To the Editor:—
The minutes of the 31st meeting of the Council of Chief Consultants to the Veterans Administration, held in Washington, D. C., September, 1953, provide much food for thought. The medical research programs in the VA hospitals are increasing to a rather extraordinary extent. For example, in 1951, there were 52 hospitals with government supported research programs, utilizing assigned funds to the amount of about one million dollars; in 1953, the number had reached 74 hospitals and the funds over $3,500,000. By 1955, it is estimated that 94 VA hospitals will have such programs, employing almost 900 workers in the medical and isotope research laboratories alone, with funds in excess of 6 million dollars.Alongside this interesting, and perhaps justifiable, research program is the depressing fact that a large number of medical conditions of indefinite nature are being utilized to provide compensation and pensions to an enormous number