It was recognized that in order to make this program successful for the attainment of the maximum physical and mental condition through complete medical and surgical treatment, it would require the establishment of a policy of extended publicity. This embraced the necessity to educate the public to the need of this physical reconstruction for the disabled men before their return to civil life; to educate the family of the soldier with regard to the need of continued treatment that they might be satisfied to have them remain in hospital, and finally, to educate the soldier himself by placing in his hands at the earliest possible moment after his disability had been incurred the necessary literature which would inform him of his status as a soldier and of the privileges, which were to be his as a disabled man, from the Medical Department of the Army, the Federal Board for Vocational Education, the Bureau of War Risk Insurance, and also to place in his hands such literature as would inform him of facts concerning various trades from which he might choose a vocation, together with all the information in regard to the need for men in the various industries of the country.
As above outlined this policy of treatment was carried out. At the approved time for the discharge of the patients from the military service, they at once became beneficiaries of the Bureau of War Risk Insurance and subject to further physical reconstruction or education, if such were necessary, under the direction of the Federal Board, Public Health Service or the Bureau of War Risk Insurance.
Such facilities as were in our hospitals and were not required for the care of the sick of the active list of our army were placed at the disposal of the discharged veterans of the World War. This was done mainly in two ways: first, by turning over to the Public Health Service which was charged with the medical work of the Federal Board, many complete hospitals and second, by caring for many of the veterans in our own hospitals after their proper discharge from the service.
HOSPITALS RELEASED FOR CARE OF VETERANS
By virtue of Act of Congress in March, 1919, every military hospital, including its supplies, no longer required for the proper care of the sick in the military service was to be turned over to the Public Health Service if the latter service so desired. A detailed classified list of hospitals approximating 2,460 beds turned over under this law follows:
| General Hospitals at permanent military stations which were transferred to Public Health Service. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Bed capacity | Date transferred |
| Fort Bayard, New Mexico | 1000 | June 15, 1920 |
| Fort McHenry, Maryland | 200 | June 15, 1920 |
| Whipple Barracks, Arizona | 600 | Feb. 15, 1920 |
| Total | 3600 | |
| Hospitals on Leased Properties transferred to Public Health Service. | ||
| Name | Bed capacity | Date transferred |
| [[1]]O’Reilly Gen. Hosp., Oteen, N.C. | 1300 | Oct. 15, 1920 |
| [[1]]Hoff Gen. Hosp., Staten Island, N.Y. | 1468 | Oct. 15, 1920 |
| Gen. Hosp. #10, Boston, Mass. | 700 | July 1, 1919 |
| Gen. Hosp. #12, Biltmore, N.C. | 450 | Sept, 1, 1919 |
| Gen. Hosp. #13, Dansville, N.Y. | 288 | April 2, 1919 |
| Gen. Hosp. #15, Corpus Christi, Texas | 262 | May 31, 1919 |
| Gen. Hosp. #16, New Haven, Conn. | 500 | Sept. 1, 1919 |
| [[2]]Gen. Hosp. #17, Markleton, Pa. | 187 | Mar. 27, 1919 |
| Gen. Hosp. #24, Parkview, Pa. | 700 | July 30, 1919 |
| Gen. Hosp. #32, Chicago, Ill. | 550 | May 15, 1919 |
| Gen. Hosp. #34, East Norfolk, Mass. | 340 | June 24, 1919 |
| Gen. Hosp. #40, St. Louis, Mo. | 530 | June 12, 1919 |
| Emb. Hosp. #4, (polyclinic) N.Y. | 374 | Aug. 15, 1919 |
| Norwegian Lutheran and Deaconess Home, Brooklyn, N.Y. | 250 | May 15, 1919 |
| Post Hosp., Q.M. Terminal, Sewell’s Point, Va. | 250 | May 27, 1919 |
| Nitrate Plant, Perryville, Md. (approx) | 150 | Oct. 1, 1919 |
| Total | 8299 | |
| Camps and Cantonments taken over by Public Health Service. | ||
| Name | Bed capacity | Date transferred |
| Camp Beauregard, Louisiana | 2144 | Mar. 18, 1919 |
| Camp Cody, New Mexico | 1289 | Apr. 14, 1919 |
| Camp Hancock, Georgia | 1604 | Mar. 27, 1919 |
| Camp Joseph E. Johnston, Florida | 816 | July 17, 1919 |
| Camp Logan, Texas | 1156 | Mar. 12, 1919 |
| Camp Sevier, S. Carolina | 1396 | Apr. 5, 1919 |
| Camp Fremont, California | 1156 | Mar. 20, 1919 |
| Total | 9561 | |
| = Total 21,460 | ||
[1]. Indicates buildings constructed by the Army on leased ground.
[2]. General Hospital No. 17 was closed as an Army hospital on March 27, 1919, the Public Health Service having stated that it did not desire this hospital. Later on, however, this hospital was taken over by the Public Health Service.
Hospitals abandoned by the Medical Department, U. S. Army, and available to the Public Health Service, but not occupied by that Service because they were not located where additional hospitalization was needed.
| General Hospitals | Capacity | Abandoned |
|---|---|---|
| GH #1, New York City | 1258 | Oct. 15, 1919 |
| GH #3, Colonia, New Jersey | 1650 | Oct. 15, 1919 |
| GH #8, Otisville, N.Y. (tuberculosis) | 1000 | Nov. 15, 1919 |
| GH #9, Lakewood, New Jersey | 986 | May 31, 1919 |
| GH #11, Cape May, New Jersey | 750 | July 20, 1919 |
| GH #18, Waynesville, N. C. (tuberculosis) | 600 | June 30, 1919 |
| GH #22, Philadelphia, Pa. | 450 | June 10, 1919 |
| GH #23, Hot Springs, N. C. | 600 | Mar. 15, 1919 |
| GH #35, West Baden, Ind. | 800 | June 30, 1919 |
| GH #36, Detroit, Michigan | 900 | Aug. 10, 1919 |
| GH #38, East View, New York | 850 | July 15, 1919 |
| GH #39, Long Beach, L. I. | 550 | May 21, 1919 |
| Total | 10394 | |
| Base (Camp) Hospitals | Capacity | Abandoned |
| BH Camp Wadsworth, S.C. (GH #42) | 1000 | October 10, 1919 |
| BH Camp Bowie, Texas | 1000 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| BH Camp Custer, Michigan | 1500 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| BH Camp Gordon, Ga. | 1500 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| BH Camp Greene, North Carolina | 1000 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| BH Camp McArthur, Texas | 1000 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| BH Camp McClellan, Alabama | 1000 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| BH Camp Shelby, Mississippi | 1000 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| BH Camp Sheridan, Alabama | 1000 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| BH Camp Taylor, Kentucky | 1500 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| BH Camp Upton, L.I., N.Y. | 1500 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| BH Camp Wheeler, Georgia | 1000 | Subsequent to Mar. 3, 1919 |
| Total | 14000 | |
| Port Hospitals | Capacity | Abandoned |
| EH #1, (St. Marys) Hoboken, N.J. | 500 | Oct. 31, 1919 |
| DH #3, (Greenhut Bldg.) New York City | 3100 | July 15, 1919 |
| DH #5, (Grand Central Palace) N.Y.C. | 2700 | June 30, 1919 |
| BH Camp Merritt, New Jersey | 2000 | Dec. 15, 1919 |
| BH Camp Mills, L.I. N.Y. | 2000 | Sept. 18, 1919 |
| BH Camp Stuart, Newport News, Va. | 2000 | Sept. 10, 1919 |
| Total | 12300 | |
| Total | 36694 |