Evening star., 1900-07-24


frmitles, whether minor or serious. when
considered together, render applicant una
be to earn support by manual labor. The
imum Sla per month. with intermediate
rates Of s. and $40 per month for inter-
mediate degrees OF inability to earn a sup
port by manual labor
You will cause all claims Of widows for
pension under section 8 Of the act Of June
q, 1880, heretofore rejected, to be re-ex-
amined. and in each instance where the con-
ditions shown warrant the belief that ap-
plicant may be entitled to pension under
said section as amended May o, 1900,
blank application of the character indicated
in the instructions of the Secretary of the
Interior of the 3Oth ultimo should be inn
mediately forwarded to the applicant. ac-
companied by definite instructions as to its
same course will be followed in each case
where the name Of a widow pensioner un-
der said section has been heretofore dropped
from the rolls on the ground Of non-de-
pendence.
When upon the examination of a widows
claim filed prior to May 8, 1900. under sec
ton OF the act Of June q, 1890, but not
yet adJudicated, the conditions shown war
rant the belief that. under the practice ex-
tsting prior to May 8. 1900. the claim would
have been rejected, but that under the sec
ton as amended on the last named date, the
applicant may be entitled to a pension. fur
ther consideration of the claim for the time
pifcatfon forwarded as directed in the pre-
cedsng paragraph
The SurgeOns' Instructions,
This order received the approval of the
Secretary OF the Interior, as did the fol-
lowing instructions to the examining sur
geons of the office:
When an order for medical examination
under this section is issued by the bureau
1t will so state upon it's face
The basis Of ratings under this section
Is inability to earn a support by manual
laDOr due to mental
pfty or disabilities of permanent char
acter not the result of the claimants own
vicious habits. There are no schedule rates
for mcapacity resulting from any separate
or combined disabilities. If a pension is
allowed under this section it will be either
for 49, 81, $40 or ST. per month, s. being the
minimum and S12 the maximum
The act of April 1. 1900, requires that
the report Of examining surgeons shall spe-
cifically state the rating to which, in their
Judgment. the claimant is entitled. This will
be determined by giving due consideration
TO each and every infirmity. and rating the
degree or extent to which all of these in
hrmlt1es. whether minor or serious, when
considered together. render the claimant
unable to earn a support by manual labor.
The result will be stated as Sc, S. $40 or
S12 per month and not 6-1S, S-1S 1918,
etc, nor should there be a separate rating
of separate disabilities as heretofore.
When in the judgment of the examining
surgeons the aggregate of the disabilities
disables the claimant in a degree materially
anect1ng his capacity for earning a support
by manual labor, the minimum rate of s.
per month Will be stated, and when the
claimant is wholly unable to earn a sup.
port or nearly so by reason of his infirm-
tiles the maximum rate of $12 per month
Will be stated. For intermediate degrees of
disability the rate OF IS or $40 per month
will be stated. according to the degree of
disab bility.
Bear in mind that the maximum rate of
pension under this section is S12 per month
ha oIair f,l,a Il
disabled as to require the regular aid and
attendance of another person. a higher rate
cannot be allowed and should not be rec
commended.
THE age of the claimant is an important
FACTOR in fixing the rate. A claimant who
has reached the age of seventy-five years
Is allowed the maximum rate for seniiity
alone, even where there are no special pen-
sionable disabilities A claimant who has
attained the age of sixty-five years is al
lowed at least the minimum rate, unless he
appears to have unusual vigor and ability
Tor the performance of manual labor in
one of that age. The effect of partial senil-
ity should be compared with other infirm-
tiles. where there are such. and the aggre-
gate incapacity rated.
'The certificate must state whether the
several infirmities permanent and
whether they are the result of the claim
ants own vicious habits. Only those which
are of a permanent character and not the
result of the claimants own vicious habits
can be considered in fixing the rate.
The certificate must give a full and ac-
curate description of each and every disa-
bilfty in accordance with general instructions
issued February 16, 1900.
1T is desirable for the proper adtudica-
ton Of the claim that each report of ex-
animation shall contain an exact pen pic
ture of the condition of the claimant and
an accurate and panstaking diagnosis of
his intirmities in such detail as to medical
terms and descriptions as will enable the
medical officers of the bureau to determine
accurately the condition of the claimant