DR. ELLIOTT: took up the question of furloughs, stating that at the Naval Hospital in Washington at Christmas time many Veterans’ Bureau patients asked for leave, and pursuant to advice from the District Manager they were given the same amount of leave that the other Naval patients received, from 5 to 10 days. DR. DEDMAN: spoke on economy. He said he understood a certain rate per diem was to be established for the care of patients, and wanted to call attention to several things in this connection. First, the environment. Some hospitals have central heating plants; others have stoves. He said that his hospital was an old cantonment hospital, with a unit heating system which required the employment of about 45 stokers. Another thing, some hospitals Are a great distance from markets; also, prices may be higher. All those things make quite a difference in the average cost of the care of a patient per day. With regard to General Order 27, he called attention to the clause which gives the Medical Officer in charge the privilege of giving the man his transportation back to his home, and mentioned the case of a man who come to the hospital from Oteen, where he had been discharged for disciplinary reasons. The hospital could not admit him, but authority was obtained from the Veterans’ Bureau to admit him for examination, and, if active, to hospitalize. The man was examined and found to be inactive. He then complained to the American Legion because they did not hospitalize him, and he had no way to get home. However, in this particular case, transportation was later received from the Veterans’ Bureau. General Order 27–A now gives the Medical Officer authority to pay transportation. He then asked whether a man who had been discharged for disciplinary reasons and was very sick should be hospitalized. COL. PATTERSON: informed him that General Order 27 has ample authority for emergency cases. CAPT. BLACKWOOD: expressed his appreciation of the opportunity to attend the conference, and of the great value it had been. He mentioned the fact that the word “discipline” carries with a feeling of dread. Discipline is purely and simply obedience, and when you have obedience you have discipline. Orders should be issued in such away that no antagonism will be created. He gave an example: In the Naval Hospital the patients are all supposed to stand at attention, if able, when the Commanding Officer comes thru the wards. The Veterans’ Bureau patients objected most seriously to this, so an order was issued that they should sit down, and now you couldn’t make them sit down.