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Loose item - News clipping, "Doctors go to the soldiers or soldiers to the doctors?"

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Karen Dykes
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2022-03-09
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passed on July 28, 2024 at 05:35
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A newspaper clipping, "Doctors go to the soldiers or soldiers to the doctors? A.M.C officials defend policy of centralization of work in Toronto, saying here only can specialists be secured--meanwhile hospitals elsewhere not used to capacity." Article reports a shortage of beds and doctors due to soldiers being returned only to Toronto rather than hospitals in other municipalities.

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  • DOCTORS GO TO THE SOLDIERS OR SOLDIERS TO THE DOCTORS? A.M.C. Officials Defend Policy of Centralization of Work in Toronto, Saying Here Only Can Specialists Be Secured— Meanwhile Hospitals Elsewhere Not Used to Capacity. GOVERNMENT HAS A PLAN BY WHICH TO SOLVE DUAL-AUTHORITY PROBLEM “If there is any congestion in the soldiers’ convalescent homes in To- ronto at the present time the respon- sibility lies with the Army Medical Corps,” said Mr. S. A. Armstrong, director of the Military Hospitals Commission, to The Star before leav- ing for Ottawa last night. He fol- lowed this up with particulars of 1,171 beds available and not used at other points in this military district as follows: Whitby, 160; Burlington, 202; Guelph, 409; Cobourg (approxi- mately), 400» The allocation of patients to the different hospitals is now entirely in the hands of the Army Medical Corps, whose officers, in the belief that con- centration in Toronto is desirable, have not taken steps to relieve the congestion here by transferring pa- tients to the outside homes Ynentioned above. They are seeking to relieve the situation by securing additional accommodation in Toronto. To that end Davisville school is being asked for and acquired, and a proposal to build a 1,000- bed hospital in High Park, now hanging fire, is urged by the Army Medical Corps and military officers generally. Park Proposal Not Good Business. The Star asked Mr. Armstrong what the Hospital Commission’s objection to the High Park hospital scheme is. He said that to spend $80-0,000 in buildings for 1,0-00 men on a site here the buildings would have to > scrapped as* soon as their tem- >rary use was ended, did not strike an as good business. The Star saw Lieut.-Col. Ryersten, lead of the Army Medical Corps, in this district, and asked him if it is true as stated by Hospitals Com- mission officials that Army Medical Corps doctors* will not go outside To- ronto, this causing the congestion here. . “Of course they will not go outside Toronto, because they are most wanted here,” replied Colonel Ryer- son. “We want the men to have the best treatment which can be pro- cured for them and, therefore, the services of the city specialists are required. If we sent the men outside the city we could not obtain the ser- vices of these specialists/’ The authorities of the commission were informed of the explanation made by the military authorities, but did not seem to be impressed with the argument that soldiers who hap- pen to be doctors must not be asked to leave Toronto if their services are required elsewhere. Have 100 Doctors Here. “How many doctors has the A. M. C. on strength at the present time in Toronto*?” asked the reporter of Lieut.-Col. Ryerson. “We have about 160,” replied Col- onel Ryerson. “We are the only organized medical body in the Dom- inion and no other system is possible for the treatment of soldiers. The doctors of the country are not re- sponsible to the medical councils. They do not have to work for any particular cause unless they want to and the A. M. C. is the only organ- ization which can supply the medical talent which is required.” The question of present conges- tion in Toronto is but one phase in the clash of authority between the Army Medicaf Corps and the Mili- tary Hospitals Commission as to Continued on Page Two.
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