Part 13

COL. FORBES: called upon Surgeon Quick (P.H.S.)

SURGEON QUICK: stated that he was connected with a Marine Hospital, which did not take T.B. or N.P. cases; that the patients were beneficiaries of the Veterans’ Bureau and were mostly of the surgical type; and that he felt there was very little he could add to what had already been brought to the attention of the gentlemen present. He stated that he believed the large percentage of medical men would agree that rehabilitation was more of a medical matter than an educational one.

He also expressed himself as being in favor of the dispensary plan for the Districts; but added that he felt there must be a great deal of cooperation between the District Managers and the Medical Officers in hospitals; also, that medical officers in dispensaries should use a great deal of judgment in referring cases to the attending specialists.

COL. FORBES: said that that was a medical question; that the District Medical Officers should go the limit in providing hospital care if in their judgment it is the proper thing to do.

COL. BRATTON: stating that he had charge of the Army and Navy General Hospital at Hot Springs, spoke concerning the discharging of patients from government hospitals by reason of disorderly conduct. He stated that when such men were discharged they were not granted transportation to their homes, and therefore became nuisances to the community there.

COL. FORBES: stated that there is a General Order providing for the payment of such transportation.

COL. FORBES: inquired of this officer regarding the paper work of his hospital.

COL. BRATTON: answered that he found it very cumbersome; that he has to make triplicates; that two of these copies go to the District Manager who sends one to Washington.

COL. FORBES: said he wished he would suggest to General Ireland a medium for reducing this.

COL. BRATTON: said that he was running two sets of records,—Bureau and Army.

COL. FORBES: replied that he was dealing with two distinct sets of men.

COL. BRATTON: stated that he had just made out his annual report. He said his place had treated 851 Veterans’ Bureau patients the last year, and he told the different diseases involved. Added that in many cases referred to them no trace of disease was found; also, that one man was sent from Oklahoma and the only ailment discovered was one decayed tooth.

COL. FORBES: replied to the effect that that man is entitled to vocational training under Section 2.

SURGEON GARDNER (St. Paul): expressed himself as being in favor of the dispensary project, as it would assist the medical officers greatly. He added that he has two patients suffering from paralysis, and does not know where to place them.

LIEUT. COMMANDER HIGGINS: stated that he is not in a hospital, but one thing that impressed him in his contact with men in hospitals was Dr. White’s “third class”, the border-line mental types. He said this type gave the most trouble in hospitals, but that they do not get the sympathy of many medical officers not accustomed to dealing with that type.

COL. FORBES: asked if he believed there were a lot of men hospitalized, drawing compensation and taking vocational training from the Government, who are not entitled to such.

LIEUT. COMMANDER HIGGINS: replied that it would be a very hazardous thing for him to say because he had not been in contact with them; but that from a civil standpoint that might be true.

COL. FORBES: asked Captain Blackwood if everyone in his hospital had a disability.

CAPT. BLACKWOOD: answered in the negative; and added that at his hospital they got diagnosis varying anywhere from baldness to flat feet; that the man claims the disability, and when the hospital cannot find it, the man is discharged. He cited one instance where a man came to the hospital claiming that he was suffering from “Compensation”.

COL. FORBES: called upon Captain Dunbar, U.S.N.

CAPTAIN DUNBAR: said that he came prepared to offer statistics on the League Island Hospital, and added that he thought that that hospital had been doing as much work for the Veterans’ Bureau as any of the naval hospitals; that out of so many sick days, one third of them had been devoted to the patients of the Veterans’ Bureau. Remarked that during the past year it had not been necessary to discharge a patient for disciplinary action, but that so far this year two had been discharged for peddling drugs. He also brought up the subject of treating patients for disabilities other than those mentioned in the diagnoses upon admission to the hospital, and gave as example a case diagnosed as “chronic gastric catarrh”, but found to be an “ulcer” case. He said that in emergency cases they went ahead and operated.

COL. FORBES: instructed him to go right ahead and operate completely.

SURGEON COBB: stated that he did not think that any of the gentlemen present were aware of any General Order allowing the payment of transportation after disciplinary discharge.

DR. LLOYD: gave information to the effect that that General Order was just being printed.

COL. FORBES: stated that he would see that the proper authorization was given, and that the travel blanks were placed right in the hospitals.

SURGEON COOK (Houston): asked if such transportation would take the man to his home or to place of hospitalization.

COL. FORBES: replied that transportation would be to the legal residence or to place hospitalized.

COL. FORBES: called upon Dr. Guthrie to inform the doctors present concerning the difficulties in the Veterans’ Bureau.