New-York tribune., 1907-07-19
THE HANDICAPPED.
Mental Detectives and Convicts Can Get
Work Easier than One-Armed Men

An Indispensable adjunct to tho dispensary.
cording to Dr. Theodore c. Janeway, is some kind
OF agency for finding suitable employment for per-
sons handicapped by disease.
VERY often, said d.. Janeway. addressing the
School of Philanthropy yesterday morning ut is
medicine needs. but change of en-
ployment. A disease which can be borne by the
well TO do for a long time becomes rapidly fatal
with the poor because of the impossibility of their
altering their way Of life change Of employ
ment is the last thing that poor man can effect
for himself"
DR. Janeway had these thoughts borne in
him in his dispensary practice. and the experience
of the Charity Organization Society with other
handicapped persons such eX-convicts and men
tai detectives led to similar conclusions Inc result
the establishment in 1906 by the Charity organ
ization Society of tho bureau for the handicapped
AL first II had pretty hard time
The agents of the Charity organization society
sent us every hopelessly unemployable person on
their lists said DR.. Janeway. and we had no
clientele among employers. For the last fivs
months, however. progress has been more salts
factory. OF 376 persons applying for work during
that period lS9 have secured steady employment,
and in contrast y applications from employers
In February We had 50 in June"
The tables exhibited by DR.. Janeway showed
that of these 36 persons 130 had been handicapped
by a dangerous unhealthful trade. resulting IN
accident injury to their health Under thIs
head was placed whose handicap was OLD
age. lie had worked since he was nine years DID,
and the agent OF the bureau Miss Jessie l. Belyea'
thought that his old age was the result OF s hls
trade. of the mere flight OF years. lie is not
yet fifty. but is in everything but years an oo
The number of applicants handicapped by old
age natural or acquired hfty-six. and of
these the bureau has placed twenty seven. one
man Of seventy-nine, who was successful in
business but lost all in a bad year. has been
settled as a handy man in a country drug store.
Another, seventy-dve years old. Is q trusted man
in the household OF country town, where ne
has charge Of the children when the parents are
away.
Age is usually strict bar employment"
commented DR.. Janeway. 'and we think IT a great
achievement TO have placed half OF our old age ap-
plicants"
hicted with various Gripping diseases. such as
rheumatism locomotor ataxia. More one
handed men have been placed than those pos
sessIng only one leg but Miss Belyea explained
that this was because she had made special ef-
fort TO search out places for the one-handed peo-
| pie. She intends TO search for sedentary
places for the one-legged applicants Several one
! handed mon have been placed at filling penny-in-
: the-slot machines.
/ There is much aversion to the employment OF
] crtpples. and It has been found easier to place
| able-bodied inebriates and criminals than a man
| who has lost hand.
The invalids having some chronic internal disease
| numbered ffty-eght, and Of these twenty-four
| have been placed. Thirty-hve of the number were
| tuberculous, and Of these seventeen have been
I I'VE are proud Of this record. too.' said Dr.
| Janeway, because two years ago the committee
on the prevention OF tuberculosis took UP the
| placing OF consumptives and gave II up"
| Neurasthenics and other nervous sufferers have
been found extremely difficult TO handle. and only
two out of twelve have been placed but it has
| been found quite simple TO find light employment
for convalescents until they their strength.
| The wholly partially blind difficult class.
| and Of eighteen only three have been placed The
| very deaf and those who stammer badly are also
| hard 10 place.
| The persons in these various classes have been
placed tanitors and furnace men. messengers and
| delivery men, handy men. domestic servants. por-
| ters, factory workers. newsdeaers. country labor
| ers and watchmen.
Their wages" said DR.. Janeway, approximate
fairly the average pay Of unskilled labor. We
| are not doing any bargain counter business. We
| tried that at first and found it didn't pay. The
highest pay received by any OF the group IS SIS a
| week the lowest s.. This last IS paid to a
| mentally defective domestic servant, and includes
maintenance The total weekly pay of the group
is s. 1885, or an average Of IS 90 Seventy-two cases
| sent by the Charity Organization Society had
| been receiving relief from the society They are
| now earning than they received in relief. and
| the society is saving s2l6 week.
| THE ultimate aim OF the bureau DR.. Janeway
concluded 'is TO have reported to 1t every person
! IN the city who needs change or employment
'If dispensaries and hospitals would send US such
| persons before they become hopelessly unemploy-
| able through the progress Of disease or so de-
| rnoralized by relief that they don't want 10 work
| we would be able to prevent and aIneliorate q
| great OF disease prevent arlel!orate
| poverty and dependence and utilize Il waste social
| product
| Incidentally the bureau expects to collect soma
valuable statistics about dangerous trades and the
causes of the handIcaps with which 1t has to deal.