THE MAIMED IN WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2886, 26 September 1916, Page 6

THE MAIMED IN WAR

6 ' BRITISH PENSIONS COMMITTEE'S TRAINING SCHEMES PROVISION OF MEDICAL TREATMENT Tho British War Pensions Statutory Committee havo issued a circular to local • committees .outlining the Work which tho local organisation aro ex-pected-to undertake with regard to the health and training of disabled officers and men. The War Offico and tho Admiralty will supply to each local committee a list of mon who at the time of thoir discharge proposo to live in the committee's area. This will form tho basis of the necessary register. Particulars of the mon discharged are also 6onfc to tho Board of Trade. It is intended that tho Labour Exchanges should place men in ordinary vacancies, and tho local committees devoto themselves to special, difficult cases of employment. \Tho number of disabled men discharged from the beginning of tho war up to May 31, 1916, were: Eyesight cases 1381 llisceUinoous lies in juries , wounds and (amputation), 1366 injuries 2122 Arm or hand Qbest cominjuries (am- plaints .: 3045 putation) 858 Rheumatism ... 1365 lice injuries Heart diseases 2503 (no amputar Epilepsy ;.. 353 tion) 5345 Nervous diseases 999 Hand injuries Insanity 168 (no amputo- Deafness 885 ■tion of com- Frostbite (inplete hand) ... 2496 chidine ampuArm. injuries tation cases)... 394 (no ampnto- Misoollaneoiis .tion) 4688 disabilities ... 2870 ITead injuries... 2446 - Hernia .." 334 ' . 33,919 Details, aro given of the existing assistance, charitable or otherwise, for particular classes, and the committee deprecate the setting up of any new establishment where facilities already exist. They refer to St. Dunstan's, Regent Park (eyesight); Roehampton, a similar hospital near Glasgow, and one at Bray, Ireland, also War Offico Orthopaedic Hospitals (fitting of artificial • limbs, etc.); hospitals for mental cases of-which 3000 disoharges are at present notified; the centres of education authorities for lip reading; and soon. For tuberculous cases arrangements are being made with the Insurance Commissioners and with the Local Government Board for admission into civil sanatoria. Ordinary medioal advice is provided under the Insurance Act in the majority of cases, and arrangements aro being made with the Insurance Commissioners for the remainder. A_ scheme -is being arranged for specialist consultations and for special treatment where these are required. ■The Army Council have stated that no man is to be discharged from hospital while he is still in need of indoor treatment, hut this instruction' does not refer to men suffering from incurable disease or permanent injury. It is suggested that groups of local committees should combine for the provision of institutional treatment. Training for Industry. In the matter'of training the Statutory Committee depreoate the setting ' up of special schools, and advocate that men should, wherever possible, be returned to their old occupations, or to kindred occupations in other branches of the same - trade, where possible. The Statutory Committee are consulting local education committees with regard , to existing:, facilities Sfor training, and they anticipate that, as a rule, sufficient accommodation can be found in ' existing-' Polytechnics and technical : schools. In many factories and workshops employers are prepared to afford \ training in the shops through the foreman. The experience of Franco has shown the difficulty of securing proper wages for men in receipt of a pension, and tho Board of Trade are arranging a scheme by which scales can be locally fixed in accordance with the man's efficiency on they recommendations of a joint committee of employers and employed in the industry concerned. Men , who by tho nature of their disability are debarred from ordinary industry are to some extent already provided for in the Lord Roberts' Memorial workshops. Small Holdings. The Board of Agriculture offer training in an agricultural college to a lira- : ited number of disabled men. Suitable men desirous of entering one of the State agricultural' colonies will be paid maintenance expenses during their training. The Statutory Committee are willing to make maintenance grants in connection with other approved schemes. As the accommodation in the State colonies proposed is limited, local committees will, it is hoped, assist suitable men to settle on the land near their own homes, either through the statutory authorities for the provision of small holdings or by using their influence to obtain land, ; for tiiem from private landowners. The countryman will probably wish to return to his nativo village or its neighbourhood. ■ ■ Often there aro no onipty cottages, and schemes aro undor consideration for dealing with tho question of providing single cottagos and for arranging for the settlement of smair groups of disabled men on tho land. After recapitulating the rates of weekly . pensions for partial disablement,' ranging in the case of a private soldier from 16s. for a lost arm or leg downwards,, the committee say that nothing could bo worso for tho men themselves or for tho community than - that there should bo a largo number of pensioners encouraged to 'believe that they • need do nothing more for their own support. .An -invalided soldier, oven after the lapse, of'some years, has the.right.to appeal to the Chelsea Commissioners if at any time tho disability for which he was originally discharged increases, so that he is moro seriously-incapacitated for work thai! .was the. case when tho amount of his "pension was decided. When, therefore, a Stato pension has been awarded oh tho basis of''partial disablement, tho local committee should only recommend tho supplementing of such pension while tho man is being trained or found employment, or when temporary cessation of work and medical treatment is dosirablc.