Med School Plans Major Survey Of Cambridge's Medical Facilities

The Harvard School of Medicine has set up and will completely pay for a thorough study of Cambridge's entire system of health and medical facilities. The School has named Dr. Leona Baumgartner, visiting professor of Social Medicine, to head the survey.

The study is the most ambitious gesture in the history of Harvard-Cambridge community relations. City Manager Joseph A. DeGuglielmo '29, Dr. Baumgartner, and Med School officials told reporters at a press conference that it will cover "everything you can think of in the way of health" in the city of Cambridge.

Dr. Baumgartner, who was New York City's Commissioner of Health for nine years, told reporters that definite plans for the survey have not been established but that it will definitely include examination of Cambridge City Hospital, the City Health Department, the school health system, the City infirmaries, and the City's mental health program.

"I'm not going to limit Dr. Baumgartner, she's the expert," DeGuglielmo said. "She's got no limitations in time or range."

When the survey is completed, it will send a report of recommendations to DeGuglielmo.

No estimates have been made on the cost of the mammoth survey, but all of it will be paid out of the funds of the Med School. There are no government or private grants of any kind involved and no Cambridge money will be used.

DeGuglielmo said that the subject of a survey by the Med School came up last March when he was carrying on discussions with Dr. Robert H. Ebert, dean of the Med School, about the Cambridge City Hospital. The Med School currently has five full professors working on the staff there.

At that time, the Med School knew that Dr. Baumgartner would be coming there this Fall and suggested her as the head of the survey.

The survey will begin as soon as Dr. Baumgartner gets "straightened away" in Cambridge, she said. It will definitely involve students at the Med School as well as staff.

DeGuglielmo has already expressed an interest in centralizing all of Cambridge's far-flung health and medical facilities under a single department of Health. However, he said that if the report recommends otherwise, he will drop such plans.

He also dismissed any serious problem of antagonism toward such a leap in Harvard involvement in Cambridge affairs. The City's people are always suspicious of surveys, he said, but in this case none of their money will be used, and he can foresee only beneficial effects.

Approval of the City Council will not be needed, since no City money will be spent. But the City Council would have to approve the implementation of any eventual recommendations which would require City money.

While Commissioner of Health in New York City, Dr. Baumgartner completely reorganized the department of Health, rewrote the City Health Code, and established a system for local clinics throughout the City.

At Harvard, she will hold an appointment as visiting lecturer on Maternal and Child Health at the School of Public Health.