Page:The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology-ItsFirstCentury.djvu/326

CARRYING ON IN THE "OLD RED BRICK" or tumor-like conditions and other surgical specimens as to which final or confirmatory diagnoses were called for, be sent in to the Institute. Other surgical specimens did not need to be forwarded to the Institute unless they contained noteworthy lesions. As a guide to the kind of materials which were not required to be forwarded, the special regulation listed n classes of such specimens, including such commonplace items as appendices, tonsils, and adenoids, and such comparatively rare items as arms and legs amputated for injury or infection. Even as to these excepted groups, specimens were to be forwarded if there was any doubt as to their importance. 3

For a time, it seemed that despite the effort to apply restrictions, nothing would diminish the flow of materials into the central laboratory of the three armed services and the Veterans' Administration. In 1951, the year after the new regulations went into effect, the cases accessioned numbered 52,378. In 1952, the flow reached its high water mark with 118,704 cases, of which 29,008 came from deactivated naval hospitals and 89,099 from current operations (fig. 100). Accessioning was completed that year for only 67,909 cases, the remainder of nearly 50,000 cases going to swell the massive backlog of work. "Lack of adequate laboratory and office space continues to be a most distressing situation," the Director reported. "Relief must await movement into the new building in 1954." 4 Slight relief was found in 1953, when 79,212 cases were received — nearly 10,000 fewer than those from current operations in the previous year. There was a further reduction to 64,836 cases in 1954, and it appeared that efforts to bring about a more manageable flow of materials into the Institute were showing results.5

Even so, the daily inflow of pathological materials requiring attention averaged some 200 cases a day — a situation which made necessary some system for sorting out the incoming cases which required expedited handling. Since no one could be quite so well acquainted with the requirements of each case as the doctor submitting the specimen, contributors were asked to indicate the handling desired under the proper one of four classifications. The code word "Telegraph" called for immediate attention and the fastest service which could be given, with reports made to the contributor by cable, radio, telegram, or telephone. The code word "Rush" called for handling as speedily as possible, second in priority only to requests under "Telegraph," with answers sent out by airmail. "Comment" requests were answered with staff findings