Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-04-29
HAS LARGEST MEDICAL PRACTICE !;
IN WORLD and ISN'T A DOCTOR
He Is Director Of the Bureau War Risk Insurance and He Has
641OO0 Patients Out Of Potential Clientele Of 100000
Has 10000 Sick People in HosptaI-His "Practlce"
includes Both Men and Women. =

accurately abreast of the times 1t
would prove exceedingly difficult to an
swer this question, but he who has
Gal 900 patients drawn from a poten-
tial clientele Of over 100000 and con-
stantly over 10000 sick people in hos
pital, must certainly be considered as
having an exceedingly f1ourishing prac-
tiCe.
Oddly enough the man who Is re-
sponsible for this practice Is not til"
doctor. He Is the director of the bu-
reau of war risk insurance, Col. X. Il.
Chuhneley-Jones, who has been made
responsible for the conduct of these
operations by series Of exceedingly
hroad-minded and generous acts which
have been passed In connection with
the rehabilitation of the human hot
sam and ietsalh of the war with TER
many. His "practice" includes both
men and women. 1t embraces 46Np
cases of tuberculosis. more than I6,Un
cases Of nervous and mental disease,
10000 cases of disease of the eye, TO-
600 ailments of the ear and large
group of surgical cases drawn from
the 100000 wounds received In the
war. some $4,000 cases OF men VINO
We're discharged on account of some
surgical disability and some 3oOOO men
rejected at the mobilization camps for
ailments Of surgical nature. The
benefits which this vast number may
receive include hospital and "Out pa
tient" treatment and all necessary
pro&thetic devices. such as artificial
eyes, eyeglasses, braces. clutches,
wheel chairs and artificial limbs.
Entitled to Benefits.
The benefits which congress has pro-
vidpd extend not only to men or wOm-
Ell who actually served with the armed
forces of the United States, but also
to those who were accepted by draft
boards and dispatched to mobilization
camps. many Of whom incurred dis
case or injury while en- route Or while
awaiting acceptance by the military
authorities.
In addition to this huge medical
practice. the chief medical advisor of
the bureau of war risk insurance, who
is responsible to Colonel ChOlmeley-
Jones for the performance of these
functions, Is charged with the duty of
determining the degree of disability
which the patients of this huge prac-
tce have received while in the Serv-
ice Of their country. He Is, in addi-
ton, the chief medical advisor Of the
largest insurance company In the
world and must perfOrIl the usual
functions in connection with physical
examinations and medical proofs OF
death. In order that his days work
may he we'll rounded out, the chief
medical advisor is also the medical Of
bureau Of war risk insurance; and just
us the stop-gap, lest time hang heavy
on his hands, he is also the sanitary
officer In order that this small army
nf workers may be kept In perfect
health and do their work under favor
able sanitary conditions.
Despite its large size this Is con-
$tnntly growing practice, and there are
times when the facilities for the care
and treatment of its patients have
been crowded to the utmost. Since
August /, 1918, the number Of patients
in hospital has more than doubled On
that date there were $500 beds Occu-
pied by war risk insurance patients.
On january IL, 1920, there were 1929
beds so occupied. OF that number
there were 1854 cases of tuberculosis.
}.4lf nervous and mental cases and
3.l59 general cases. The public health
service, which is the field medical or
ganlzation of the war risk insurance
i,urrau. has 5,45S in hospital, and vari-
Gus civil institutions are carrying some
i.771.
Artificial Limbs Supplied.
An index of the scale on which the
furnishing Of prosthetic devices Is car
RED out Is given by the fact that on
ji.r latter date mentioned above, 2,914
artificial limbs had been supplied. OF
these. 1794 are permanent artificial
legs and 1,l30 permanent artificial
arins. There were some $500 major
a.nputations during the war. of which
- No were VI lllc lo"cI uhu A,c-O
of the arm. The 1856 mutiies remain
ing will receive permanent artificial
limbs as soon as their amputnfi0n
stumps have reached such condition
that well fitting and comfortable ap-
paratus can be supplied.
10 carry on the operations men-
toned above the public health service
has assigned 60 medical officers to the
bureau of war risk insurance ana
some 300 more to the various hospitals
and Offices In the field. 1t has expand
ed it's hospital bed capacity from less
thun 1000 to more than 5000, and In
a communication recently transmitted
to congress by the secretary of the
treasury it Is estimated that at least
81 600 beds will be constantly neces-
Snry to care for the men and women
who have acquired an illness or re-
ceivcd an injury in the great war.
large proportion of the war risk pa
tients can be returned to health and
usefulness. A certain number will re-
quire prolonged disqualification in or
der that cure may be effected; n GER
tain number may be brought to such
condition of mental ard bodily health
that. litter training by the federal
board for vocational education, they
VIII he able to pursue substantially
eainfu vocation. Some, unfortunate.
~. will be doomed to life of chronic
invaidism, while in a certain proper
tr"n of the cases neither recovery nor
il !proyement may be hoped for and
tley will be translated into the peace