The Mankato free press., 1921-12-16
HOSPITAL
FOREX-SERVCEMEN
New Home Near Battle
Creek, Mich.
FIGHT ON WHITE PLAGUE
Roosevelt Institution Operated
BY War Veterans, Opens
December IS
Associated Press Dispatch. ]

lASSOCidIco IICoS l(icpdSSA"J
Detroit, Mich, December Twin
more than one hundred patients
awaiting entrance, the Roosevelt
American Legion hospital at Camp
Custer, near Battle Greek, Mich, will
open its doors about December Is .
former sirvice men of Michigan suf-
fering from tuberculosis, according TO
announcement by OFFICIALS of the Mi
chigan department Of the Legion here.
The hospital, dedicated November
Z by Marshal Foch, is unique in that
it is the only hospital in the country
operated by eX- service men Tor tne
benefit of ex- service men Each doc
tor, nurse and employe at the institu-
branch Of the government fighting
machine.
The hospital, converted from the
former community house at Camp
Custer, where thousands of Michigan
and Wisconsin men were trained dur
ing the war period, was turned over
to the Legion by the state of Michi-
gan several months ago.
An extensive program for care OF
ex service men both during their re-
covery and afterward has beeN map
ped by the state legion officials.
Declares Buildings ideal
The building and its surroundings
were inspected recently by DR.. A H.
Garvin of Detroit, an expert in the
architecture of tuber culosis hospital
and who is at the head of Detroft's
new tuberculosis sanitarium at North
vile, suburb. DR.. Garvin declared
ideal for the purpose and recommend
ed hut few changes, all these being of
minor nature. These changes will
have been completed by December Is,
it is announced.
DIR. Garyin arranged part of the
program for treatment of the patients,
advising that those receiving care be
permitted to engage in light, recrea-
tional labor. Another feature of the
recreational life at the hospital, ac-
cording to present plans, will be a
vaudeville program twice weekly in
addition to motion picture enter tain
nents. The vaudeville performers are
to come from Battle C-aet thoot"~
Men will be kept at the Institution
until their cases are pronounced "ar
rested" Then they will be placed
Immediately in vocational training to
prevent a period of idleness with at
the state Legion welfare office will be
established at the hospital to care for
the patients in this way.
The hospital has a capacity Of $50
patients. Present plans can for
doubling the number who may be car
ed for by erection of additions to the
hospital building. Work on these ad
ditions is expected to start next
spring. Buildings to house the nurses
and employees at the hospital are to
be erected during the winter.
Each patient at the hospital will oc-
cupy Seperate room, tastefully de-
corated, and the inmates Will be per-
mitted to bring pictures and other
articles from their homes to make his
quarters seem home like. Each room
Is provided with running water.
Large Recreationai Room
The hospital has a large recreation
al room with lhraries, a dining room
that viii seat more than 400 persons
without crowding, and other com
modious rooms for general assembly.
Residents of Battle Creek, located
but few miles from the camp, are
making extensive preparations to en-
tertain the patients and to provide
them with special articles of food A
large room at the hospital already has
been stocked with jenies, canned
fruits and other similar edibles, while
additions to the store are being re-
ceived daily. Legion headquarters
here has received hundreds Of letters
from persons in other parts of the
state offering articles Of food and
clothing for comfort of the patients
State Legion executives expressed
the opinion the hospita1 would be fill
ed to capacity by Christmas. DIR. AL
bert M. Wehenkel of Detroit, who
served In the army medical service
abroad, and at army hospitals In
Markleton, Pennsylvania and in Den
ver will he in charge of the hospital.
Miss Wilhelmina L. Weyhing, super
intendent of nurses at the city hospi-
tai here and who saw service IN Ser.
bia and France during the world war,
at the hospital.