Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-12
STATE HOSPITAL FOR
CRIPPLED CHILDREN
PROVISION Is Made to Spend $4,000
Ter Year for Two
Years.
MEETS SERIOUS SITUATION
Measure Now Awaiting Signature
OF Governor Is Highly Praised by
state Board Of Charities and by
State Health Authorities.

Unanimously approved by both House
approximation OF $4,000 Il year for tho
support OF State Hospital for In
digent crippled children Is now await
ing the signature of Governor Davis.
u Is much to the credit Of tho I,eg!s-
lature az body. says the State Ecard
o! Charities and Corrections, that this
measure has been passed witiout dis
sent in front OF other proposed bills
which arc backed by much greater In :
Huence.
During tho years 1910 and 1911. b.
direction Of the state Board Of Chart
'!cs and Corrections, an investigation
was conducted into the number and
condition OF crippled children in the
State. Tho physicians of Virginia re-
ported TO the board $40 children under
ftteen years Of age who were In
dlEent and crippled. In its report 10
the General Assembly. the board called
attention TO the need for adequate
equipment OF hospitals for the treat
mrrt OF such cases.
The board. at that time. offered free
treatment TO any crippled INDECENT per =
sons who desired such treatment. ana
who would secure the recommendation
OF a physician certifying that the treat
n.ent would be beneficial! In THIS work.
TIE board has not With insurTnount-
sble obstacles under present conditions.
ances In the hands q. trained ply
sicians D-. ~. T. Graham. OF Rich
mond IL specialist in these diseases.
and Or. g II. Watts. Of the University
q. Virginia Hospital. have at all times
been willing 10 treat the children, Tree
supply the braces and other appliances.
and the state physicians were not
trained properly 10 diagnose and treat
such cases; consequently when the
children left the hospital. tho braces
that they were compelled 10 wear
slipped out Of place. and the last state
Of the child Was as bad as the hrst'
ALARMING NUMBER
OF CASES REPORTED
During 1917. owing to the unusual
number OF cases OF infantile paralysis
and the intensive study that vas beng
made Of tuberculosis and us eHects'
an alarming number OF crippled chill
dren were reported 70 tho Board OF
Health and tho Board OF Charities. DR..
Graham reports that he had under
treatment 100 cases and tha, ITO new
cases were reported in the stat" out
side Of Richmond. This Information
Indicated an alarming condition IN VIZ
GINA
AZ nearly all Of these cases could
have been cured II taken in time, the
State Board OF Charities asked that
proper STEPS he taken 10 establish a
hospital for these children who. unless
properly treated, would hc burdens 20
themselves and TO the community dur
inE their lives.
Tho bill in fun reads as follows:
BE 1, enacted by the General Assem-
biz OF virginia. That the sum of sio.-
roo wear for two years is hereby ap-
propriated on, OF any funds In m"
hands n! the treasurer, not otherwise
appropriated. 20 DC used br the state
Board Of Health, TO establish an ortho-
raedic hospital for the reatmen, or
crippled and detormcd children IN var
giria.
AL acts and parts ~ acts In con.
n!ct with this act are heTcn: 'cpc*'eo'