Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-28
EFFICIENCY USED !
IN ARMY HOSPITAL
Colonel George P. Peed Accom-
plishes Great Saving for Amer
lean Ambulance Unit.
ADDITIONAL AUTOS ON WAY
Will Be Driven by Men Regu-
larly Enlisted in United States
Army and Drawing Salaries.
ny ERNEST r. ORR.

III WIZ"
PARIS, October 1.-(Ry Mail to New
York. )-Since Colonel George p. Peed
has been in charge Of United States
Army hospital No. !. as the American
ambulance In Ncuiliy is now called. he
has topped 400 persons off the payroll
and effected a saving Of nearly 80 per
cert in the monthly operating e1-
penscs. And he has not yet finished in
his campo ism OF economy
With the eighty additional automo-
biln amoulanccs now en- route from
America. the hospital Will have moro
than 100 cars to continue it's work
Of handling all wounded arriving at
the vatIous Paris railway stations for
hospitals in the capital Heretofore
the hospital has been using French
automobiles driven by American VOL
unteers. Now the ambulance boys
are being asked to enlist as regulars
In the United States Army for the
duration OF the war. and to date more
than half OF them have Joined up
Gradually. all OF the personnel OF
tie huge hospital is being changed
over from volunteer workers 20 paid
irs charge in the middle OF last Au-
gust. that a COOL many nurses. doc
tors, crdorlies and others who were
ostensibly volunteers. were receiving
salaries indirectly. although their
names never appeared on the hospital
payrolls. He has put an end to all Of
that Now. IL person cares to donate
his or her services as a volunteer work.
er. he or she Ia received strictly on
mat basis. Those who wish remuncra-
ton for their services are hired at GER
tn in salaries and their names and wages
appear on the payrolls
SOME PATIENTS TAKE
THEIR MEALS IN MESS HALL
Probably the chief innovation that
Colonel Peed has begun is the serving
or meals in mess hall for all the
inmates OF the hospital who are able
t" leave their beds. Heretofore all
patients had been served in their yari-
Gus wards. AS result they received
iukewarm or cold food-for the hos
pital covers several acres and is four
! stories Highland there was an army
or Mattresses engaged for hours in
carrying trays OF food upstairs and
downstairs and along the halls to tho
various wards.
,-'''N' VIC HSM the SER
vices of nearly all Of these Mattresses
nave been dispensed with and the num-
Der OF cooks employed has been cut
down.
Colonel Peed has Just issued an order
requiring that orderlies keep their
wards clean. mop up the floors. wash
the windows and do other odd Jobs OF
that description. which have been per-
formed heretofore by a special section
or scrubwomcn who worked in the
early morning and late evening. The
orderlies threatened TO go on strike
when the order was announced. But
Colonel Peed received their Spokesman
explained to him the necessities of
economy and reduction in operating
expenses. and as a result only six OF
the orderlies quit work.
The big laundry bills have been cut
down since Colonel Pced announced
that the hospital would no longer nav
Tor personal laundry OF tho trained
nurses and auxiliary nurses He took
the viewpoint that when the nurses
were receiving salaries OF $50 a month.
they were well able to pay their own
laundry bills. as they are in other hos
pitals There was some murmurinr
against this rule at first but the fore,
or the colonels argument would not
be controverted, and the matter adj.
justed itself