 Hospital not long ago a couple of sailors took a last look around them and said so long guys were shoving off Call them Benny and bud, but you can fill in any name you wish for they represent tens of thousands of men and What they were remembering was a chapter in their lives that would never be forgotten and here's the story It's no top secret where this combat area is for one of you will probably recognize the Marianas Road that you came over might have been better or it might have been worse In any case the road to a field hospital is always pretty rugged as if I'm telling you anything Yet what you needed for treatment you've got The man who bent down over you was an expert and from that instant you weren't just a serial number on a tag You were a million dollar patient headed for what really is the finest treatment the whole world affords From the second you reached them you were on the voyage to recovery What a man's on his back he begins to do a lot of thinking the home the girl friends but a Thousand men have a thousand thoughts One thing that you do know for certain is that you're on your way back for some that means the states Everywhere now strong and friendly hands are reaching out to help The hands of the corpsmen and the doctors and the nurses who staff the hospital ship Some of you board under your own steam But if you got it bad a Navy plane saves days or weeks in getting you to hospital For it is the special pride of the Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery That nothing on the earth shall be spared to set you on that recovery cruise For the Navy takes care of its own So one day you arrive at a naval hospital No sensible person loves the hospital of course, but these are modern down to the last detail They exist for just one purpose to return Americans to their shipmates or to civilian life Whole and sound in mind and body Day after day the ambulances bring in patients keeping the hospitals filled with men from every part of the naval services Sailors marines coast guard Officers and enlisted men many are wounded and some just sick the illness of others is sometimes hard to see Here for example a bud whom we met before and Benny from Brooklyn Hey No, thanks. I I got me mittens on How about drag? Oh, thanks Say that's the same brand of cigarettes me skip a smoke. Yeah I guess you didn't skip for pretty good pals, huh? Skipper got along with me. Okay. Yeah, I suppose you and your skipper just like that No, no not like that like the great rule under which they live Doctors nurses corpsmen and corwaves is pinned down in just two words to help The medical officer in charge is now your commanding officer and because medical men are forever Hunting for the secrets of illness from the skipper on down Everyone is interested in each one of you It is a fact that not many civilians outside of millionaires could afford the treatment given you it is called Rehabilitation and it means a whole lot more than just patching you up or dosing you with pills And it might be explained like this Remember when you were a kid the time you didn't feel good and mother had called in the family doctor You didn't know very much about doctors then and you didn't think very much of the whole deal You'd rather not have any Yet because the doctor was a man who really was a top notcher in his profession He began at once to study your special case mother was your nurse and corpsman nothing worse But that didn't stop mother from worrying and it didn't make you enjoy being sick either But her job she knew was to take care of you and your job You knew was to get well and get back to your pals at school as you started to get well Staying in bed became a pain in the neck. So the doctor knowing this prescribed modeling clay and books Sickness is partly in your attitude. So these things were added to the medicine. That's what we now call rehabilitation When you could get up a little while each day the doctor recommended exercise But when he said exercise he wasn't fooling she caught you when you stalled and for your own good She kept you at it when you could go outside the restlessness got tougher than ever So mother found some odd jobs that let you work it out for yourself and that helped her too You were physically fit at last and you kept up with your class and you had to thank not just the medicine Or the staying in bed, but the other things and they meant rehabilitation Yes rehabilitation, but your mother probably called it just plain common sense This is the ward medical officer. He's the most important person in the ward because he is your personal physician Through his daily visit. He will carefully guide the progress of your recovery Because of the study he does of your case He will know more about you than anyone else in the hospital as he is really your doctor You can confide in him whether the matter is strictly medical or not Books to study or a personal matter. He will direct you to the right person to help you It is part of his duty and his professional standard to see you as an individual and not just as case number so-and-so Since everybody is different you are a special case to him just as you've always been to your family doctor For he too knows that getting well is a combination of meeting your personal problems as well as your physical health Yes, that friendly morning sick call isn't the end of award officer's day or of his interest But when he spots a special problem, he begins to hunt for the answer You are his patient and behind that blue uniform is the endless curiosity that makes a man a scientist That's why a good doctor means so much Just as your doctor at home might have the cooperation of other experts the rehabilitation officer often goes over your special case With the ward medical officers this shrapnel wound is now practically healed But has left weak muscles and a stiff joint it will need special exercise Even this early rehabilitation will begin in order to make that leg as good as ever And also you'll find if you haven't already that it starts early in the morning, too Yes, the modern treatment is to start exercises while you're still in bed The part of you that isn't injured will become weak So your doctor prescribes for you and the athletic specialist takes over your physical training Among the enthusiasts here are bud and Benny and Benny of course will have something to say about it Boy, this is the life Always wanted to take my exercises laying in bed. Why didn't a skipper ever let you do that? Oh skipper was all