may be built
at the Navy's shore establish
ments. This one cost $4,000,
but this cost would be reduced
by further construction expert
ence.
Area Men Volunteer
Area Navy personnel par
ticipating in the test include
Dale R. Stark, of 81 Galveston
street S.W., and Albert j. Fling
ham, Orange, Va, both of whom
volunteered for the project.
Capt. David Minard of the
Nays Bureau of Medicine
here will stay with the men
to observe them. DR.. Eugene
Ramskill and Harold Bogar-
dus, both of the Naval Re-
search Laboratory here, will
enter the shelter with the men
but will not remain for the
fun test, which they are super
vising.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13
Parks Stressed
plan Budget
0fS7.1 Million
Program Provides
Large Projects in
Maryland Counties

Greenbacks for green spaces
was the keynote of a ST. mil
lion budget proposed by Mary
land planners yesterday for
M o n t g ON cry and Prince
Georges Counties in 1923.
Scarcity of potential park
lands and increasing land costs
prompted the Maryland Nation
al Capital Park and Planning
Commission to earmark almost
half of its total budget requests
for the purchase of about 1000
acres.
Highlight of the program for
residents of both counties is a
large park along both sides of
the Patuxent River, which will
include conservation and rec
reation areas.
Jesse F. Nicholson, executive
director, said the proposed
budget is about 100000 below
that of the current year and
Will not cause any increase in
the present 13-cent park tax in
Montgomery or the 10-cent tax
in Prince Georges.
100000 for Parkway
Also of major Importance,
Mr.. Nicholson said, is 500, 900
for land acquisition to COM
plete the George WASHINGTON
Memorial Parkway on the
montgomery side of the
Potomac.
The current success of the
recently completed Falls Road
Golf Course, operated by the
Montgomery County Revenue
Authority, motivated the plan
ners to recommend $4,000
for an 18-hole course in the
Northwest Regional Park-in
the Layhill Road sector near
Sandy Spring.
The proposed budget, which
must be approved by the Coun-
ty Council, will finance the
commissions first survey of
urban renewal needs in both
counties.
Studies to Be Made
Studies also will be made of
population and employment
centers in connection with
highway and transportation
studies.
In Prince Georges County
regional parks are planned for
Clinton and Largo.
Additional parks also are
planned for MONTGOMERY
County'S rural areas, including
Dickerson, Damascus, Goshen,
Jacksonville, Little Bennett
Creek, Olney, Travilah, Fair
land and Piney Grove.
Also in the works are pre-
llminary master plans for
EVANSVILLE ollege Park, Suit
land, Seat Pleasant, Four Cor
ners, Damascus and the Paint
Branch Watershed.
Public hearings on the
budget proposals will be held
at 8 pm. March 81 at the COM
headquarters at 8787
Georgia avenue, Silver Spring,
and March % at the Prince
Georges County Army Reserve
Center, 6601 Baltimore avenue, !
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13

was renewed OF his authority
yesterday when a Federal Judge
in Baltimore placed Mutual in
Federal bankruptcy.
Judge Harrison L. Winter
put the firm under Federal
bankruptcy laws over the Wig
orous objections of an assistant
State attorney general who said
a dangerous precedent might
be established"
Joseph S. Kaufman, assistant
Maryland attorney general, told
Judge Winters that his action
could jeopardize the work of
State-appointed receivers now
managing five other savings
and loan firms in Montgomery
and Prince Georges Counties.
8 Ask for Change
The receiverships were Gre
ated when the attorney gen.
erals office told circuit courts
that the firms were violating
Maryland's new savings and
loan regulatory act. But nine
OF the 1000 depositors of Mu-
tual Security, disgruntIed over
the receivership, asked for the
Federal control which was
granted by Judge Winter yes
terday.
Judge Winter declared the
firm bankrupt under Federal
laws, an action which places it
IN the hand of Joseph o. Kaiser
of Baltimore, the permanent
Federal referee.
Officials of the attorney gen.
erals office were not available
today to comment on a possible
appeal.
Cancels Appointments
Meanwhile. Mr.. Coughlan
has been asked to maintain
housekeeping" details at the
seven Mutual offices until Fed
eral control is organized. He
said today that the suit by the
shareholders in Federal court
had "stymied our work here for
at least a month"
Mr.. Coughlan said he had
several appointments today to
negotiate for the release of Mu-
tual's assets. s..
i Cancelled them" he said.
because I don't have the power
to act"
Mr.. Kaiser told The Star to-
day that the procedure in fed
eral bankruptcy cases is:
1.-The referee (Mr. Kaiser)
gets a list of creditors of the
firm, and mails notices of a
general meeting.
2-The creditors elect a trus-
tee who would do the work now
being performed by the State
appointed receivers.
Not Yet Informed
Mr.. Kaiser declined to esti-
mate now long it would take to
set up the meeting and elect a
trustee because he was not vet
familiar with the case and had
not received Judge Winters
order.
He said that if necessary, a
receiver could be appointed to
control the firm until trustee
we're elected. He said the trustee
could be any resident of Mary
and qualified to handle finan-
,ial matters. Mr.. Kaiser could
appoint a trustee if the credi-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13
Dental Aides to Meet

