The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-02-04
INSANITY
Continued from Page One.)

we're tuberculosis cases and 5000 were
mental cases. Only four institutions
are available for the care of mental
cases.
"The number of men suffering from
general medical and surgical diseases
have certainly increased, and out OF
the thousands of disabled men two
great classes have emerged, being the,
tubercular and the mental patients.
and today they constitute six out of
every ten of the disabled men, said
DR.. Thos w. Salmon, who served
during the entire war as chief of the
mental and nervous services OF the
army medical corps.
''The mental cases are divided really
between those who have certain forms
of mental disorders and those who are
insane" he continued, in testifying be-
fore the public buildings and grounds
committee, but | do not think that
many realize that nine out of 10 who
have neuropsychiatric disorders are
suffering from insanity. SO that the
request today is not for the establish
ment of general hospitals for the treat
ment of the wounded, but it is q mat
ter in the final chapter in the history
of the wars disabled, the diseases
which 20 years from now will still be
represented by the survivors in the
special hospitals.
Adequate capitalization for dis
abled former service men should be
regarded not only as a national obi
cation to these men, but also as Il
precautionary measure for the safe
guarding of the public health in every
community in the country, according
-o Representative Elliott, who has,
~ member of the committee which has
made appropriations for all hospital
projects. studied the question closely,
81 estimate that we'll over 1.500 for
mer service men in the district | rep
resent, which includes eight counties,
have applied for government compen
sation during the last three years.
do know that at least 1000 disabled
men during that time have asked me
10 look after their interests at the
Veterans bureau, formerly known as
the Bureau of War Risk Insurance
where they had compensation claims
pending" he said.
Peak Not Reached
II believe that | am safe in saying
that over 50 per cent of the cases in
my district which I have personal
knowledge of are suffering from tuber-
culosis. Many of these tubercular
cases are not receiving hospital treat
ment, are at large in their communi
ties Many others had to wait constd
cradle time before they were accepted
for disqualification. Such a situation
permits a general spread of the dis
ease. | also realize that many former
service men who are now apparently
free of tuberculosis will later develop
the disease. Experts have testified
that the peak of tubercular and menta
cases will not be reached until 1927.
There is just one solution of the
problem, as / see it, and that is to i'm
mediately provide adequate hospital
zation for tubercular veterans and fol
mental cases. Congress has been lib
eral in this matter and will continue
10 be so, | am sure. What criticism
there has been on disqualification &C
Nivities has not been directed at con
DeTess. Ii has been directed agains
those in the executive branch of the
government charged with the eXpendi
lures of the appropriations made fol
hospitals However, since DR.. White
took charge of this work, about a veal
ago, hospital construction for disabled
veterans has been making most graft
flying progress