Evening star., 1945-06-25
Army Ends Practice
|0f Detailing Doctors
10 Veterans Hospitals
By CARTER RR0OKE HOMES.

/ ~ SeNNSS SSSNAS NSsS~ONA1S SVAN&]0s
The Army, which has been de-
failing some Of its doctors to
undersigned veterans hospitals,
will supply no more. The Star
learned today.
| The Sturgeon generals ONCE has
notified the Veterans Administra-
ton That THE practice OF transfer
fring medical officers to that agency
| Is to be stopped at once. There was
no explanation.
The only exception will be in the
case Of doctors who worked for the
Veterans administration before the
war. As sthese are returned from
FOREIGN service, they will be detailed
TO retdrM to Veterans Administers
ton. - Id
Whist e6ect the order Will have
on the harassed medical division
Iof the Veterans Administration was
not Immediately apparent. While an
omcial of the administration said It
was fairly; well OF for doctors at the
moment, he pointed to the rapid
expansion Of veterans medical IA
cilities under way and certain to-
grow as more men are discharged
from the armed forces, many Of
them still needing medical care.
| Civilian Doctors Taken.
The Army commissioned 1,l4l civ
ilian doctors at veterans hospitals
less than two years ago, and these
have not been shifted About 500
other doctors left the Veterans Ad-
ministration and took commissions
in the armed forces.
Since then, to help supply the
shortage, the Army has transferred
to the Veterans Administration 446
medical officers who had not previ-
ously served veterans. The Navy
supplied 50, including five previous
veterans doctors.
Thus the Veterans Administration
has about 1877 commissioned doc
tors. Civilian physicians still work.
ing Tor the hospitals are past mill
tary age or were unable to pass the
Army physical examination.
The Veterans Administration had
planned to ask the Army for 80 to 30
more medical Officers to report not
later than early fall.
Critical Times Seen.
Unless Congress soon passes pend
ing legislation to set up a medical
bureau In the Veterans Administra-
ton, with authority to engage medi- !!
cal personnel without regard to civil
service or its salary classifications,
the veterans hospitals may face
critical situation In the coming
months.
This legislation is not due to be
taken up by the House Veterans
Committee until late summer or
early fall. after the new veterans
administrator, Gen. Omar N. Brad
ley. takes ONCE.
Representative Rogers, Repub-
Hcan, Of Massachusetts,, a member
OF the committee, had been advised
OF the War Department. new policy |
and was disturbed by 1t. She ex-
pressed fear that the Veterans Ad-
ministration would not be able to |
get enough doctors unless the Army
continues to help.
ca To Resume Probe.
During recent hearings in the in
vestigation Of veterans hospitals by
the committee, Chairman Rankin |
and othef. members criticised the |
War Department sharply for detail
ing some doctors to q veterans |
neuropsychiatric hospital ut North
port, N. Y, who, according to its
chief medical of11cer, were incom-
petent and unsuited to the assign
ment. Mr.. Rankin also. took the |
War Department to task for de-
failing q large number of colored |
enlisted men to this hospital. Some
OF them were convicted at . court
martial Of beating patients,
The committee will resume Its
probe Of hospitals tomorrow.
While the veterans hospitals
have more doctors at present than
they had early in the war, there is
an acute shortage OF nurses and
other employees.
Staff doctors in most hospitals are
reported overworked and required
to care for too many patients, but
it was primarily the lack OF other
personnel that caused the three
major veterans organizati tions In
recent reports to the House Vet
erans' Committee to declare the
hOsDitalS Serioiislv ,lnderrpaonad