212 
nical training in all lines capable of adapta- 
tion to the physical limitations of disabled 
men and in which employment will act as a 
therapeutic agent. When play and work and 
study will help a man to get well, this kind of 
medicine will be prescribed to the patient. If 
the work he does leads to further service in the 
army or to better prospects in civilian life so 
much the better. 
The Surgeon-General has designated the 
following general military hospitals for the 
work of physical reconstruction: 
Walter Reed General Hospital, 
D.C. 
General Hospital No. 2, Fort McHenry, Md. 
- General Hospital No. 3, Colonia, N. J. 
General Hospital No. 6, Fort McPherson, Ga. 
General Hospital No, 7, Roland Park, Baltimore 
(for the blind). 
General Hospital No. 8, Otisville, N. Y. 
_ General Hospital No. 4, Fort Porter, N. Y. 
General Hospital No. 9, Lakewood, N. J. 
General Hospital No. 11, Cape May, N. J. 
General Hospital No. 16, New Haven, Conn. 
’ General Hospital No. 17, Markleton, Pa. 
Letterman General Hospital, San Francisco, 
Calif. 
United States Army Hospital, Fort Des Moines, 
Towa. 
Plattsburg Barracks Hospital, Plattsburg Bar- 
racks, N. Y. 
General Hospital, Fort Bayard, N. Mex. 
Washington, 
The policy to be followed in these hospitals, 
as announced by the Surgeon General, is that 
hereafter no member of the military service 
disabled in line of duty, even though not ex- 
pected to return to duty, will be discharged 
from service until he shall have attained com- 
plete recovery or as complete recovery as may 
be expected when the nature of his disability 
is considered. In furtherance of this policy, 
physical reconstruction is defined as complete 
mental and surgical treatment carried to the 
point of maximum functional restoration, 
both mental and physical. To secure this re- 
sult all methods recognized by modern medi- 
cine as conducive to cure will be utilized. In 
other words, not only the ordin&’ry means of 
medicine and surgery, including all specialties, 
will be utilized, but also physical measures such 
SCIENCE 
[N. S. Von, XLVIIT. No, 1235 
as are employed under physiotherapy, includ- 
ing hydro, electro and mechanotherapy, active 
exercises, indoor and outdoor games and pas- 
sive exercise in the form of massage. Pro- 
vision in the form of adequate buildings and 
equipment for physiotherapy have been adopted 
in each of the hospitals. 
Modern medicinal treatment does not end 
with physical cure. Functional restoration is 
the final aim of the modern physicians and sur- 
geons. Jt is conceded that the physical rehabi- 
litation of disabled men is peculiarly depend- 
ent upon their mental attitude. The more 
serious the disability, the greater the danger of 
mental depression and an indisposition to re- 
spond to medical and surgical treatment. The 
educational work should begin, therefore, at 
the moment when the man has arrived at the 
stage where he begins to worry about his fu- 
ture, whether in this country or overseas. The 
first problem is to divert his attention by 
simple recreation, through reading, pictures, 
games, handiwork occupations, and the like, 
with a view to securing a genuine interest in 
the attainment of some worthy end—the end 
most certain to hold his attention and to claim 
his best efforts in his future vocation. Hence, 
by gradual steps he may be induced to sup- 
plement his previous vocational experience by 
academic, scientific or technical instruction, 
or to choose a new vocation and begin prepa- 
ration for it if such a course is necessary. 
The need of “ cheer-up” work in the hos- 
pitals extends to all who are mentally capable 
of planning for their own future. This means 
a relatively large proportion of the entire num- 
ber. The beginning is made at the bedside 
with handicrafts of various kinds grouped 
under the term “ occupational therapy.” When 
the man is able to leave the ward and can be 
benefited physically by technical training, he 
has the opportunity of working at specific 
trades either in the curative workshop, in 
specially provided classrooms, or out of doors. 
The teachers for this work have been se- 
cured from the convalescent disabled soldiers 
who are already skilled in their vocations and 
from the enlisted personnel of the army se- 
cured by transfer or by induction of regis- 
