The National tribune., 1877-12-01
Proposed Changes in the Examination of Pen
sioners and of Pension Claims

1t Is othclally announced that Dill rs In
preparation in the Department of the Interior,
to be presented to Congress, to change the mode
of medical and other examinations, in conform
ity with the plan heretofore proposed by the
Commissioner of Pensions.
We have already given to our readers some
of the most palpable objections to the plan pro-
posed.
But the changes advocated are so sweeping
in their nature and so destructive in their effect
that they need scrutiny and criticism in full.
AS at present organized, the Pension Depart
ment has prepared certain forms and established
certain rules, which must be strictly complied
with by claimants
Familiarity with these forms and rules is alb
solutely necessary on the part of those who rep
resent the claimant, and that familiarity can
only be obtained by careful study, not only 0.
the law but of the rulings and decisions OF the
office These forms and decisions are now gen.
orally known and acted upon by claimants, their
friends, and the local agents and officers The
business is done by correspondence, at small cost
and with no serious outlay of time and money
to prepare the necessary proofs. The conven-
ience of the pensioner is considered, the fact
that he is generally of small means is recog.
nized. and vast amount of business is readily
and easily done, which cannot so readily and
easily be done in any other way.
i To break up all the existing arrangements IN
cases now pending would be to throw away the
money, time, and labor already spent, and to
compel the Pension Committees OF Congress to
be burdened beyond liberation by applications
for special relief.
No such loss or danger to the United States
is or can be shown as would justify this whole
sale change in established practice.
Second Under the present system the neces-
sary local medical and surgical examinations OF
! therclaimant are made by examining surgeons
who reside in the vicinity, who are readily ac-
cessible by the claimant, who can learn facts
from the neighbors, and who report to the Pen
f sion Office the result of their examination.
1 Now it is the duty Of these examining sur
geons to report tacts-the actual physical condi-
: ton of the claimant-with much detail, SO as
to cover all the existing facts of each case; but
they do not make the final decision and award.
By the rules of the office these reports are SUBJ
; mitted for review and decision to the medlcaA
officers of the Pension Office, under the charge
of the Medical Referee, who, in the language OF
Bentleys Report, p. 8, "has general supervision
of the medical questions, THE RATING OF
PENSIONERS, and of the appointment of pen
sion examining surgeons"
1t is by the Medical Referee here in Wash
ington that the final adjudication is made, and
the examining surgeons only gather facts to-
gether on whicA he is to giue final decision
1t requires Of the examining surgeons simply
that general knowledge of the profession that
all we'll educated physicians have--to make
clear and Ineligible statement of the actual
state of the man examined by them, the dis
: eases or wounds by which he is afflicted, the eff
feet of such diseases or wounds, and the symp-
1890 ant,1all.r nhsnrxad md