Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-09-28
KINDNESS TO Old soLD1ERs.

AN Important Circular Letter From
Medical Director Bentley.
The following circular letter sent out by
Medical Director Bentley, department of
Dakota, G. A. r., to all post surgeons in
this department, is of interest to all old
soldiers:
HEADQURTERs OF MEDICAL. DIRECTOR
DEPARTMENT OF DAKOTA, G. A. R.,
BISMARCK, OAK. Aug. l, 1883.
With an ardent desire to benefit every
old cOmrade or his family who may be so
unfortunate as to suffer the pangs Of sick
ness or any disability whatever and lack,
ing the proper care and attention, send
out this communication to post surgeons
of this department.. see no good reason
why the position as medical director should
be merely q figurehead. believe there is
no disposition on the part Of any post sur
geon to neglect his duty, but to attain the
pest results In any effort organization is
every post surgeon throughout this depart
ment to see that no needy member of his
post shall suffer for medicine or care when
sick and in distress. If the post relief fund
Is exhausted, it is your duty to urge the
post to put forth further efforts in raising
means and also give personal attendance
and care. 1t is greatly to be regretted that
any old comrade, especially member of a
post, should suffer unaided. AS the years
creep on thousands of old soldiers, who
have retrained from asking aid from the
government as long as they could earn
their own livelihood, find themselves un-
able to longer bear up under the burden of
that old comrades who knew of their in
jaries aretdead or scattered beyond possible
finding. Physicians by whom they were
treated are also dead, or having no record
OF treatment, their memories cannot recall
these cases. Consequently they are with
out the means of proving the validity of
most unselfish and deserving of comrades
who, if they had obtained their proof at
the time Of receiving their disability,
would have had no trouble in establishing
their rights They trusted to the hope Of
improved health; they let the years go by,
dreading to acknowledge they were not
proud to ask for aid until compelled by
stern necessity and then it is perhaps too
late to be successful owing to causes men
toned. find these cases numerous and
some of them are peculiarly pitiful. They
must exist all over the land. Who can un-
derstand these cases like old comrades and
what old comrade like sympathetic and
care and through you upon your posts such
comrades are compelled to depend for
those little deeds of kindness, those words
of comfort and cheer so dear to the hearts
of old comrades. The position of post sur
geon is an important one and the comrade
who fills it we'll honors himself and the or
ganization to which he belongs. 1t is not
desired that the names of those assisted
should 90 beyond the limits of your re-
spective posts, but the number of those as
sisted and the amounts expended and how
obtained may be forwarded to me at Bis
marck at the end OF every quarter. No
blanks are required as the information
asked for can be furnished informally and
by me consolidated and sent to the office
of the surgeon general at Washington. l
most earnestly request every post surgeon
of this department to attend to this matter,
commencing with his record October 1st
I shall be heartily glad to be able to make
a report at our next territorial encamp-
ment, showing that every post surgeon in
the department of Dakota has faithfully
performed his duty.
WM. A. BENTLEY,
Medical Director Department of Dakota,
G, A, R.