The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-08
Proposed to Make Washing.
ton Great National Medi-
cal Center
PLANS FOR BUILDINGS
ALREADY UNDER WAY
Congress Asked to Construct Necessary
Buildings in Connection With the
Walter Reed Army Hospital-S10, :
100000 Appropriation Asked.

! "aAtc1 ASc0 <AImy 1AospALd1-pA
100000 Appropriation Asked.
WASHINGTON, D. G., March 81
| There seems to be chance at last,
for the establishment of large, ma
tional medical center here Congress
has been asked by the surgeon gem
eral of the army to authorize the con-
struction of the necessary buildings I
! in connection with the Walter Reed
army hospital and SO far congress
has not objected In fact, the senate
appropriation committee, which has
/ been holding hearings on the PROPOSE I
tion, seems to be distinctly in favor of |
it. III
Only ten million dollars are required
to erect the buildings, and the Medical |
corps is inclined TO think that it has
earned this much for the nation during |
!, the war Never has an army 3 health
been guarded 80 suecessfullv, never has
: the sick rate been forced so low. The
work of American army surgeons in
Europe has ast6nished the world Fur
thermore, by. manufacturing all the ty,
lphoid and paratyphoid vaccine used in
The army, the army medical school
saved the government on that one item
! alone $3,600,o00. If this vaccine had
, been purchased at the market price it
would have cost the government 81 800,
600, whereas the army medical school
: produced it at a cost Of 1900, 600. Even
congress admits that the nation owes
$ he army medical corps some testinon-
ial of its appreciation. !.
. With the adequate research facilities
and housing ACCOMMODATIONS at their dis
posai at a large medical center, such as
: the present army bill proposes, NE may
I. expect even greater things of the army
d medical corps. The nation will profit
on the investment in the end The Wal
e. ter Reed hospital-nam after Major
n Walter Reed one of that valiant group
of men to discover that the mosquito
" caused yellow fever-lies in pietur-
lesque strip of open country on the out
IS skirts of Washington. At the beginning
of the war. it consisted Of a few stately,
TO red brick colonial buildings, surrounded
:, by wide stretches of green lawn and
IN placed neatly at intervals along smooth,
&c. concrete walks. It had leisurely at
-o- mosphere-more like a southern plan
IS tation than hospital. But now the
On stately red brick buildings are almost
du lost in confusion of rough pine wards
el nurses quarters, vocational shops OF
~ one kind and another and military off
~ ces, hastily erected to supply the tenn.
!, porary need of war. As soon as most
-, of the wounded men are returned t.
- civilian life, these wooden buildings
IN will be torn down, and the grount
prepared for the buildings of the new
. army medical center.
Plans for these buildings arc alread,
eeing drawn in the surgeon general
Office. The one which will house tn
army medical school is an attractive
=, colonial structure, costing $2,200O0o.
iy Many applicants are being receive,
from foreign medical officers for per
ha mission to enter the American arm
,st medical school.
80 Once the school is transformed to
tIe building appropriate to its reputation
Us adjacent to the best army medical hot
pital in the country, these application
emit it is believed, will increase rapid,
for Here the medical student will be taugl
It's. preventive medicine, hygiene, care q
eu- troops in the field. and in garrison, an
isy, treatment of disease, medical, surgics
of and mental, by officers who demonstri
les ted their skill on the French front. An
on graduate of frst.class college, WI
ial. can pass the physical and mental exam
hill. nations of the army il elicible for o,
trance TO the army medical school. Upe
passing his examinations, he is ordert
for two months training to SUNNI
mobilization camp for two month
training. This consists of drilling. ar
bulance work and setting and operatiI
field hospitals. In addition, he is taug
to ride, to handle arms, and to undo
stand certain war maneuvers When til
. training ends he is returned to Il
Fl army medical school where he spen
eight months of instruction and hos,
tai training. At the end of this til
he goes up for examination, and if
passes he is given commission in {
army.
Tit Among the most enthusiastic su
porters of the new medical center 3
the physicians who left large evil
, practices to enter the army. Col. Wi
lam Mayo, the great cancer special
whose hospital at Rochester, Mimi,
one of the Rest in the country, thin
that such an institution would be
excellent testimonial of appreciate
to the medical profession for seryi,
rendered in the war. The medical col
IS not conceited, but 1T is intelligs
enough to know its value 1t kno'
II moreover, that some Of its mefnb
: II have made tremendous sacrifices
= serve in the army. The business m
\ who leaves his business, to go. in
army, merely has to appoint manas
and his income goes right on, The phi,
clan cannot do this. 1t is the men y
have made this sacrifice who are m
\. e.
safe and secure building for the ar
medical school, museum and libra
where any member of the medical I
fession can come and carry on resea
whenever he feels like it.
y Wildness in youth means want in