right. I Remember one time me in the skipper. Yeah, I know I know you and the skipper were just like that No, no wise guy not like that like this is the same early morning deal You got as a kid when the family doctor recommended exercise to help you recover from fever One day you'll get the good news that you can get up and the exercises are outside They get pretty rugged now for it is these workouts that bring a man back to the place where he can keep up with the best of them You may be injured or wounded you may have rheumatic fever or a tropical disease But whatever your trouble there will be a special department or ward in the hospital for you Regardless of cost This is a swimming pool designed for something more important than fun a part of the treatment that doctors call Physical therapy you learn to use the weak muscles again and bring back their vitality Massaging sets the life flowing back into affected muscles massage light Heat and water all of these are used on the prescription of your ward medical officer Light therapy and this is the Hubbard tank for another kind of water treatment This gym equipment will probably be more familiar to you. It is to rebuild weak muscles with special exercises As you see much of this equipment resembles familiar things like bicycles and things that we associate with having a good time But now they bring us something that means a great deal more They bring us a good time with a healthy body in the future years to come If he had this shoulder wheel built and now you build your shoulder muscles with it This device is called a finger ladder where you stretch the arm and shoulder muscles to help restore control to your arm and fingers The same man who was using the finger ladder He stayed with it so faithfully that he now can tie flies Which is very fancy work indeed if you've ever tried it For all of those physical therapy treatments are to restore the part of you that needs it and with your cooperation They will But there are other things to aid your recovery like occupational therapy Good morning. Good morning, miss This sure gives me what did the doctor send me down here for burns Contractor scar tissue. Well, that's what I'm trying to get rid of. Yes. I know John and we're going to help you Now here in occupational therapy will give you various jobs to do All requiring particular motions of your hand and help you regain the use of your hand. Let me see you make a fist That's as far as it'll go Here's a tool that will help you We've built up the handle of it so that you can grasp it Now as the scar tissue on the back of your hand stretches and you're able to get make a tighter fist Then we'll give you tools with smaller handles Say that's very good gadget What's that he's working on? He's modeling a duck in clay in order to use his hands and his mind There are some of our patients who become emotionally upset and that type of activity helps speed their recovery This patient can watch himself get well as he improves his leg muscles, then we can give him harder woods to saw The patients here on the loom are working for their shoulders arms and hands We'll start you out on lightweight metal first You could also do some of this work with a large handled file and one of the men has made a plastic cast for a patient with a broken shoulder The patients working in this shop are learning to do many things in cabinet making and carpentry Many a smart patient takes advantage of his time in the hospital to improve his education and train for a better job in the future Often officers who are receiving treatment themselves help out as instructors Just lying in bed can slow a man down mentally and if that happens you've got Hospitalitis and that brother is no joke What you need Jones is something to occupy your mind Something to do while you're lying here in bed But doctor I thought I was here to rest and get well you are But rest isn't rust Only part of you is injured The rest of you and that includes your mind must be exercised my mind. Thanks doctor Well, this is a real chance for you to finish your rate training course or to do whatever studying you've been putting off The educational services officer has any number of things you can do to keep you from getting rusty Looking at the ceiling doesn't help Keep busy with a purpose at whatever you're interested in Nothing means more than that advice keep busy with a purpose with something that you like and which interests you The educational services officer has been specially trained to give you a hand with your plans for education and Training for a job if you have an interest in radio or gas engines Practical work is right here, which will teach you the trade or brush up on what you may have forgotten about it If it's automobile or airplane maintenance work kits are provided and on a lot of other subjects, too There's bound to be one that may help you discover a talent that you didn't even know you had and The educational service has something to fit your particular case. Whatever is wrong with you Here's a kind of automatic quiz program called a rating machine It tests your knowledge of the Navy by asking you a question you choose an answer and it tells you whether you're right or wrong And it's a matter of record that nobody ever got 64 dollars out of one of these things Through the Armed Forces Institute, there are actually 6,877 correspondence courses if you began one in some other part of the world This is a chance to go on or start with a new one If you are still in the ward the rating course will be delivered right to your bed You can even practice art if you have a flair for the higher things in life like this mate from Jersey City So Michelangelo here gets the core wave to pose and being a woman. She can't resist having a picture made Chin just a little higher pleased to get that refined expression just right and Being a woman. She also demands to see if he got the eyelashes exactly as they should be So our modest artist obliges with a sample of his work. The guy's no genius. He's a seagoing wolf Seriously since high schools and colleges often give credit for work done in hospitals This may be your chance to pick up that diploma or learn a trade Navigation is the science of safe movement from Ankara to Albany from Zanzibar to Zanesville on the sea or in the air Here the secrets of navigation are taught and they're valuable to know But there are other things to aid your recovery Outside sports are a part of your prescribed physical Reconditioning Rehabilitation