Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-11-25
MEDICAL AND SURGICAL. Relief
FOR DISABLED Heroes or WAR
How the Bureau of War Risk insurance Is Meeting the eCean
Problem of Examining Rating and Returning TO Physical
Usefulness Minds ana Bodies Wrecked in the
Great European War.

Washington-Th war has brought
the government face TO face with Il
brand new series Of problems. Long
before the armistlce was signed, con-
gress fureSaw some Of the necessities
of the situation and, starting from the
broad-angled viewpoint thar Il man
who has been injured IN the service
of his country is not an object Of
charity but Il 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
fury Ia 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 possi-
Bile in his particular case.
Furthermore, should this ex-Solder
sailor or marine have lost a limb or
eye or suffered any hurt for which
mechanical device may be neees-
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 bill which Will
further elucldate its purpose in this
regard.
National in Scope.
There Is u 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. Col0red pins locate
the hospitals, dispenSuries. medical
and surgical c0nsultants and eXaInln-
ers, all OF this being the vast field ma
chinery which the government has put
In motion to relieve suffering, prO!ong
life and return to efficiency the men
and women whose minds or bocies
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: 80 that | 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 muttudinous variety of
ways in which this beneticent measure
would touch the lives and happiness
of thousands of Americans.
Much Detail Involved. 7
AT first glance the problem appears
easy If discharged soldier, sailor
army or navy nurse. yeo-
man (f) or marinette, can show that
he or she received an injury in service
or suffered an aggravatlon of a pre-
existing injury Or disease, then com
pensation and medical and surgical
If necessary, must inev-
ltably follow. If ii were so simple as
this, every one of these persons would
be able to arrange his compensation
upon his discharge from
the military forces, and it would be
for the government TO
employ special examiners and a corps
Of medical specialists in order 10 adj
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 q
claimant was actually in the military
pr naval forces of the United States
Secondly, that he suffered an injury
Or an aggravatlon OF a pre- existing in
Jury.
Appears After Discharge.
A large number of cases are on rec
)rd in which the man WAS discharged
II III Et'N ttlIh''l'ilr anu NA'i''l q ~ 'f
lays was found to be suffering from
serious trouble which was Of such Il
nature as 20 make II absolutely GER
ain that it existed prior to his scFa-
'atlon from the service. For this rea-
,0n IT is not practical for the medical
livisiOn " accept at their face value
lie reports Of discharge boards. This
Is especially true when there is an
jbsenCe Of data.
Then, too, there is the question of
hose disabilities which appear some
ime after the mans separation from
he service. Here it IS necessary 70
all upon the adiutGnt general and the
urgeOn general for the mans medical
ec0rd while in The service. This
throws considerable light
lpon the question Of determining
whether military service had aggra-
.ated what would otherwise have {
zen Il very obscure condition. In cy- ,
Try case the burden Of proof Is On the
government, and the man is always
,iyen the benefit of the doubt. ,
Handle 5000 Cases a Day.
Nearly the entire eighth floor Of the 4,
Arlington building IA Washington W. !
by the medical division OF |
ma iurgOu uf utnr ricly inGttrnuGn Nh.