The New York herald., 1922-05-21
INJURED WORKERS
REMADE BY STATE
Rehabilitation Bureau aids
1855 i'm Nine Months, Get
ting Jobs for 355.
THOUSANDS NEED HELP
Many of Half Million Hurt
Each Year Do Not Know
of Paternal Work.
DIR. THOMPSON PRAISED
He Superintends Cases Turned
Over to Reconstruction Hos
pital for Treating.
DIR. THOMPSON PRAISED


abled in industry and accident who
apply to the State Bureau of Reha-
biltation for its services show genu-
inc determination to earn their own
way. This is the opinion of DR.. Riley
NJ. Little, director of the bureau. here
Yesterday from Albany to inspect the
metropolitan district office. He said:
1T doesn't matter what's gone from
a person. it's what s. left. particularly
above the neck, that counts.
Between July !. 1921. and April 1
last, this bureau has been in contact
with 1,455 physically handicapped
persons. 1874 men and III women.
OF these $50 for various reasons were
not susceptible to rehabilitation, 213
were entered on formal courses of
instruction. fourteen have completed
instruction and entered gainful jobs.
For efghty-one others it was a place
ment matter; ESQ were returned without
formal courses but with assistance,
social. orthopedic or medical work,
About sixty Of these latter were sent to
the Reconstruction Hospital for physi-
cal rehabilitation before the State could
begin their training.
Puts $50 Back at Work.
Altogether in the first nine months
355 physically Handicapped persons were
returned to gainful occupations. Es-
timating an average pay Of $1,000 a
year each, this means restoring a wage
power of s355.ooO. which indicates a
producing power OF at least twice that
instead OF a financial loss In the form
Of charity by the State. fraternal or
labor organizations, or friends. II 500
persons can be put back to self-support
each year. 1 estimate that represents
100000 produced in place OF being
spent for their support by charity"
The persons placed by the State in
formal educational training got mechan-
ical. electrical. commercial, agricultural
and salesmanship courses. The reason
why more disabled persons were not
sent to training was found in their ages.
were under twenty-one, 2s4 between
twenty-five and thirty. 276 between
thirty-one and forty, 161 were between
forty-one and fifty. and 1s1 more than
fifty.
DR.. Little told of Polish workman.
az, whose legs were cut off by train.
Hc faced prospect of twenty-five years
in the almshouse. although he had a
good mind and a strong body. what re-
n,ained OF it. He learned cobbling.
was fitted with artificial legs. and is
self-supporting to-day The bureau has
interested financial aid to set him up
I'm his own shoe repair shop and the
Red Cross is finding his family in
Poland.
Few College Men I'm List
Figures available show that 54s were
born in New York State. 256 in other
States and 391 were foreign born. Re-
garding the serious disabilities. 262 had
loss OF hand, 122 loss OF arm, 80 loss OF
foot, 20s loss OF leg and rs loss OF one
eve. There were $40 compensation
cases. the others being public accidents
and disabilities.
Higher education appears associated
with greater immunity from industrial
accidents Concerning the previous
schooling OF those under the bureaus
care. ! was a college graduate. had
entered college. 81 were high school
graduates, 1870 had entered high school
1s5 had reached the eighth grade. 49,
had reached the seventh grade. l24 had
reached the sixth grade. S5 had reached
the fifth grade. 240 had reached the
fourth grade. 40 never attended school
but could read or write: 80 were non
English speaking and 80 were illiterate
New York city furnished one-third oi
the cases handled by the bureau. a
representative proportion because more
than half OF the compensation work Is
centcred in the metropolis. DR.. Little
also said
There are many disa abled workers
here who don't know that the State pro-
vides for the rehabilitation OF citizens
OF one years residence who have been
injured In industry or accidents. The
state PAYS for their training In work
adapted to their abilities. maintains
them during that period. obtains work
for them and secs that they are treated
fairly.
Praise for Dr. Thompson.
''But before the disabled can he gwen
training courses they have TO he made
III physically. Much old surgical work
has to bc reviewed by competent men.
feel It Is one OF the fortunate coinci-
.sences that when state and Federal
rehabilitation bureaus were opened the
Reconstruction Hospital was started
here.
"Dr. w. Gilman Thompson's act OF
nuttinr himself and his leading ability
In the industrial diseases field into this
hospital, IL one OF the most promising
signs of our times TO give better med
ical-surgical care TO disabled workers.
This bureau could not do without II.
THAT New York state Is IN need on
every agency 20 conserve Its labor power
Is shown by the figures At least half a
million New York citizens annually sui
fer loss Of time through disability In In
dustry and accidents 100000 cases be-
Ing reported 10 the Industrial Commits
Srpn. while fully 100000 more are not
under compensation. This state aver
ages 3.0o0 amputation cases under com
pcnration yearly.
There are at least $4,000 physically
handicapped persons In the state to-day
possibly half OF them capable OF earning
something. This does not include the
diseased. but the crippled and diss bled
And the dlsablnss have Increased
sisrminEly during the last year"