is much more than medicine and exercise and study now comes having a good time Which also has plenty to do with getting your mind off your trouble and your feet on the road to recovery It's human nature to practically knock yourself out of the game, but mention work and that's different Chief if I'm sure from D6 Dr. Swanson hands you down for light outside detail Chief I'm a patient here me work. What's the matter with work? We're not against it here Dr. Swanson sent you down here because you need some light outside work Help you get your sea legs. You keep your ship in shape. Don't you when you're a boarder? Yes, and this is your ship right now That's right. The doctor wants you to limber up that shoulder. I think a little window washing will help that Okay, chief, but it's still work. She'll report the inside masterminds of us. Yes, sir This chore was specially picked because bud will use a rotary movement of the arm This is rehabilitation that helps him and incidentally helps the windows Outside work too is a sign for far better reasons than just to keep the hospital ship shape it means strength for your arms and for your shoulders it means new zest in every part of the body and Husky work rebuilds the endurance that was one of the things that helped you to recover Endurance so that a man can shoulder his own seabag when he returns to duty The Navy doesn't forget that liberty too is a part of getting well It is up to the doctor to decide when you're well enough for liberty and whether it will be good for you But with lesser injuries gets the word But Benny Disgusted with the world right now has to see that bus go off without him There's time allotted for the things that everybody likes traveling units movies and dances and for men who like to know What's going on in the world? War orientation Nobody has to remind you about what we're fighting for and that just because one part of the war has been taken care of there Are still jobs to do so you'll want to keep up to date Many a man with first-hand ideas of his own can come to these meetings to speak up about the war The ship or about almost anything that is what they're for It's not news to a family man that having the wife and kid visit him helps in getting well But when a man who's been sick goes out and tries to drink up the town It suddenly isn't funny at all Much of his recovery gone Then of course the Navy Chapel and the chaplain are there to take the place of your church back home The chaplain's office is always open to help you with your personal problems From your folks today. They're kind of worried about you. They haven't heard from you for a couple of months I know a chaplain. I haven't written. What's the trouble? Oh, I've been worried anything I can do to help I don't think it's in your line chaplain. You see it's about girls. I thought you had trouble afraid if I can help stop by my office Morning Bob has everything well not too good chaplain. My wife isn't well and we have some doctor bills Do you suppose the Navy relief could help us with the loan? I'm sure he could Bob Finally civilian organizations show a very real and sincere interest in helping you along the journey At times they certainly can add a touch of that certain something and very very nice Hey, Benny, you got a match? Here I got you. Hey look fellas. I got a right of letter. What do you mean you got a right of letter? We're going down the lake. I'll write you a letter later. Let's go rolling Well, look, this is really important. I'll see you later. Hello sailor say lady Yeah, would you write a letter for me? I don't generally do that sort of thing, but sure I'd be glad to Look at my pen Madam What's the name Benny Benny from Brooklyn? Well, buddy from Brooklyn to whom's it going huh? Who is it going to oh The shooley the shooley sh-h-i-r-l-e-y yeah, that's right shooley dear shooley This show is a swell joint. You were you mean it's a swell hospital, don't you? Yeah, I'm sorry. That's right hospital It certainly is beautiful here with weather all around you Well, they're all around you. Yeah, you ever you look this this weather all around you The boys are singing in the trees and the and the wind is blowing The wind is blowing through your whiskers and the wind is blowing in your whisk You got me lady you got me What's your name? Okay, Francis. Hey Francis the moon picture. That's I well could have your autograph on a picture or tanks Yeah, put it in there for you. Oh, it's swell. There's the cigarettes and some matches gosh Say we're going down the lake. Would you like to go wrong with us? Not this week brother. I Got lost in flatbush once Bye now see you next week. Bye Cross that goes in wherever men no trouble does its job by providing many personal services To make your time at the hospital easier like furnishing transportation for trips off the grounds They are prepared to help you in your private affairs such as obtaining or passing on Information to people that you are concerned about Among many other things the gray ladies often write letters for seriously ill patients If your injury or illness brings you a survey into civilian life the Navy figures you'll need help there, too So the civilian re-adjustment office was set up for this the officer will explain your rights and benefits as a veteran You'll see to it that your claim for a pension is filled out right and sent to the Veterans Administration And he will give you every bit of assistance possible in arranging your affairs So here where we saw them first are the men with all this behind them They came in sick and injured and nervous and maybe a little scared Because they didn't know just what lay ahead of them But they all wanted to get well and so they did Some are headed back to duty some to civilian life But every one of them including Barton Benny now knows what that word rehabilitation means Well, it wasn't so bad here. I got no complaints complaints. There's a swell joint. I Mean hospital so enjoyed yourself up any are you kidding? tea and crumpets with a chief Rowan on the lake with Kay Francis what? Well, I'll be glad to get back to the ship anyway. I Remember me in the skipping on knock it off any knock it off. Sure You and the skipper were just like that. No No wise guy not like that Like that It means everything that the pride and respect and the tradition of the Navy Can do for men who have given their best and it means that the Navy values Nothing more than a man's health and his life and has sailed with him on the voyage to recover