Evening star., 1919-03-30
TUBERCULOSIS WAR
/ IS ARMY PROBLEM
w. II. Baldwin Describes
Treatment of Soldiers A.
f1icted With Disease.
ARE: REGARDED AS Men

herculosis has seriously engaged the
attention of medical officers of the
service and of civilians concerned in
the preservation of the public health.
One phase of the problem has been
particularly difficult, namely, the re-
tention under military jurisdiction
and medical care of men so afflicted,
despite their desire for discharge and
return to civil life. On this matter
paper has been written by William
H. Baldwin. treasurer of the National
Tuberculosis Association, and also
chairman of the District Council of
Defense, who has been intimately
disease in this country, which Ihe
Star regards as of sufficient I'M
portance to print in full, as follows:
Mr.. Baldwin's Statement.
Before the present war it was the
practice of the Army authorities to
regard men in the Army only as SOL
dies. And to discharge them when at
any time by reason of physical disa-
bility they were not likely to be again
fit for military service. This relieved
the Army of their care. and put the
responsibility on their friends and on
the communities from which they
came, and which were helped out by
the pensions granted in such cases.
The war risk insurance act, which
provides not only for insurance At
low rates. but also for allotments to
the families of men in the service
and for compensation and treatment
for disabled men after their dis
charge, which was passed on October
6. E17. marked great step for
ward. 1t regarded the men making
up the Army as American citizens of
the communities from which they
wers coming. and to which they
would return, rather than as men
who had severed themselves from
civil life by becoming soldiers.
Plans had already been begun near
1y two years ago for the rehabilita-
tion and physical training Of men
whe might be wounded. mutilated or
otherwise disa bled, in order to tit
them to again find some place in the
industrial or commercial life of the
country instead of becoming helpless
pensioners; and the experience of
other countries in this held was care
FUZZY studied. Surgeon General
Gorgas also established in his Office
6iviSions relating to tuberculosis and
somH-of the other principal diseases.
withl-a man of high professional
standing at the head of each to over
see the examinations for admissio-
to the service and to care for men
among the troops found to have these
diseases.
Vocational Training Provided.
The -dea of regarding soldiers as
American citizens was further devei-
oped by the surgeon general in his
letin 81 April 2. 1918. declaring that
thereafter men disabled in line OF
duty. even though not, expected to
return to duty. would not be dis
charged until they were cured or as
nearly. cured as the nature o. their
disabilities would permit; and that
men upder treatment in the hospitals
would> be provided with such occu-
pational therapy and pre-vocationa
training as would secure for them
functibnal restoration, and pr-p.,
them for taking part in the indus
trial Or commercial life of the ma
tion AFTER their discharge. Such ply
sical restoration and vocational train
ing was further arranged for for
soldiers after their dischage by tn.
law of June 81, 1918, poviding for
vocational education and placement,
of discharged soldiers by the federal
board for vocational education.
Tuberculosis the Greatest Evil.
1t is gratifying to know of the fidel-
AeS "ASh " uiSh thiS pOliCy, WHICH was
approved and put into force in the
latter part of May. 1918, has been
carried out by the surgeon Generals
once IN regard to tuberculosis the
disease which has disabled more SOL
diers than any other in the list Before
the h9hting began in Europe pfepa
ratione had been made fur the con-
structton of five Army hospitals for
Tuberculosis in favorable locations. in
addition to the one which has beer
Bayaro and two others established In
buildings already erected, makinx
eight tn all
To these men found tubere,lou,
sent back from overseas, were sent
Tor Treatment, instead of being dis
charged and returned to their FAM,
lies. az had been the case up to th,t
time No pains were spared to make
the construction of the best types
and the accommodations ample. until
the provisions decided upon al
the time the armistice was signed
amounted to more than 5000 beds in
all Some of this was discontinued
after the f1ghting stopped. partly be-
cause the general demobilization
which began soon afterward has re-
leased Army hospitals well fitted for
tuberculosis patients and has maGc
1urtnef construction unnecessary; but
the supply of beds has been at All
times sufficient for the demand.
Want to Be Discharged.
n was natural that soldiers found
tubercplous should want to be re-
leased instead of being kept in tho
service. especially those returned
from overseas; and that tha,.
families. because of natural afYecfto.
and often because of Ignorance o1
the nature of the disease, and of the
treatment necessary for II, should
Join In endeavoring to have the ia
ther or husband or son sent home In
them. 1t would have been easy to
follow the line of least resistance, es-
pecin1y when the influence of men
in public life was sometimes added 70
that OF the men and their families in
seeking their discharge; and il has
not been aSy for the surgeon gen.
sfaTs 'et.fce to maintain the policy
required by the best interests Of the
men in its charge; but it has patient
1y. wisely and consistently sought to
have them understand the reasons for
keeping them and the advantage TO
be secured by early attention in the
struggle against such an ipsidious
enemy as tuberculosis.
Since the 1st'of November last the
number of men in the Army tubercu-
1osiS hospitals has averaged some
thing more than 5000, and on March
22, 1913. the date of the last report.
there were in them 5,516 men The
approximate length of their stay is
shown by a report for tho 5,o7l men
in these hospitals at tho end Of
February, 1913. which was as fol-
Fourteen hundred and seventy, nve
months or over: $50. three months or
over: T03, two months or over. 1886,