Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-11-20
MEDICAL AND SURGICAL RELIEF
FOR DISABLED HEROES Of WAR
How the Bur of War Risk Insurance Is Meeting the Hercean
Problem of Examining, Rating and Returning to Physical
Usefulness Minds and Bodies Wrecked in the
Great European War.


the government, face to face with
brand new series Of problems. Long
before the armistice was signed, con-
gress foresaw some Of the necessities
of the situation and, starting from the
broad-angled viewpoint that a man
who has been injured in the service
of his country is not an object of
charity but a person who is entitled
to compensation and medical relief
exactly as is the man who suffers
hurt at the hands of industry, wise
legislative program was inaugurated.
This contemplates that the director
of the bureau of war risk insurance
shall take all the necessary measures
to insure that every person who con-
tracted q disease or suffered an in
iurv in military service in the line of
duty during the war with Germany
shall be recompensed therefor, and
that he shall receive such medical
and surgical attention which will re-
turn him to health, or at least shall
bring him the maximum relief posi-
BILE IN MS particular cast.
Furthermore, should this ex-sOldier.
sailor or marine have lost limb or
eve, or suffered any hurt for which
a mechanical device may be neces-
sary, that such apparatus shall be fur
nished him without cost. In further
ance of this plan congress has en-
acted enabling legislation and at pres
ent is considering a bill which will
further elucidate it's purpose in this
regard.
National in Scope.
There is a man in Washington who
sits all day long facing a gigantic
map of the United States. On it is
shown every railroad, town and ham,
let of the nation. Colored pins locate
the hospitals, dispensaries, medical
and surgical consultants and examin-
ers, all of this being the vast field ma
chinery which the government has put
in motion to relieve suffering, prolong
life, and return to efficiency the men
and women whose minds or bodies
may have been broken in humanity's
war.
Some one asked this officer why he
always sat facing this gigantic map,
why he lifted his eyes to it so many
times during the day? The answer
was: $50 that I may always keep be-
fore me the fact that the problem is
national in it's scope and can be solved
only by the maximum breadth of
vision"
When congress passed the war risk
insurance act little did anyone dream
of it's far-reaching effect.
No human brain could have fore
seen the multitudinous variety of
ways in which this benefcent measure
would touch the lives and happiness
Of thousands of Americans.
Much Detail Involved.
At first glance the problem appears
easy. If a discharged soldier, sailor,
marine, army or navy nurse, yeo-
man (f) or marinette, can show that
he or she received an injury in service
or suffered an aggravation of pre-
existing injury or disease, then COM
pensation and medical and surgical
treatment, if necessary, must inev-
itably follow IF it were so simple as
this, every one of these persons would
be able to arrange his compensation
Immediately upon his discharge from
the military forces, and it would be
unnecessary for the government to
opor1ov cpooio1 ovo roiporc on1 O CORN
of medical specialists in order to adj
minister the act with justice to the
benefciaries and to the government.
But such is not the case. In the
first place, it must be shown that
claimant was actually in the military
or naval forces of the United States.
Secondly, that he suffered an injury
or an aggravation Of pre-existing in
jury.
Appears After Discharge.
A large number of cases are on rec
ord in which the man was discharged
as in good condition, and within a few
days was found to be suffering from
serious trouble which was of such
nature as to make it absolutely GER
tain that it existed prior to his sepa-
ration from the service. For this rea-
son it is not practical for the medical
division 70 accept at their face value
the reports Of discharge boards. This
is especially true when there is an
absence Of data.
Then, too there is the question of
those disabilities which appear some
time after the mans separation from
the service. Here it is necessary to
call upon the adjutant general and the
surgeon general for the mans medical
record while in the service. This
sometimes throws considerable light
upon the question of determining
whether military service had aggra-
waited what would otherwise have
bee. a very obscure condition. In ey-
cry case the burden of proof is on the
government, and the man is always
given the benefit Of the doubt.
Handle 5000 Cases Day.
Nearly the entire eighth floor of the
Arlington building in Washington is