The District of Columbia
Dental Assistants Society will
meet at 8 pm. Thursday in
RothStein Auditorium. 1922 Eye
street NV. A film, 1.-THE Dem
tai Assistant = A Career of
Service" will be shown at the
meeting.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13
BY WILLIAM GRIGG
Star Staff Writer

The District director of pub
lie health and the medical di-
rector of District General Hos
pital view a $12.3 million con-
struction program as the solu-
ton to the hospitals nagging
problems: Freeloading,, crowd
ing and inconvenient arrange
ment.
The retiring District director
DR.. Daniel L. Finucane, and the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13

tors fail to select one, he said.
The move to have Mutual
placed in Federal receivership
was made by the shareholders,
led by Edward L. Meyer of
Silver Spring, a newspaper
pressman who had $4,000 Of
his own money in the firm.
According to the Associated
Press. Judge Winters agreed
with the shareholders that Mu-
tual had not operated as s
savings and loan firm and
could not therefore qualify foT
a special provision of Federal
law that eXempts such firing
from Federal bankruptcy laws.
In organizing a court test
for Federal control, the share
holders said that a Federal
referee would have more powe!
and more investigative help
than a State-Supervised re-
ceiver. The Montgomery County
Court had appointed Mr.
Coughlin as receiver on No
vember "a.
State Fights Action
At yesterdays hearing, Mr..
Kaufman protested the judges
ruling. and said the proceed
ings were taken at the request
of a "few disgruntled deposi-
tors" Judge Winter was silen.
on the States receivership &C:
ton against Mutual, and orr
dered the Federal referee to try
to recover an estimated SO mil.
lion which had been deposited
Judge Winter confined his
oral decision to the question OF
whether Mutual was really q
savings and loan institution.
He said that the firm "pur.
ported" to be a savings and
loan firm, but was not actually
one in substance, either before
or after the new State regu-
latory law which took effect
last June.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13

medical director, DR.. John D
Schultz, have been fighting
freeloading with new account.
ing procedures which have
streamlined patient screening
and billing. @
Yet both warn that the
problem is not solved and can
not be solved until new con-
struction provides room at the
hospital for more workers to
SER en- patients and for new
accounting machines,
Crowding that directly affects
the hospitals patients and their
care also demands the con-
struction program, officials say,
Today the emergency adj
hitting office patients often
wait six hours before physicians
can find an empty cubicle in
which to check them over. And
in the out-patient clinic, ITS
patients may sit and stand
along the Railways while they
await care.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13
Closed Concern Put
In U. S. Bankruptcy
Court Opposes Stote-Appointed
Receiver for MutuuI Security

Paul M Coughlan Sateapponted receiver Of Mutual Sc
curlty Savings Loan Association Cancelled all his appoint
ments today and tried find Federal authorities
would relieve him of his duty
Mr.. Coughan who was appointed custodian over the
assets of the firm by Montgomery County Circuit Court
was relieved of his authority
yesterday when Federal Judge Lee to Seek Closed Sol Tex Relief
in Baltimore placed Mutual in Poee BIZ
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-02-13
100 Go Underground
In Shelter I est Here

One hundred Navy volunteers will underground Saturday
to live in fallout shelter at Bethesda Hospital until
radiation" outside drops to a safe level
A TV monitor will them as they sleep study play
checkers and cards read to the time will