Conference of Officers in Charge of Government Hospitals Serving Veterans of the World War
History
Conference of Officers in Charge of Government Hospitals Serving Veterans of the World War
Medicine, Military; Military hospitals; World War, 1914-1918 -- Veterans -- Medical care -- United States
SURGEON DEDMAN stated he had taken part in the compilation of General Order
#27, and that he found one flaw in it now. This was the clause about
giving a man his transportation. He believed that a man would soon get
restless and if he could get his transportation home against medical
advice many of these men would get some wonderful home trips. He said
this would make it one of the hardest things on earth to keep sick men
in bed. He said the only way for this to be done would be to deduct the
transportation from the man’s compensation. He stated that General Order
27 had put Commanding Officers where they could sleep at night, that
before there was simply turmoil and strife, like the boy in France whose
wife, every time she wrote to him, nagged him, and he of course was
never anxious to get her letters. Finally he wrote to her “Dear
Maggie—Received your last letter. For God’s sake don’t write me any
more. Let me fight this war in peace!.”
DR.LLOYD: referring to Dr. Dedman’s complaint, stated that in the case of a
man discharged for disciplinary reasons the man would not have the means
to get home, and the community would have to take care of him, that it
was a choice between two evils. In the case of a man who goes home
against medical advice, if his transportation were not paid he would
just do something and get fired for disciplinary reasons. He asked for
some further discussions on the matter of patients being sent back to a
hospital when they ought not to be.
SURGEON MILLER: referring to General Order 27, stated that in his hospital
the patients were willing to pay their own transportation, and would go
whether it was paid or not.
ADMIRAL STITT: asked that those who wished to present resolutions be writing
them.
DR. GUTHRIE: requested that the medical officers who have complaints in
regard to General Order 27 and do not have time to express then write
them out and he would be very glad to have them sent to him.
SURGEON WHITE (Speedway Hospital): asked whether, if a patient stays away
over night A.W.O.L., paragraphs 3 or 4 on Page 3 of General Order 27–A
would apply.
ADMIRAL STITT asked that Dr. Lloyd answer that question.
DR. LLOYD: suggested that if patient stays away less than 24 hours mild
disciplinary action might be applied, if longer than 24 hours he should
be disciplined, that these matters were covered in the paragraphs
referred to.
ADMIRAL STITT: “The next discussions will be on “The Relation of District
Managers to Hospitals.””
DR. WILLIAMS: emphasized the point that when a man comes to the hospital he
should be treated for everything that is wrong with him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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