Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-02-17
need HOSPITALS
FOR SERVICE men
Surgeon General Reports Ex-
Soldiers Breaking Down at
Rate Of 1000 a Month.
SICK and insane INCREASE
Asks $50, 100000 to Provide for TO-
200 Additional Beds-Many Pa
tients Now Housed in Flimsy
and lnfiammabie Structures.

Washington. - To properly house
and care for the rapidly increasing
number of American ex-soldiers who
suffer from tuberculosis, mental dis
eases and other Affections, approx
mately $3O,OO0,000 is needed immedi-
ately, according to q letter written to
Senator Ashurst of Arizona by Sur
geon General ii. s. Cumming of the
bureau of the public health service.
At the present time, the surgeon gen
eral states, sick and insane men whose
affections can be charged to their
service to their country. are increas-
ing at the rate of about 1000 per
month, and owing to inadequate hos
pital accommodations, great numbers
of them are of Necessity being cared
for In structures that are described
as "timsy and iniiammable."
In hts letter to Senator Ashurst the
surgeon general says:
II wish to invite your attention to
the fact that since June 2, 1920, the
date on which the France bill, TO au-
thorize the secretary Of the treasury
to provide medical, surgical and hos
pital services and supplies for dis
charged soldiers, marines, army and
navy nurses, and for other purposes
was favorably reported the number
of patients has Increased from l7,44a
to 22,292 for the week ended January
/, 1921.
"m the week ended January l, 1921,
there were in hospitals operated by
the public health service 12.51l pa
tients, and in hospitals under contraci
with the public health service 9,TSi.
OF this number 1909 were patients o.
the war risk insurance bureau. Ii l.
understood that there We're approNt
mately 1900 patients of the war risk
insurance bureau in hospitals Operated
by the National Home of Disabled Vol
untcer Soldiers, and in army and nav!
hospitals.
Patients Increase 1000 Per Month.
THE present rate of increase in pa
tients in hospitals of the public health
service is approximately LOCO per
month, and il is expected that before
tlt Dthh IL ltuClltI llit WI p'iS
on request will approximate 10000 to
$4,000. 1t is estimated that the peak
will not be reached before 1927 to
1929
THE public health service now has.
nr in the near future will have, under
operation hospitals providing approx
matey l9.S7S beds or this number Of
beds 10,347 are in hospitals of ilimsy
and intlammable construction or in
hospitals leased by the service under
leases which will expire at certain pc
RODS after the declaration Of peace,
or are otherwise not to be counted up.
on in the program for permanent care.
IAN analysis Of the 1903 war risk
insurance patients in hospitals of the
public health service for the week
ended January |, 1921. shows that
they were distributed according 30
disease as follows: tuberculosis, T.
$780, neuro-psychiatric, $3.50 general
medical and surgical, 5,743; total, 49,
019.
THE most pressing necu Is for tu-
berculosis and neuro-phychiatric pa
tents.
For tuberculosis patients there are
7,43l beds in hospitals operated by the
public health service and LOCO beds in
the Soldiers Home at Johnson City,
Tenn. OF the number now in public
health service hospitals approximately
5.251 are not satisfactory, and should
be replaced at the earliest practicable
date, because they are in fiimsy and
infiammable structures or in leased
Institutions, etc
For neuro-psychiatric patients there
are 1880 beds in institutions operated
by the, public health service and l.
600 beds in the Soldiers Home at Ma
rion, Ind, or the $500 beds of the
public health service 475 are In leased
institutions, and owing to the charac-
ter of the leases are not to be counted
upon In the permanent hospital pro-
gram.
For general medical and surgical
patients there are 9.94S beds in inSti-
tutions either operated by or to be
acquired by the public health service.
OF this number 1921 are not Satisfac-
tory and should be replaced.
10000 More Beds Needed.
After careful consideration of %
the number of war risk insurance pa
tients In hospitals, (2) the present
government hospital facilities, (3) the
necessity of replacing some of the I'M
desirable hospitals (4) the increase in
the number Of war risk insurance pa
tients within the past twenty months
and 90 the geographical distribution
Of the ex-sOldier population, 1t is
found that there Is urgent need for
1890 additional beds for tuberculo-
sis patients, $500 additional beds for
insane patients and 900 additional
beds for general medical and surgical
patients.
"In round numbers 10000 beds are
urgently needed, of which the beds for
tuberculosis and neuro-psychiatric pa
tents are of the greatest urgency
AT the estimated cost Of $4,000 per
lied. 10000 beds urgently needed wonld
require All appropriation Of $4,000"
OOO."