New-York tribune., 1921-06-11
Slate Making
$500 a Day ON
Soldier Insane
Manhattan Hospital Head
Admits u. S. Allows So
Daily for Each Veteran
and Only ST Is Spent
HcrdcdWith $500 Others
s,,egiou Denounces System
That Puts Men I'm Glass.
With Charity Patients

Charges by an investigating commit
tee of the American Legion that the
Manhattan State Hospital, on Wards
Island, is making a profit of approx
mately 5000 DAY through the treat
ment of 600 insane soldier veterans
were admitted yesterday by DR.. M. B.
Heyman, superintendent of the institu-
ton. Further charges that the state
Is caring for the insane veterans at the
Manhattan Hospital at an approximate
cost of 81 day, although the state Is
allowed 50 day by the government
for their care, were also admitted Is
true by DR.. Heyman.
DR.. Heyman, when informed Of the
report returned by the American Lee
gion committee, which was headed by
William F. Deegan, first vice president
of the Department Of New York. said:
"Yes. it costs the state approximate
~ 81 day to care for each of the 200
insane soldiers at this hospital. They
are very troublesome patients and need
extra attendants and special diets and
care. This institution has nothing to
do with fixing the rates for treatment:
such rates are fixed by the state, and
the fee paid by the government goes to
the state.
$500 Patients at Hospital
"We have $500 patients out here to
care for and these soldiers do not re-
ceive the individual attention they
would receive in hospital maintained
especially for them. We are doing our
best and, I believe, are succeeding as
we'll as any other hospital in the coun-
try. We have more insane soldier vet
erans here than any other institution,
believe. 1t is true that some of these
veterans are being kept in wards as
signed to civilian patients, but that
does not alter the attention in the
least. know there is much agitation
for better conditions for these soldiers,
and think it would be the best thing
for the government to care for them
personally, instead of having the state
dc it. | personally advocate such
step"
Mr. Deegan, chairman of the Ameri-
can Legion committee composed of Ed
ward Kiley, Queens County chairman,
end Richard Bell, director of the state
service department, after a visit to the
Manhattan Hospital, made the follow
ing report:
THE most serious condition we
found was that these veterans are be-
ing cared for like common charity pa
tients of the state when they should
be receiving special treatment. The
hospital is not equipped to deal with
cases which have resulted directly
from war causes. Moreover, no one
can tell me that it is good thing to
have these young men in an institution
tIo,, ,,erJo xr.fb "a ir,sa xphn
have lost all hope.
Object to States Profit
Eve also object to the state taking
50 day for the care of these men
and only expending approximately 80
cents day for their maintenance.
The result is they receive food which.
though wholesome enough, is not care
fully prepared The committee found
that the potatoes served to the men
were only half peeled and the eyes
we're not taken out. The spinach was
goes to the table cold. The reason
the food is cold is because the patients
are housed in emergency buildings
erected by the navy during the war,
aid these buildings are far from the
kitchen. The government is primarily
TO blame. 1t should have built specia.
hospitals for these men instead of
DGSSiilP tuc D0Ch W. tilS SVdoC liStibh-
tons which are already crowded" .
While the Manhattan State Hospital
was the first to be investigated by the
i Legion committee, it was said last
night that the investigation would be
carried on in other state institutions.
A complaint made by Jacob Felbel, an
attorney with Offices at 374 Broadway,
that he had delivered huge basket Of
candy to the disabled veterans at the
Polytechnic Hospital, at 345 West Fiji
tieth Street, and that the candy had
never reached the soldier veterans, is
also to be investigated, it is said.
Delivered Gift in Person
According to q statement made yes
terday by Mr.. Felbel, the basket of
candy, which was won at bazar for
the benefit of the wounded soldiers,
was taken by himself to the institu-
ton on May 49, An employee, Mr..
Felbel declared, took the basket of
candy and card bearing the inscription
For the disabled soldier boys" and
promised to deliver it.
After ascertaining that the candy had
not reached the disabled soldiers MIR,
Felbel took the matter up with Dr.. w,
d. Heaton, executive officer at the hos
pital, and an Investigation followed.
On June z Mr.. Felbel received a COM
munication from DR.. Heaton, in which
1t was stated that an investigation con-
Quoted under his personal guidance had
failed to throw any l;oht IN 4ba ,,,,++n~