Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-07-05
Perkins Law as
Applied to Adults
Now in Operation

something about the Perkins law. I'M
der whose beneficent provisions 80
many diseased and crippled children
have been helped, and In Nmany In
stances made whole, mt the university
hospital at Iowa City.
July first the Haskell-Klaus law,
which extends the benefits of the Per-
kins law to adults, will be In effect.
This law was passed by both houses
OF the general assembly without a dis
senting vote. It Is everywhere looked
upon as one OF the most helpful ana
constructive pieces OF legislation ever
put upon the statute books of~this or
any other state. The object OF this
article is to acquaint people generally
with the provisions Of the law. -.
Briefly stated, they are as follows:
ANY Judge of district or superior
court may, on his own motion or on
information furnished him by ply
stefan, an overseer Of the poor, a pro-
baton officer, n public health nurse,
minister priest, or policeman, regard
ing any citizen OF his district who Is
suffering from a deformity or malady
that can probably be helped by medical
or surgical attention and hospital care
and who Is not able to provide for
same, cause a hearing to be had and
an investigation to be made; first.
thru the office of the county attorney
as to the circumstances Of the patient,
and second, by a local physician, who
shall report to the court on blanks
furnished by the state as TO whether
or not in his opinion, the patient may
be helped by medical or surgical treat
ment and hospital care. If the physi-
clan reports that. in his opinion. the
patient may be helped, and it is found
that he or she is not able to pay for
the necessary treatment and hospital
care, the court will commit such pa
tient (the patient himself consenting)
to the hospital of the college Of medi-
cine of the state university Of Iowa for
treatment and care. .s
The actual cost Of caring for such
patients who are thus committed is
paid by the state. Members of the
medical faculty receive nothing for
their services except such salaries as
are paid them by the state university.
To put it another way, any judge OF
district or superior court, physician.
overseer of the poor, probation officer,
public health nurse, minister, priest or
policeman who has knowledge of any
citizen of Iowa who needs medical or
surgical treatment or hospital care,
and who is not able to pay for the
same, may set the machinery in mo-
ton to have such person taken care OF
and provided with the best that mod
ern medical science affords.
Judges, of course, have the proper
blanks at hand; others can secure
them at-the office of the clerk Of the
district or superior court as the case
may be. The information being filed.
the court attends to the rest. Anyone
not Of these classes specifically named
in the statute can not act thru them.
That is to say, any one who knows OF
deserving person who would come
under the provisions Of this law may
go to any doctor. overseer of the poor,
probation officer, public health nurse,
minister, priest or policeman, call his
attention to the case and get him to
file the necessary information.
Care should be exercised-and
doubtless will be exercised by the
courts to see to 1t that none but hose
properly entitled to the benefits Of this
law take advantage of it. At the same
time, no deserving person should be
deprived Of the privileges which tie
state has SO generously provided.
The University Hospital, has always
taken care Of those recommended to
it by, physicians, county officials and
ministers of tho gospel. as not able to
pay the usual medical, surgical and
hospital charges, but who could, new
ertheless, pay for hospital care at ac-
tual cost. Such patients were known
as clinical patients" No fee was ever
charged a clinical patient by any men,
Der of the hospital staff. Such cases
will continue to be received on like
terms, and no one should seek to en-
ter the university hospital under the
provisions Of the Haskell klaus law
unless he or she is so circumstanced
as not to be able to pay by and for