The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-10
GREENHUT HOSPITAL
TO CLOSE TUESDAY
Gen. Monaghan Outlines Work
Of Largest Single Unit
- institution.
86,778 PATIENTS IN ALL
Only Eighty Men Remain;
Will Be Evacuated This
Week.
86,778 PATIENTS IN ALL

The Greenhut military hospital at
Eighteenth street ard Sixth avenue. Of
fcislly known as Debarkation Hospital
No. 8. will close its doors next Tuesday.
Lieut.. Col. William ]. Monaghan. the
commanding officer. was the guest OF
honor at dinner given at Reisenweb-
er'e Restaurant last night by the men,
bers OF his STAFF. He briefly outlined the
work done since the first patients were
received less than eight months ago.
The Greenhut Is the largest military
hospital under one roof In the world and
las received and evacuated more cases
In a shorter time than any other institu-
ton OF Its kind In the United States.
Since tho first consignment OF wounded
from overseas arrived November %,
1918, a total Of 36,s7S patients have en-
tered the institution and 36,7sS have
been discharged or transferred TO base
hospitals at points nearer their homes.
There are now only eighty cases re-
manning. These will be evacuated be-
foro the end of the week.
Accommodated $3.50 Patients.
The Greenhut hospital occupies the
building which was formerly Siegel-
Cooper's department store and later
Greenhut's With $4,000 square feet Of
floor spacea,it had accommodation for
$3.50 patients. although on several &C.
casions this number was increased al
most to 1000. The average number OF
beds occupied daily was e,4ss.
To care for these patients, many OF
them seriously wounded and weak after
: the discomtorts Of the voyage. required
an enormous staff of doctors and nurses.
The personnel. when the hospital was
running at capacity. included lo7 Off
GERS. sos nurses and 96a enlisted men.
IN addition to the regular STAFF there
were, hundreds of volunteer Red Cross
workers, social service workers and
ward entertainers who helped TO
brighten the hours for the thouss nds OF
wsr shattered men who passed through
the Institute ion.
For months there has been a constant
stream of wounded soldiers from over
seas passing into the Greenhut Building
through the entrance on Eighteenth
street and simultaneously another long
line Of homeward bound veterans leav-
ing from the door on Nineteenth street.
The record number received In one day
was 2.235: tho largest number dis
Charged was 1858.
As practically all the wounded have
now been returned from abroad there Is
no longer any need for the debarkaticn
hospitals here, Col. Monaghan sad. On
July the Medical Corps reported S.1S5
sick or wounded soldiers remaining in
Franco they can be handled on their
arrival here by the hospitals at Camps
Mills and Merritt or ST. Mary's Hospital
In Hoboken. The Grand Central Palacs.
the next largest war hospital here, was
closed several weeks ago.
Among the social workers. who collec-
lively paid an average OF $4,000 visits a
week to the patients In the Greerhut. are
Mrs. Moses Taylor. Mrs w. NJ. Polk.
Miss Mary Choate, Mrs John Kerr, Mrs
Foxhall Keene. Mrs. John Msgee. Mrs
Jesse Straus, Mrs Frank Msrkoe. Mrs
II. G. Genuert, Miss Margaret French.
Mrs, Brown Caldwell. Mrs. II. l.. Roose-
welt. Mrs. NJ. T. Pyne. Jr.. Mrs. Henry
r. Osborn. Jr.. Mrs. Theodore Van Nor
den, Mrs Edward Van Ingen, Mrs. J. r.
Di,lworth, Mrs W. w. Walker. Mrs.
William S. Edgar. Miss Carolyn Fl. Dor
seit. Miss Mary P. Bradley and Miss
Helen X. Olcott
An average OF 1000 men each week
attended the night concerts given at the
hospital under the auspices of the Blu
reau Of Recreation. Hundreds OF tho
patients were entertained at funcheons
and dinners at the city clubs and at
private homes AS many as 5000 were
taken for automobile trips on sunshtny
sundays and from 1900 to 5000 theatre
tickets were donated every week BY New
York theatres.
Much Entertainment Given.
Entertainments In the building under
the direction OF Miss Elaine Starr we're
given every night; these included NOV
ing pictures, vaudeville. boxing, Vres-
Ting, educational lectures and concerts
The hospital had no superior In the
matter OF equipment. Its dining room
lad a seating capacity of c,040, with an
annex In the Cluett building adjoining
.or the personnel. Although passes we're
given freely, most OF the men. preferred
10 take their meals at the hospital mess.
which was 15 per cent better than the
regular army rations.
The American Library Association
maintained library OF several thousand
volumes and a supply department fur
n.shed everything the soldiers could
possibly need. from razor blades to chew
ing gum. $4,000 articles a week being
distributed by this service, which was
conducted by Mrs. John Clapperton Kerr.
with the comforts and entertainment
provided for the men, II Is not difHcult
10 believe Col. Monaghan's statement
that the number OF cases of absence
without leave was practically negligible.