There was special care for Vets with central nervous system syphilis, rheumatic fever, quadriplegic and paraplegic and shell shock.

[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Birmingham General Hospital also had a unit to modify cars for those that lost the use of their legs, to drive with hands only.

Actress Susan Peters also received a modified Birmingham car after a hunting accident.

The Center used the work of Doctor Ernest Bors (1900–1990), who was one of the foremost experts on neurourology in traumatic spinal cord injury.

Bors had developed a holistic multidisciplinary approach for treating spinal cord injury which is still used in care centers.

From around the world, other military doctors visited Birmingham General Hospital so as to learn about these new medical techniques.

Among these regular visitors were: Ronald Reagan, Anne Jeffreys, Basil Rathbone, Mary Pickford, Linda Darnell, Al Pearce, Charles Laughton, June Haver, Jimmy Stewart, Bagelman Sisters, Clarence Nash, The Charioteers and Bob Hope.

[26][27][28][29] The hospital was used for the 1950 Hollywood movie The Men which was Marlon Brando's first film; in it, he plays the part of an injured-in-combat World War II veteran.

[citation needed] Brando lived as a wheelchair-user for several weeks among the patients in preparation for the role.

The movie was inspired by the work carried out at Birmingham General Hospital's Spinal Cord Injury Center.

The main actor plays an injured Vet who falls in love with a Birmingham General Hospital nurse.

[31][citation needed] Desi Arnaz was stationed at Birmingham General Hospital during the war to entertain the troops there with the United Service Organizations (USO).