The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-25
Important Reconstruction Work
Started at ROsedaIe School.
Branch Clinics Established in
All Parts of State.
DR.. CRUMBINE ANNOUNCES PLAN
Cites Big Losses Suffered in
National Army Material.
Government Is Giving Finan-
ciaI Aid to the Work.

With the program commenced Dy J
it's state board of health this week, |
Kansas has started to adopt and carry
on practical plan looking toward the
complete curbing of social diseases,
DR.. S. J. Crumbine, secretary of the
board, said and explained the neces- !
sity for more generous financial recoS- |
milton than ever before for Bell hos
pitaI, in Rosedale. the medical school
of Kansas university.
This week." Doctor Crumbine said,
I'VE have established a branch clinic
in each of the larger towns and cities
in the state, the services of which will
be without cost to the patient. These
clinics will, of course, have other pur-
poses than the hunting out and treat
ment of social diseases. All diseases
in which laboratory analysis is essen
tiaI will receive attention. but admit
teddy for the reasons I will point out
directly, the effort to curb social dis
eases is the actuatins motive in this
program.
1T sounds like a broad statement,
but is one which will be borne out
by medical men everywhere, that this
war has brought about conditions
tory of the world, it is possible for
us to see the social disease problem
in it's true magnitude. The selective
draft obviously brought under the eye
of the government men from every
station in life If ever there was an
assemblage of men representative of
american life, it was our selective
draft army.
Was Big Army Problem.
"Of the $4,000 called in the first
call, the irrefutable figures show that,
in addition to the thousands of men
who were rejected for service because
of such infection, between q 200 and
$4,000 were accepted by the medical
staff of the war department and were
placed under treatment, on the theory
that even should they not become fit
for military duty. their isolation and
treatment constituted a public service.
Those are figures and facts-not
theories. These men came from all
walks of life. They came from all
parts of the country. 1t is not possible
for one geographical location to shrug
Its shoulders and deny them as sons
And so, say. it is the first time in his
tory we have had the initial hold on
social diseases we now have
These clinics will be at the serv-
Ice or all physicians in their respective
sections. In them. blood samples and
samples for microscopic slides will be
taken and sent to our laboratory at
Eel hospital for examination from
time to time during the course of
treatment. Furthermore, the state
board of health, thru the RosedaIe
laboratory, will furnish without cost
to- the INDECENT poor the best treat
ment medical science has developed.
Government Taking Up Work.
The United States government,
realizing the Importance of pushing
this work ahead right now, as one of
the most important phases of recon-
Struction work, is giving lis financial
aid. Last year we received many
thousands of dollars from the federal
government on condition that the
state will duplicate it. And | have
the word of the responsible state of
ficials that the state aid will be forth
coming.
Further than this. DIR. w. A
Baker, in charge of the laboratory
has been commissioned assistant sur
geon of the federal health service,
which gives him the authority to frank
samples for analysis thru the mails
both to and from the laboratory and
to send bv mail. under frank, treat
ment and instructions as to the
laboratory findings. In fact. the con-
slant effort is to be made to make it
so easy for the afflicted to receive
treatment. whether they are able to
pay or not. that it will be an invita-
ton they will grasp to become cured.
At Service of All.
This service is for citizens of Kan
sas. Added to the services of the
branch clinics, those of the parent
clinic in the Rosedale hospital. I'M
der the supervision of DR.. Nels F.
Ockerhlad. formerly in similar service
with the Canadian army, and whose
achievements in this special line both
before and since taking over the
clinic. have been tremendous will be
at the disposal of any citizen of Kan
sas who desires the direct attention
of the clinic.
1.-The figures revealed by the call
ing of the national army justify the
assertion. I feel sure. that this work
is not the least important feature OF
the reconstruction program"