New-York tribune., 1921-06-12
State Profits 5000 Daily
On Care of Soldier Insane
Manhattan Hospital Patients Are Maintained ON Less
Than Dollar Day, While Government Pays
New York Twice Much for Their Upkeep

Revelations made by the American
Legion committee headed by State
Vice Commander William F. Deegan,
which recently investigated the condi-
tion of insane veterans at Manhattan
State Hospital, Wards Island probably
will cause the Legion to demand an
immediate change of policy in the
method of caring for such patients.
1T was disclosed that the state is
making approximately 5000 day profit
through the treatment of the 200 eX-
service men who are patients at the
hospital. Dr.. M. B. Heyman, superin-
tendent Of the hospital, readily admit.
ted, when questioned about the charge.
that the state is providing for the men
at cost of only 81 a day, when the
government allows So. He said;
Yes, 1t costs the state approximate
~ $l 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 nothino 70
40 with fiXlng the rates for treatment:
such rates are fixed by the state. and
the lee paid by the government goes to
the state SNes ~
,, $500 Patients at HOSPITAL
we have $500 patients out here 70
care for and these soldiers do not ra-
celve the individual attention thew
would receive in hospital maintained
especially for them. We are doing our
pest and, believe, are succeeding as
"eli 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
Tor better conditions for these soldiers.
and | think it would be the best thing
Tor the government to care for them
personally, instead of having the state
do 1t. | personally advocate such a
step"
Mr.. Deegan, chairman of the Ameri
can Legion committee composed of Ed
ward Kiley, Queens County chairman.
and Richard Bell, director of the state
service department, after 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 hos
pital 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 where they
mingie with the insane who have lost
all hope.
Object to States Profit
we also object to the state taking
81 day for the care of these men and
only expendlng approximately 80 cents
day for their maintenance The re-
suit is they receive food which, though
wholesome enough is not carefully
prepared. The committee found that
the potatoes served to the men were
only half peeled and the eyes were nor
taken out. The spinach was served
with the roots on. The food 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, and these build
ings are far from the kitchen. The
government is primarily to blame. IL