Graham guardian., 1919-09-05
DR.. MARTIN ATHEAD
Of Public Health Service.
All Ex-Soldiers Will Be
Treated Free

Former United States soldiers
who become sick from causes
traceable to their service during
the war are going to be cared for
free by the public health service.
DR.. George S. Martin, formerly
a major in the army medical SER
vice arrived in Phoenix recently
for the purpose of establishing
State headquarters for the pub
lie health service. He will be
State supervisor and will super
intend the selection of other doc
tors to look after discharged SOL
diers in their vicinity.
DR.. Martin is well known to
hundreds of men from this State
who were formerly with the 158th
Infantry. While that regiment
was on the border he was a first
lieutenant, in it's sanitary detach-
ment. He went overseas with
the 144th Machine Gun Battalion,
and was promoted to majoralty
last February. During his, for
mer residence in Arizona, he
practiced in Stafford.
This is one of the greatest
things the government has ever
done for its discharged soldiers" "
said DR., Martin to a Republican
reporter. Amy man who has
an illness, the cause of which
originated while he was in the
army, is going to be taken care
of by the government. Not only
will his doctor and hospital bills
be free, but he will be paid while
he is under treatment. He will
be paid a certain sum, and his
dependents will receive aid
through the war risk insurance
bureau.
The wal department has been
working out this plan for some
time, according to DR.. Martin.
Headquarters for the twelfth
district, which includes Arizona,
Nevada and California, have been
opened in San Francisco. Many
former soldiers have applied there
for treatment and have been
given the best the department
had.
Il want the former service
men to understand this is not
charity" said DR.. Martin. I'VE
are here to serve and want to do
everything possible to see that
the ex-soldier gets a square deal.
expect to work in conjunction
with the Red Cross.
For instance, if a man is taken
i'll and it develops into tubercu-
losis, and it is shown that he had
influenza or pneumonia while he
was in the army, we will notonly
send him to an army hospital,
where he will have the best of
care, but if he is unable to go
alone, we will send an attendant
along and pay all the bills.
| Il intend to have doctors in
every county who will make the
primary examinations and re-
ports on all cases. Applicants
will either make known their
wants to them or report to their
local Red Cross Chapter, who will
notify me.
Il will appreciate it if every
service man VINO even thinks he
is suffering from the results of
service will come and see me. |
want the men to have confidence
in the health service and am sure
they will realize that the govern
ment intends to take care of them
even though they are no longer
with the colors.
The service is ready and will
ing to look after the men. We
will supply them with glasses,
have their teeth fixed, in fact,
do everything it is possible for a
dentist or doctor to do to allevi-
ate their troubles. :"
DR.. Martin, who was one of the
Fmost popular officers of the l58th
Infantry, is glad to return to
Arizona. He spent three years
in the armv I1nOn tho return
of his battalion to this country,
he was sent to the first army,
and later was given the opportu-
nifty to take a/four months post
graduate course in surgery at the
London General Hospital in Eng
land.
In addition to his general du-
ties, DR.. Martin intends to open
an office for private practice.
1 He will devote himself to surgery.