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 J. B. ANDERSON (R): If I have interpreted the regulations correctly,
we are not permitted to have a canteen around the hospital. If I am in
error, I should like to know it.
LIEUT. COL. W. H. MONCRIEF, U.S.A.: Contrary to the impression given here
yesterday afternoon, revelry does not maintain at Fitzsimmons Hospital.
I think we have a well-ordered institution. The matter of compensation
does give us some concern.
We have four classes of patients,—Army, Navy, beneficiaries of Soldiers’
Homes and of the Veterans’ Bureau. On the day I left, we had a total of
980 patients, 719 of which were Veterans’ Bureau beneficiaries. These
are officers, ex-nurses and ex-enlisted men. I will say that the
behavior of these people during my tour of duty at the hospital compares
favorably with that of any other institution. We have our troubles; if
we didn’t have them, I don’t suppose the institution would need a
commanding officer.
But the question of compensation is one that is not easily adjusted
unless it is adjusted at the source. It is impossible to give you an
idea—unless you have charge of one of these institutions—of how much
trouble the commanding officer is going to have if the responsibility of
withholding this compensation is put on him.
We are near a large city—not too near and not too far—but we are
surrounded by people who want to offer at all times every inducement to
the enlisted men to spend this amount of compensation in the most
advantageous manner. This class ranges from the peddler of tin toys to
the most reliable banking firms in the city of Denver. Those bank
representatives wait on us. Since I have been there, I have had to
pursue the policy of excluding from the reservation all solicitation
whatsoever, my argument being that it was my duty, to protect the T. B.
patients; that if one solicitor were allowed, others must be allowed;
and that I had no time nor inclination to pass upon the merits of the
various propositions offered. I have not had a great deal of trouble;
and since I have been able to get the representative people to
understand this situation—and I take particular pains to inform all my
personnel that reputable firms and others are aware of this
prohibition—it is assumed that anyone soliciting on the reservation is
not reputable.
I think a great deal can be done in regard to taking care of this matter
by the social service work in the hospitals. The good people of Denver
have been very kind in every way.
DR. BUTLER: In view of the fact that economy seems to be the order of the
day, and to have economy the bird’s-eye view has been pointed out to
organizations this morning, I suggest that as a fitting slogan for this
body, the words. “Cultivate a bird’s-eye view” be adopted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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