The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-01-16
TREATMENT
OF DISABLED
VETS FLAYED
Memorial Presented to Presi-
dent Says $500 Mental Suf-
ferers Now In State Institu-
tons Neglected.
CONDITIONS DESCRIBED
(BY Associated Press)


WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.-Asserting
that more than $500 mentally disabled
former service men now placed in
state institutions were victims of such
gross neglect. Indifference and profit
teering" as constituted a black re-
proach on the honor of the nation" the
disabled American veterans of the
World war in a memorial presented
today to President Harding, urged i'm
mediate action by the government
looking to the treatment of all such
cases in federal institutions. Neglect
of these cases in state institutions, the
memorial said, is committing to per-
manent insanity many of the victims
who by timely treatment probably
could be cured
Describing the condition of con
tract" cases Of this class in the in
stitutions of the state of Ohio as typ
ical of those in practically every
state the memorial asserted the gov
crnment had 'farmed out the insane
eX-scrvice men of Ohio to state asy-
lums which are notoriously over
crowded. under-manned and made
quately equipped to treat and care for
them" while it has not provided one
federal institution for this purpose in
the state.
Sleep on Floor.
For example" the memorial site"
in the longview asylum of Hamilton
county. Ohio, there are AZ gallant SOL
ders who broke down mentally under
the stress OF war, although Longview
is so overcrowded that 240 of the in
mates sleep on the floor like cattle ev-
cry night"
"Of the $50 mentally disabled placed
in all the institutions of the state, of
whom it was said, physicians believe
half might be %Ired by treatment, not
one. the memorial asserted, was re-
ceiving medical treatment of any
kind for their mental diseases and cur
able cases are being daily doomed to
permanent insanity" None of the in
stitutions, it was further asserted, Sc
gregate their tubercular patients
An average profit of $500 on each
patient out of the $547 so annual main
tenance fee paid by the government
was shown in figures for the nine in
stitutions of the state cited in the me
mortal as recentely having been made
public by DR.. H. S. MacAyeal, director
of the state welfare department. The
profit per man ranged from $276.66
for the Athens state hospital to
S32093 for the Institution for Feeble
Minded.
Suggest Early Action
In hundreds of cases, it was assert
ed, relatives are refusing to commit
mentally disabled veterans, who might
be restored to useful citizenship. to
conditions in the contract asylums.
most of which, the memorial said, "are
nothing more than lock-ups."
To make adequate provision for the
treatment of all mental cases in fed
eral institutions, the organization urg-
ed that the president use his influence
in securing early action by congress on
the pending measure to appropriate
$4,000, 900 for this purpose, citing the
report of the special senate committee
that 4,375 more beds were urgently
needed, beyond what would be pro-
vided by existing appropriations.
During the two years or more before
federal facilities could be increased to
take care of all cases, the memorial
urged that Infinitely more rigid SUI
pervision" of contract" institutions be
provided by the Veterans bureau, and
hat to cooperate in this an independ-
cnt commission of former service men
be appointed in each state. 1t further
recommended that every institution
receiving money fro mthe government
for the care of disabled soldiers and
sailors "be required to spend every
dollar received for the benefit of such
soldiers and sailors exclusively" Es-
adjustment of government dispensar-
les as part of the emergency system
for treatment of mental cases and as
sistance of the government in organic
ing a program of community social SER
vice to cooperate in that work also
was urged.