The New York herald., 1922-04-11
FOX Hills VETERANS
TRANSFER RESUMED
Order Stopping Exodus to
Sea View Is Rescinded
and More Are Sent.
EXPERT SEES MISTAKE
DR.. Patterson Says, How
ever, Evacuation Had Best
Be Finished Now.
PATIENTS COMPLAINING
CcIer snd Copclan Defend
City hospital and Deny
Charity Phase.
PATIENTS COMPLAINING

societies. the American Legion and the
men themselves are protesting, was
resumed yesterday. Thirty nine pa
tients were carried across the island
and more are scheduled to go to-mor-
row or Thursday
Resumption of the movement fol-
lowed an inspection Of Sea View by
physicians representing the Veterans
Bureau in Washington. They were
DR.. III. A. Patterson. chief of the medi
cal department of the National Tuber-
culosis Association, and DIR. John Tur-
ner of Washington. DR.. Patterson was
accompanied by T. B. Kidner, institu-
tional secretary of the N. T. A. Joseph
Sears, New Jersey State Commander
of the American Legion. accompanied
the others on the rounds. They were
conducted through Sea View by DIR.
George Kramer, medical superinten-
dent.
Dr. Patterson frankly said last night
that the selection of Sea View as q hos
piral for ex-service men was a mistake:
that they should have remained at Fox
Hills until the Government had pre-
pared a permanent place for them. Be-
cause Of popular clamor and condemna-
tion from the patients it was decided
to abandon Fox Hills, DR.. Patterson
transfer has gone so far and the Fox
Hills organization has been broken up
the best thing to do is to complete the
job.
He said that climatically Sea View Is
satisfactory for the treatment of tuber-
culosis. He reported the pavilions for
ambulatory patients to be excellent and
that the distance between them and the
mess hall was not enough to inflict
hardship on the men. He will make his
report to-day to Col. Charles r. Forbes.
director of the Veterans Bureau.
Patients Make Complaints.
AS Dr. Patterson walked through the
hospital he talked with patients who
had been transferred from Fox Hills
The majority of them offered COM
plants. Their points were: Food gen.
orally not as good as at Fox Hills; meat
inedible. coffee cold. milk watery. but
ter bad; discipline too strict; passes not
issued as freely as at Fox Hills.
Several of the men asked DR.. Patter-
son what would happen to them IL they
went out on leave and didn't corn
back. He replied that IL they felt like
leaving they could get their discharges,
but that the only way they could get
rid of tuberculosis was to submit to
discipline laid down by men who had
made life study of the disease
A minority OF the patients said their
only kick was that they couldn't go
about as freely as they thought they
should Several veterans also said that
as Sea View was city hospital. under
the direction Of the New York Depart
nent OF Charities. they regarded them
selves and must he regarded by their
friends as charity patients" and
warmly.
DR.. Patterson told them they had the
wrong view. He told them the Govern
rnent was spending SO day on each
man, that their quarters were entirely
separate from those of the citys
patients and that so far as they were
concerned they were In a Government
hospital, with a status like that OF pri-
vate patients.
DR.. Patterson spent four hours at Sea
View. In the kitchen and mess hall he
tested the dinner menu. He said IL was
all right.
Bird S. Coler. Commissioner of Public
Welfare formerly the Charities Depart
nent). put forth statement yesterday
denying that the veterans or city pa
tients were "pauperized' by becoming
patients at Sea View. He insisted that
there are no paupers In any hospitals
maintained by the city" Many patients.
he said, pay a part Of the cost of their
care and some the full cost.
Arrangement Only Temporary.
"The arrangement made by this de-
partment for temporary care of tuber-
cular soldiers at Sea View" Mr.. Coler
said. was made at the earnest request
OF the Government AS an emergency
measure. The department fully agrees
with the view that the Veterans Bureau
should have their own hospitals and
there should be at least two In New
York State. We also feel that IL the
Veterans Bureau had q more free hand
and immediate money at their disposal
these results would be accomplished
promptly.
I'm a proper propa ganda to persuade
the Government TO maintain its own
hospitals we feel that II is not wise
for any one to make statements that
will humiiiate not alone the soldiers
but other honest people who. are seek
ing their health through the Depart
ment of Public Welfare hospitals"
rr. Royal S. Copeland. Health Com
missioner. spoke Of Sea View yesterday
In the highest terms.
AT the same time.' he said, "the SEN
timental side and the attitude OF the
veterans themselves must be very seri-
ousiy considered"
Criticism OF the location OF the hos
pitai seemed 10 DR. Copeland unsound.
'"rhe hospital buildings are the finest
on the face OF the earth. In fact, they
are so elaborate as TO seem extravagant.
The part Of the hospital set aside for the
service men is entirely apart from the
rest. In my opinion Sea View Is one
OF the best conducted hospitals In the
United States. At this time Of the year
I'd rather go there than TO Lake Placid.
In the winter ! might feel differently"
William +. Deegan. State commander
OF the American Legion. will try to find
out In Washington to-day why the selec-
tion OF site for a permanent Govern
ment hospital near New York has been
30 long delayed. lie believes the hos
pital should be built In the Adirondacks
or Catskills. and that until II is ready
the men should be left at Fox Hills.