El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-06-28
Shell Shocked,
Sick Veterans
Lack Treatment
Government Makes Tardy
Effort to Remedy Neglect
Of Its Infrm Soldiers.

Washington, D. g June zs.-Thou-
sands OF discharged soldiers and sail
ors in need Of medical attention are
not getting It. Men suffering from
shell shock have been found wander
ing about the country dependent upon
aims for a living. Tubercular men
who contracted the disease N the SER
vice. are living in impoverished homes
Z dependent upon the families they used
to support, or are trying TO earn their
own living. Many Of them have died
I Of neglect
These men whom the United States
owes every care that medical science
=, can give them, but who are not receiv-
ing any care at all, are scattered all
over the country. That they have not
! been better cared for is due partly to
3 their own ignorance OF their rights.
and partly to the fact soldiers have
! been discharged more ranidly than
( facilities could be prepared to care
{ for the sick ones.
/ The public health service, which IS
charged with the duty of giving med
( ical attention to discharged soldiers
sailors and marines, just now getting
into action complete new national or
Eanization TO find and care FOR these
men. In this work It needs the help
OF the men themselves. and Of every
one who knows OF discharged men
who suffered sickness or injury in the
service and have not received proper
medical attention.
Ignorant Of Rights.
The great trouble seems TO be that
many men who left the service with
shattered health do not realize that
congress has passed a law compelling
the United States government 10 pro-
vide them with the best OF medical
attention
Other cases OF neglect are due to
the fact that the local medical exam
iners employed by the war risk board
and the public health service have not
always diagnosed cases correctly.
These medical examiners are simply
local doctors, employed hurriedly. The
public health service is now engaged
in wedding out the inefficients, but
many Of them have already done harm.
They have turned away men suffering
from tuberculosis because they could
not recognize the disease. Other men
who had contracted tuberculosis in the
service were turned away when they
applied for compensation and medical
treatment, because they were working
II man could work. Il was argued.
he was not disabled. Many OF these
men had to work or starve.
Offer Late Aid.
All OF those injustices the public
health service is now anxious TO cor
rect. Any discharged service man
who is suffering from sickness or in
jury incurred during service, and who
has not received satisfaction from the
local medical inspector. is requested
10 communicate with the district su-
pervisor Of the public health service. |
The public health officials are es-
1ecially anxious TO get IN touch with !
discharged servicG men who are suf- I
ferinE from tuberculosis contracted 4
during their terms OF service. It IS !
known that many OF these men have I
not been properly cared for. In the !
southwest. where numerous palatial 4
sanatoria are maintained for rich pa
TENTS. tuberculosis service men have
been put into inferior hospitals ana
even into hotel rooms Sometimes
the government would not pay the
prices asked by the private sanatoria,
and sometimes the sanatorfa fatty re-
fused 10 accommodate the soldier pa
ienta- But the public health service