Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-04-15
THE NEW MEDICAL BOARD.

AAt1
Walt Brownlow's little scheme in re-
gard TO a new examining board has been
''diskivered."
The above extract is from the Johnson
City Comet Of last week and doubtless had
reference to the new board just establish
ed at Morristown.
Mr.. Brownlow has had no 'schemc" in
connection with establishing the new
Medical Board at that place. lie never
mentioned the fact to a Republican or
Democrat in the first congressional dis
trict prior to the organization of the board
NOT even consulting the physicians who
were recommended to compose the board.
The Examining Board at Taylorsville was
abolished upon the recommendation of
some political schemers of the COmet's own
party, and the Board at Jonesboro, was
upon similar recommendations removed
to Johnson City, by which action a large
number of pensioners were greatly in
convenienced.
Recognizing this fact, Mr.. Brownlow
addressed the following communication
to Senator Howell Z. jackson, and upon
his endorsement of Mr.. Brownlow's let
ter the new board was established, and
has organized with Dr..D. A. Nelson as
president.
Neither Senator Jackson nor Mr..
Brownlow had any political scheme in
view in this matter, but did the same in
the interest of the disabled Union soldiers
of East Tennessee, and to save them the
expense of travelling such great distances
TO appear before the examining board.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. II, 1856.
Hon. HOWELL +. JACKSON,
U. S. Senator.
SIR have the honor TO state that
great injustice and hardship is imposed
upon pensioners, and applicants for pen
sions in East Tennessee, by the present
location Of the Medical Examing boards.
The only two boards in that section are
located at johnson City, Washington
county, Tenn, and Knoxville, Knox
county, Tenn. The distance between
these two boards is 105 miles by railroad.
There is only one railroad through this
section. The two boards mentioned are
situated in the first and second congress
sional districts. These two districts furn-
ished more Union soldiers than any two
congressional districts in the United
States; and the first congressional dis
trict embraces more territory than the
whole of the States of Connecticut and
Rhode Island. The pension claimants
have to ride many miles on horseback to
reach the railroad, then leave their
horses, and travel long distances upon
the railroad. Most Of the pension claim
ants are poor and very destitute, and
numbers of them are physically unable
to travel such distances. ] know of many
instances where pension claimants have
been compelled to allew their examina-
ton orders to lapse because of their pow
crty, being unable to bear the expense of
a trip to the headquarters of the medical
board. | know also of some instances
where special examiners, in the course of
investigation of claims, have borne the
travelling expenses Of the claimants to
and from the medical board, in order to
enable these claimants TO be examined.
1t would be greatly to the interest of
the Government and nothing more than
simple justice to pensioners and appli-
cants for pension to establish a board Of
examining surgeons at Morristown, Ham
blen county, Tenn, nearly midway be-
tween Knoxville and johnson City. This
is the most central and most convenient
point for all of the following named
counties: Claiborne, Granger, Hawkins.
Hancock, Hamblen and Cooke and parts
of the counties of Jefferson and Greene.
/ would suggest the names Of DR..
David A. Nelson, DR.. G.. X. Turner and
DR.. j. b. +. Dice for this board. They
are all citizens of the highest character,
and stand very high in the medical pro-
f%ession. The two former are Democrats,
and the latter a Republican. / under.
stand the policy of the Honorable Com
missioner Of Pensions is to appoint two
Democrats and one Republican upon
each board. The postollice address of
each Of these physicians is Morristown,
Hamblen county, Tenn.
This is a matter of such great impor-
lance to the applicants for pension in
East Tennessee that | trust immediate
action will he taken.
Very respectfully,
W. p, BRowNLow.