, 1925-05-28
disqualification of
War Veterans Today

Notwithstanding all thai has been
said and written about hospitaliza-
ton of disabled American War Vet
Grams, l wonder how many individ-
uals in the United States today have
any definite idea of the elaborate
hospital program that the U. S. Vet
Grams Bureau is carrying on.
Already operating forty-nine hos
pitfalls, over IA dispensaries, ninety
four clinical laboratories, about 100
X-ray laboratories and housing over
$4,000 patients, the Bureau is con-
stantly constructing and opening
new hospitals and incorporating adj
ditional facilities in those already
open. These hospitals are as modern
and complete as science and careful
planning can make them and no de-
tail of utility of convenience is sacri-
diced to a false prompting toward
economy.
In order that the medical author
tiles of the hospitals may be enabled
to give their undivided attention to
h care and treatment of patients
h director has established a bust
ness manager in each hospital to look
after the financial and economic af-
IalrS OF the institution.
Thes men have been carefully Sc
lected with regard to demonstrated
ability as business executives and are
expected to show gratifying results
in the way of increased economy of
administration, and in handling the
thousand and M business details
inseparable from the functioning of
a large institution.
1t has long been the Directors
conviction that these duties should
not be imposed upon the medical men
charged with the actual care and
treatment of the disabled and the
establishment of these business man
ayers is a definite feature planned to
increase efficiency on the part of the
physicians as well as in the economic
operation of the hospital.
In the matter of disqualification of
disabled veterans the President, the
Director of the Bureau, and the Con-
gress are thoroughly in accord and
whatever may be necessary in ma
terial and personnel to furnish ade-
quate disqualification and medical
service of the highest order is being
provided for. The generous provis-
ions of the Reed-Johnson Bill have
permitted the Bureau to open its hos
pitfalls to veterans of any war in which
the United States has participated
since 1897 and already over 2,00c
have availed themselves of this bene-
fit showing planely the acute need
for such assistance.
In planning the hospitals, not alone
is the medical care of the men con-
sidered, but recreational and enter
tasnr,Ayt fAntrrar - H. ,rA,-s1al
chief among which latter are the
radios which are being installed in
all Veterans hospitals as rapidly as
suitable equipment can be obtained.
In the appropriation recently made
available by Congress complementing
the Third Langley Bill, six new hos
pitfalls and a National Training School
for the blind are provided for and
funds are made available for the
completion of another hospital now
partially constructed.
In order to secure for the Bureau
the greatest possible efficiency in
medical service the Director has as
sembled a body known as the Medi-
cal Council which is composed of 80
of the leading specialists of the
United States and which meet at his
call to counsel and advise with him
and the Medical Director in all mat
tiers pertaining to the medical cure
and treatment of the disabled.
The Director feels that 1t Is much
more a service to give n man back
his health and with 1t his economic
independence than it is to merely
maintain him in a hospital and pay
him compensation. Therefore. this
feature is a significant step in demon
strating his theory hat cur rather
than money compensation should be
the chief endeavor of the Bureau.
In this theory the Medical Council
heartily concurs and in accordance
with this policy a hospitals efficiency
is measured by its accomplishment
in %recoveries of the disabled.
IN this phase OF the work, how
ever. the attitude and cooperation OF
the patients is half the battle and II
past experiences is n safe criterion
for the future the outlook Is indeed
encouraging.
The boys who had the courage to
carry on throughout the war are
demonstrating that same spirit In
their slow and irksome fight back to
health and strength and in each re-
covery credit for this victory belongs