“Upon the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918, there was immediately commenced the demobilisation of the armed military and naval forces of the United States, comprising approximately 4,000,000 men and women. As an aftermath of war service from the result of battle wounds, gassing, injuries and disease it was anticipated that there would be a large number of men and women who would be physically disabled, either temporarily or permanently, partially or totally. While it was known with a reasonable degree of accuracy how many there were who has been discharged from the several services on Surgeons’ Certificate of Disability and the number discharged with disability noted at the time of discharge, it was not possible to foretell the magnitude of that considerable body of men and women who though discharged from the service apparently in good health would subsequently develop a disability traceable to military service. Even at the present time, more than three years after the Armistice it is not possible to state the exact magnitude of the medical problem confronting the United Veterans’ Bureau, since new claims for compensation because of disability are being filed at the rate of approximately 541 per day. As an index however to the magnitude of this problem, gentlemen, let me tell you that to date have been filed more than 762,000 claims for compensation for disability and death incurred in military or naval service. While this total number of claims have not all been allowed, this number does constitute the present potential load for the United States Veterans’ Bureau. By the original War Risk Act and subsequent acts amendatory thereto,—the United States Government recognized its very great obligation to the ex-service men and women who had become disabled through service, and by these Acts provided not only financial aid to the disabled veterans but also all reasonable medical and surgical treatment and care, whether in a hospital, out-patient office, or at home.