COL. FORBES: asked Captain Blackwood if everyone in his hospital had a disability.
CAPT. BLACKWOOD: answered in the negative; and added that at his hospital they got diagnosis varying anywhere from baldness to flat feet; that the man claims the disability, and when the hospital cannot find it, the man is discharged. He cited one instance where a man came to the hospital claiming that he was suffering from “Compensation”.
COL. FORBES: called upon Captain Dunbar, U.S.N.
CAPTAIN DUNBAR: said that he came prepared to offer statistics on the League Island Hospital, and added that he thought that that hospital had been doing as much work for the Veterans’ Bureau as any of the naval hospitals; that out of so many sick days, one third of them had been devoted to the patients of the Veterans’ Bureau. Remarked that during the past year it had not been necessary to discharge a patient for disciplinary action, but that so far this year two had been discharged for peddling drugs. He also brought up the subject of treating patients for disabilities other than those mentioned in the diagnoses upon admission to the hospital, and gave as example a case diagnosed as “chronic gastric catarrh”, but found to be an “ulcer” case. He said that in emergency cases they went ahead and operated.
COL. FORBES: instructed him to go right ahead and operate completely.
SURGEON COBB: stated that he did not think that any of the gentlemen present were aware of any General Order allowing the payment of transportation after disciplinary discharge.
DR. LLOYD: gave information to the effect that that General Order was just being printed.
COL. FORBES: stated that he would see that the proper authorization was given, and that the travel blanks were placed right in the hospitals.
SURGEON COOK (Houston): asked if such transportation would take the man to his home or to place of hospitalization.
COL. FORBES: replied that transportation would be to the legal residence or to place hospitalized.