COL. FORBES: called upon Dr. Guthrie to inform the doctors present concerning the difficulties in the Veterans’ Bureau.

DR. GUTHRIE: said he had been inclined to listen because he felt that the reactions from the field had been more than the Bureau’s. He informed the doctors that Col. Patterson had deemed it necessary to place a Bureau representative in each hospital—the larger ones—in order to take care of the very things that the doctors had been bringing up in the conference. He added that many such matters would be discussed later in the conference in addresses.

SURGEON KOLB (Waukesha): suggested that a hospital to take care of less than 100 patients be established, preferably on an island, for the care of drug addicts and pronounced psychopaths.

COL. FORBES: suggested that Surgeon Kolb present that as a resolution a little later when such were in order.

COL. DE WITT, (U.S.A.): expressed a need for a Bureau representative at his hospital at Ft. Sam Houston, where there were 246 patients, beneficiaries of the Veterans’ Bureau.

COL. FORBES: assured him that a representative would be placed there.

SURGEON RIDLON (New Haven): remarked that the Sweet Bill made provision concerning Pulmonary T.B., but that he felt that T.B. of the bone should be considered in the same class. He also suggested that the period of two years be extended to three, stating that in many cases a boy is not examined for two years; he comes to the medical officer shortly after the two years have expired; the medical officer is pretty certain he has had T.B. within the two years after discharge, but by reason of the two year limit, the claim cannot be settled in favor of the boy.

COL. FORBES: replied that that was a matter for the medical men to decide, but that he could see no reason why the boy’s claim should not be adjudicated.

GENERAL SAWYER: “Many times I have complaints coming through my office. I wonder if you gentlemen would really like to know what my office represents. I am the liaison officer between yesterday and tomorrow. Any difficulties of any kind that ever come through my office are those that do not get through anybody or everybody else. So a number of these complaints about the extensive and exhaustive records and the paper work that is being carried on in the various departments come to me. I think the matter is of such importance that I should like, Sir, to make this motion:

MOTION‘That a committee of five, representing each of the departments, be selected to take under advisement the matter of the paper work of the various departments and to make such suggestions and recommendations as they may deem advisable; this, regarding hospitals’.”