Evening star., 1914-07-12

Children starting with almost hopeessly paralyzed
hands learn in the of few months to scramble
up and down the vertical ladders like monkeys; those
with paralytc feet deformed toes gradually become
expert cyclists by persistent pedaling the foot
chimes; others having hdeous spinal curvatures in
time regain perfect alnement by going hand hand
up and down ropes like Sailors while still others restore
strength to their wthered legs by lying their backs
and tossing balls about from the soles of their feet
in training to be Japanese acrobats.
Thus the oldtme perplexities of joint diseases and
defor1nities that have always baf1ed the best phys
clans and surgeons the country over slowly being
mastered and understood and the marvellous gain in
the number of since the introduction of muscle
and nerve education marks the beginning of the
tnction of the germ of paralysis and many other de-
formities and the dawn of epoch in medical
science.
TT is encouraging sign that there is growing ap
probation of the importance of preventive work for
crippled children The largest single phanthropic gift
for suffering humanity in 1912 four million dollars
by Peter A. B. Widener of Philadelphia, endow
ment for the Widener Memorial School for Crippled
Children This princey is to be used for the most
scientific treatment and education of those crippled
from birth who have suffered from injuries resulting
in chronic ameness or deormity. Thus Pennsylvania
will make common cause with Maryland, Manes
Massachusetts, New York. and Kansas in warring
upon preventabe deformities among boys and girls.
There indications that other States cannot long
delay the Inauguration of such work. The story of
of the experiences of Missouri and Illinois in deal
ing with their detectives in the o1d-fashioned way
forcby illustrates the need for immediate action In
the former State the authorities of ST. Louis long
ago began crusade to rid their city of lame beggars
and other impostors
One morning the business their way down.
town missed the crippled man who had his the
corner of an important thoroughfare for decade
1t did not seem the old without the
familiar figure raising the hat and crying for aims from
the throng The fact that 3John" had gone;
one knew where, exactly He had been discovered to
have two legs good any MANS and not Grip
pied One of his legs hung through hole in the side
walk, while the other cured that knee
ceal the deception How many thousands of dollars he
had begged will never be known; but maybe the sum
was sufficient to warrant him in retiring"
Some idea of the cost to the community of doing
nothing rational for physical detectives may be had
by consideration of the discovery made by Chicago
few months ago that it the headquarters of
NThe Gay Cats association of beggars who had
rented and furnished with money panhandled in the
downtown district building in of the poorest
neighborhoods of the West Side There the active
members divide the days receipts and lay plans for the
future. For recruits school of instruction is main
tained, in which taught the methods of making up
tramps crpples and invalids. There hundred
beggars in the organization and it is said that any
"Gay Cat who cannot beg ten dollars more in a
single day is looked down upon by his pals.