The National tribune., 1903-05-28
PENSION EXAMINING
SURGEONS.
An Address by the Medical Referee OF
the Pension Bureau.


delivered the following address,:
Mr.. President and Members of the Ma
tional Association of United States Pen
sion Examining Surgeons:
1t is not my privilege to welcome you to
our Capital City nor extend the greetings
of the Bureau of Pensions to yon; that
has been done in heartfelt classic Ian
guage, and any effort of mine would only
serve to beclcud the salutation extended
by our Chief, tie Honorable Commission
er of Pensions. As Medical Referee of
the Bureau of Pensions, l but voice the
sentiment of the gentlemen composing its
medical branch, with which you, gentle
men, are closely affiliated, in bidding you
thrice welcome to our headquarters. We
of the central Office know that we will
be benefited by this convention, and hope
that you will return to your homes richer
in intellectual wealth, by imparting to
each other in this association the varied
information and experiences that must
come in different aspects to every Exam
lining Surgeon.
The dispensation of S1I0.OO0,000 to the
soldiers, sailors. their widows and child
ren. cannot fail, since the dispensers are
only human. to provoke unfavorable crit
icism among the beneficiaries, although
they may be honest and upright.
Not understanding the compleXity of the
ptHSiOH RIMS IcT TIE Tu-fllES anu
made Hereunder. nor the special envir-
onments of each particular case, they
doubt the justice of the Bureau and i'm
pugn the integrity of its officers.
We all suffer, from the Boards of Ex-
amining Surgeons through the various
ramificatiOBs of the Office to the Hon.
Commissioner of Pensions. upon whose de-
voted head the pent-up walls of wrath are
poured out, making the position one to
dUciye to the development of the greatest
Christian graces.
We are. however, thankful that at the
present time these are but isolated cases.
The great mass of the soldiers and sailors
of the country give us the credit of being
honest in our endeavors to comply with
the law
We have doubtless all seen the old sol
diers heart swell with gratitude and pleas
urable emotion. his face radiant with
smiles, as he hastens to inform his de-
pendent household of an Increase in the
amount of his pension, not forgetting. ere
he takes his hurried departure, to return
his heartfelt thanks to those who have
aided him in securing the deserve increase
which will assist in furnishing the neces-
saries of life and making home happier
Such scenes must bring joy to our hearts
and strengthen us in our efforts to do all
we can honestly, under the law, for the
soldier.
No branch Of our National Government
has so many questions-rather problems
to solve as the Bureau of Pensions.
The solutions are, apparently. in our
strenuous American life, of slight import
ance to the mass of citizens in their in
dividual capacity. 1t is only in the aggre
gate that people are interested in the
work Of the Bureau, and yet each indi-
viduai case is of as much import TO the
claimant in its decision as was that in the
Court of Appeals in the Northern Securi-
ties case to the New York syndicate, and
it is as important that our adjudications
should be based on justice, as that the
decisions of the United States Supreme
Court should be in accordance with the
constitutional law. The Commissioner of
Pensions, l am satisfied, would not
that one in the service of the Bureau
should do an injustice to the lowliest of
these defenders of our country's unity. 1t
were better that our Government should
suffer wrong than that one of these, our
Nations wards, SHOULD receive injustice.
Gentlemen, to you let me say: Deal
justly, kindly, gently with the old soldier;
remember how bravely lie faced the
storms of shot and shell, disease, pesti-
lence often famine, that this now great
est of all Nations should not be torn
asunder.
To err is human-mortal man is prone
to make mistakes, but see to it that no
patriotic soldier is wronged by any act
of yours. And largely in your hands, you,
gentlemen of the Examining Boards, rests
the question of rates, Of so much moment
to the individual recipient of pensions, for
to you must the medical branch of the
Bureau turn for guidance and support in
solving the many intricacie presented to
us. We know you have the ability and
that you desire to see that justice is done
between our Nation and its wards, and to
see that no foul blots mar the brightness
of this immaculate roll OF honor, which
will be handed down to posterity as the
pr0udest inheritance which can be trans
mitted to the generations yet unborn, and
which 30 power on earth can wrest from
them. The title of Union soldier in the
civil war" may be the only bequest, but
the recipients Of this legacy will treasure
their Goat of arms" if only button, with
due veneration, and point with pride to
their patriotic ancestry who met upon the
field of battle Americans equally brave
and courageous. / have confined my re-
marks principally to the Union soldiers of
the civil war, not that l would have you
forget those brave men who gave free
dom to Cuba with republican form of
government. or who were instrumental in
planting the American flag, that emblem
of civil and religious liberty, in the Philip
pine Isles. nor those who have carried
"Old Glory" all over the world by sea.
Let US express the hope that hereafter its
silken folds may ever be emblematic of
peace and good will to.man.
In addressing this association you doubt
less expect from me some suggestions ns
to the details Of the work devOiving on
the Boards Of Examining Surgeons, but
knowing, from my observations in the cen
trail Office, the just and careful manner in
which your work is generally done, your
ability and your years of experience, feel
that any attempt on my part to instruct
you would be work of supererOgatiOn.
We in the central office know that this
association is composed of class of men
from the elite of the medical profession
in our Nation.
You. gentlemen, may not all be authors
| nor professors in medical colleges, you may
even reside in the country at the cross.
ing of the roads, but your training in the
schools Of medical experience enables you
| to sift the wheat from the chaff and ex.
pose the fal1acies of fine woven theories
| and adduce the facts resulting from clin-
| ical observation, for the experience based
| on scientific deductions. verified by path
0l0gicn examinations, is sure and only
| basis for diagnosis and prOgnOsis in dis
| ease. l fully agree with DIR. S. Well
Mitchell, who said 'the country crossroads
doctor seldom makes Mistakes"
l an pleased to see in this association
SO many wearing the insignia of UnieE
soldier, the grandest badge of distinction
| our Nation cam beStow upon bar JTpior