Evening star., 1949-05-24

ment was not clear. Mr.. For
restal. who was 81. knew that he
was LII when he left Office March
28-a few days ahead of schedule
the captain said. -Four days later
from Hobe Sound. Fla. where he
had gone to rest. he asked a close
friend. Ferdinand Eberstadt. tc
ny down from New York and
bring a psychiatrist.
| Flown Back TO Bethesda.
Mr.. Eberstadt brought alons
DR.. William c. Menninger oi
Topeka. Kans., wartime neruo-
psychiatrist consultant TO the Army
surgeon general and now presi-
dent Of the American Psychiatric
Association. The captain in
dicated Mr.. Forrestal apparently
attempted suicide the night before
DR.. Menninger arrived.
Flown back to Bethesda. where
he was placed in a 16th-story room
with heavily screened windows
and q continuous watch was kept
over him. he showed steady i'm
provement.
But Mr.. Forrestal. while the
physician In attendance was In the
next room. went across a hall to
diet kitchen with an unscreened
and unlocked window and leaped
to his death on a third-story ledge.
Suicide was q calculated risk
In the opinion Of DR.. Raines anc
he added that the Navy did not
subscribe to the view that such
patients should be thrown In 9
dungeon"
Mrs. Forrestal and a son
Michael. an employe of the
Economic Administration in Paris
returned yesterday from France
aboard the presidential plane
Independence. Another son. Peter
is employed at The Washington
Post.
A brother. Henry Forrestal ol
Beacon, N. Y. also survives.
Capt. Raines' Statement.
The text Of Capt. Raines' state
ment follows:
"On March 81, 1949, I was sent
by plane to Hobe Sound. Fla, In
the company of one of Mr.. For
restars former aides. at the re-
quest Of the White House, to ex-
anime Mr.. Forrestal. Upon ar
rival there that evening was
informed by Mr.. Forrestal's
friends and former associates that
Mr.. Forrestal had requested Mr.
Eberstadt to come to Florida with
q physician of his own choosing
and that Mr.. Eberstadt was arriv-
ing the following afternoon ac-
companied by DR.. William C.
Menninger. former neuropsychi-
atric consultant to the Surgeon
General Of the Army. and at pres
ent president Of the American
Psychiatric Association and o1
American Psychoanalytic Asso-
citation.
"On ethical grounds I felt /,
improper to see Mr.. Forrestal
since he had designated a physi-
clan of his own choice. For this
reason Mr.. Forrestal was not seer
until DR.. Menninger arrived or
the afternoon of April 1. After
Dr., .Menninger Ind i1httrviewed
Mr.. Forrestal, he s3E Eber-
stadt, acting for the f11Aily. ano
I met inf consultation. Mwas pr
Menninger's opinion, based on his
examination of Mr. Forrestal. that
the patient was suffering with 9
severe depression of the type seer
lin operatiopal fatigue during the
WAR. Mr.. Eberstadt and Dr. Meal-
ninger reviewed the possibilities .oi
hospitals for treatment Of the pa
tient and arrived at the opinion
based on recent experience with
this type Of case. that Mr.. For
restal should be treated in o gen.
eral hospital and that the Unitec
States Naval Hospital. Bethesda
provided the best facilities avail.
able.
II had no voice in the selection
Of q hospital except to assure ths
men concerned Of our utmost CO.
Operation In the case Of this indi.
vidual who had performed such ar
outstanding service for his coun.
TRY. Accordingly. acting for tn.
Surgeon General, I accepted Mr.
Forrestal as . patient on April 2
and We returned to Washington
by air that date, admitting Mr.
Forrestal to the United States
Naval Hospital, Bethesda, on that
evening.
Continuous Watch Provided.
Necessary security, screening, ant
q continuous watch were imme.
diately provided for the patient
DR.. Menninger visited the patien1
at the hospital on April 3 ant
April 6. inspected the facilitie!
provided and approved Of then
and of the course Of treatment
outlined. Both of us were fully
aware that certain risk had to bt
taken In the care Of such q patient
and that no one could assume
responsibility for the outcome ex-
cept the one psychiatrist In charge
Of the case. DR.. Menninger die
not subsequently see Mr.. Forresta
but I consulted with him approx.
limately q month later and HI
again was in accord with ths
therapeutic steps being taken.
"A therapeutic regime was pro.
yided which entailed the employ.
ment OF q week Of narcosis, fol.
lowed by four weeks Of SUBJ shocl
insulin therapy. accompanied b,
lpsychotherapy which was under.
taken by me. Mr.. Forresta
responded well TO the first phas,
LOT treatment but the insulir