The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1918-03-15
HOW 0CALA HELPS
The State of Florida i'm Caring for
It's Crippled INDECENT
Children

My dear Doctor: Herewith is SUBJ
mitted report of six months work
at the hospital for crippled children
now located at Ocala, Fla Your
superintendent has been aggressively
active in this work in that the school
teachers of Florida have been made
interested. AS a method, it was
suggested that talk to school teach
ers at the monthly or annual meeting
would be the best way. So estate
ment" was prepared and delivered to
Ia body of several hundred members
of the Florida Educational Associa-
ton at Daytona, Fla, on Dec. %,
1917. The School Room published the
statement, which was as follows:
A Statement
Madam President of Teachers of the
Florida Educational Association:
| represent the hospital for Grip
pied children, located at. Ocala and
under the auspices oftheFlorida State
Board of Health.
Why am | here? First, because
Miss Nellie Stevens, the bright and
progressive principal of the Ocala
primary school, has said that the
Florida teachers should have an op-
portunity of looking into this great
work, and because l, too, am a teacher
and / want the cooperation of you
teachers. / take body or part of
body that is defective and teach it
how to use parts of members that
would otherwise become atrophied
from disuse. The treatment is indeed
surgical but the child must be taught
how to use the limb after the latter
has been Strengthened.
Why is the State Board of Health
doing this?
The answer is, as an investment.
You ask how can that be?
If 500 to $500 is expended in the
treatment of a deforced or hunch-
backed child at six years of age and
cure is effected, the board says that
is better for the commonwealth than
thirty years of dependency if not
pauperism in the subsequent life OF
the cripple.
How many states are doing this
work free? Just five beside Florida.
| How to secure admission. Write to
DR.. w. HI. Cox, state health officer
Jacksonville, Fla He is my chief and
will furnish you with blanks and de-
tails.
| Conditions for admission:
Patient must be a child, white OF
colored, native of Florida, durable
non-contagious, responsible, INDECENT
How many children are now in the
hospital? Only nine, but eleven more
are being treated in the outdoor de-
Ipartment, l. e., they come to the office
for attention. The outdoor depart.
ment costs the State Board of Health
practically nothing.
How many cripples of this descrip.
tion are in Florida?
Something upward of three hun.
ldred.
How can teachers help?
/ See the parents of the child anC
induce them to have the child caree
for now while the little ones parts
are plastie-tractable, and like it's
mind, undeveloped and susceptible te
growth and improvement.
Being a new appointee to succeed
DIR. r. F. Turck, who has joined the
colors, it was thought expedient te
say the least to lay good "founda
ton" So with that object in view, g
circular letter was addressed to each
doctor in Jacksonville, asking what
understanding was there as to re-
muneration-if any-for assistance
etc., that they had rendered in a pro
Ifessional way in this state charity
The letters of response were very
gratifying and it is pleasure tc
hereby acknowledge it publicly. The
doctors of Ocala were then ap.
lproached and asked if they would aic
in reasonable way if called upon
The response was equally gratifying
and it is to be noted that each one has
been as good as his word.
1t was recognized that a public in.
terest in the hospital for crippled
children should be something more
than sentiment in Ocala and commu.
Unity, so upon request ten automobiles
with drivers were offered gratis to be
fused in taking the children to pic.
mics, outings, Sunday school, ETC., or
short notice.
Five local druggists agreed to dc
prescription work to the extent OF
one dollar per month. Thanks are
hereby rendered Messrs. Gerig, Par.
IRISH, Biting, Tydings and the Courr
Pharmacy Messrs. McLucas, Per.
kins, Morrison and Hooper have put
US under obligations by doing the
ltonsorial work free.
Miss Nellie Stevens has charge Of
the educational department and ha.
furnished teacher, Miss France.
Agnew, who gives half her time
(three days in the week. to the chill
dren gratis until fufsfer notice. A
popular subscription is now on fooi
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