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TREASURY DEPARTMENT

BUREAU OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

 

OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL
IN-REPLYING :
ADDRESS THE SURGEON GENERAL . WASHINGTON

Us S. PUBLIO HEALTH SERVICE

WLT/AEG | August 2) 1920.

Passed Assistant Surgeon Lawrence Kolb,
Medical Officer in Charge,

U. S- Public Health Service Hospital No. 37,
Waukesha, Wisconsin.

My dear Dr. Kolb: (PERSONAL)

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your communication of July 28, 1920,
and was exceedingly glad to hear from you.

In reply thereto, I beg to inform you that we have had tofsiderable
difficulty with the development of plans for the alteration of the hospital
under your charge. These difficulties are largely due to the fact that
an allotment of a givensum was made for your hospital and later it was
found that this allotment had been cut down and appliedto another project.
I have talked the matter over with the Construction Section of this Division
and they inform me that sketch plans are now completed and are awaiting the
approval of the Surgeon General. When these are approved, which will be
probably within the next ten days, the Chief Draftsman intends visiting
your hospital and going over the entire project with both you and ‘the
superintendant of construction.

Your ideas regarding the completion of this work coincide with mine
and I have made every effort possible to push the project at Waukesha.
However, the difficulties and stumbling blocks placed in the way of a staff
officer are so many and varied that one cannot accomplish as much ina _
given time as would ordinarily be expected or desired.

I note your statement that Dre Visher is ill and exceedingly regret
that he wibl have to leave you even temporarily. Regarding the detailing
of Dr. Partington to your hospital, I am taking this matter up immediately.

For your information, I may state that the development of the field
work in connection with the relief of nervous and mentally disordered bene-
ficiaries of the Service is exceedingly important, and I am convinced that
it is a grave error to send.cases to hospitals who do not require hospitali-
zatione The development,therefore, of a field force for competent examina-
tion and clinics for out-patients treatment, together with clearing houses

and’. psychopathic wards for the examination of such patients is exceedingly
important, not only for the welfare of the men themselves, but from the
standpoint of economy in Government funds. The development of this field
weaegp a

work, therefore, requires an administrative personnel with each District
Supervisor, and we are having great difficulties in obtaining competent men
to undertake this work. Part of these difficulties are due to the fact

that State and other institutions are paying more than the Public Health Ser=
vice is in a position to pay for such services.

I sincerely regret that the inspector who recently visited your hospital

tended to disorganize the morale of the patients and sincerely trust that
we may be able to find a man trained in neuro=psychiatry who will visit the
special hospitals concerned with care and treatment of this class of cases
and be of material assistance and aid to the medical officer in charge. Such
an inspector should serve as liaison with the Bureau and aid the medical
officer in charge in the development of his hospital to the highest state of

efficiency possible. It is exceedingly difficult for the Bureau to develop
hospitals without the aid of such liaison.

Those of us who are stationed in Washington and who have been concerned
with the hospital development program have felt very grateful to you for the
mamer in which you have handled a most difficult and trying administrative
situation. I often think of the difficulties associated with immigration
work but I am quite positive that they are mere ripples compared to the care
of the present class of neuro-psychiatric beneficiaries. I should be very
glad to hear from you from time to time and to use my energy at this end of

‘ the string to further the interest of your patients and hospital. While I
am not in a position to do a great deal, I would put forth my best effort.

With kindest personal regards, I beg to remain
- Sincerely,

UK Ch

Chief of Section of Neuro-PsyGhiatrye