UNITED STATES COMMinEE for the INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE WELFARE OF CRIPPLES 701 FIRST AVENUE, NEW YORK 17, N. Y., U.S.A. COUNCIL TELEPHONE: MURRAY HIU 4-1 069 President HOWARD A. Rvsz: United States of America P~st President KoNRAD PERSSON January 24, 1957 Sweden Vice Presidmt RENATO DA CosTA BoMFIM Brazil Dear Miss Greene: Vice Presidmt G. K. HANSAIUl New Zealand Throughout the world today, physically handicapped men, Vice Presklmt women and children look to the United States to share our wealth FABIAN LANGENSitiOLD of experience and knowledge in the miraculous field of rehabilitation. Finland The main objective of the International Society for the Welfare of Tre~surer Cripples is to implement the rehabilitation ideal in as many lands DAVIS E. GEIGER United States of America as possible and use the alleviation of crippling ills as a practical Secretny Gener~l tool for greater international understanding. DoNALD V. Wn.soN JosE Lv1s BADO Toward that end, our organization acts as a central coordinator Uruguay for doctors, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, K. F. CoLES employment counselors, artificial limb experts, and voluntary, Australia E. STANLEY EVANS governmental and international groups. The International Society's United Kingdom global program, being carried out by over 100 member groups in 41 ]VAN FARn.L countries, is focusing more attention on the common problems of Mexico the crippled human being everywhere and spurring more plannii1g, SUZANNE FoucHE France research and facilities for them. We are working together with a ARTHUR FUCHS single purpose -- to bring incentive and purpose into the lives of Austria all those who are suffering with painful disabilities and needless GtiDMtiND HARLEM Norway handicaps. HENRY H. KESSLER United States of America The enclosed pamphlet sums up the work of the United States EMn.IA KRA tiSE Committee for the ISWC, which actually channels the support of Union of South Africa Americans who share my deep conviction that physical disablements LAWRENCE J. LINCit United States of America are of a common denomination and can be tackled by a joint sharing Mas. NELLY M1cRt1LACHI among all nations of the best rehabilitation skills and know-how. Greece SIR CHARLES NoRWOOD New Zealand If you also believe that helping the crippled is everyone's CARLOS E. 0TTOLENGHI concern and not just a medical problem, I earnestly hope that you Argentina will join the United States Committee for the International Society SIR GEOFFREY PETO and participate as generously as you can in the further fulfillment United Kingdom of its humanitarian aims. HALL PoPHAM Canada }EAN RBGNIBRS Sincerely, Belgium C. ScHAAP Netherlands PovL STOCHHOLM Denmark Howard A. Rusk, M.D. KENJI TArtAGI President Japan JosE I. TARAPA Cuba UNITED STATES COMMI'ITEE MAJOR AxEL THOTT Sweden ToM B. MBDDE&s, Cbt1irm11n l.EoNAIUl '\V, MAYo, Vice-Ch.JrftUtf LAYilENCE J. LINcJt, Secrll•ry BELL GREVE HENJ.Y H. KEssLEa, M.D. HoYAIUl A. Rvsz:, M.D. Wn.LIAM A. SANGEJ., Ph. D. MAJ.T E. S'W'ITZD. EVGENB J. TATLOJI. MAtiii.ICB WARSHAW Mu. ]OSBPH Wn.sHIII.E Reprinted from The New York Times, Sun., June 24, 1956 INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE Comrades in Mercy WELFARE OF CRIPPLES A Review of Physical Therapists' Woiti In a Field That Knows No Frontier$ By HOWARD A. RUSK, M. D. Three years ago last Septem- contrast, here there Is a much ber-in Westminster Hall in Lon- greater emphasis on therapeutfP. don, Britain's Minister of ~ealth, exercise to restore motion t~ the Right Honorable lam M. ' Macleod lighted an illuminated paralyzed and othenvise dam• In the belief that the phys- revolving globe. As he did this, aged lim~s and on retraining in he said 'Let tlte spirit 9f the the functional skills used in per­ ~()Jlgre~s be a. willingness to forming. suoh activities 'Jf daily ical therapist is one of the key serve and a sense of just enjoy- living as-self-care and walking. ment, for happiness and; health Of the_ foreign therapists at• are next of kin and from true ;tending- the congress, some sev­ faith in a Creat~r comes willing- enty are remaining in the U. 8 1 members of the all-important .ness to help a neighbor, QOn- ifor. a. lon_ger period for advanced tentness of mind and peace to 'trammg m these aspects of phys­ men." ' leal therapy. It is of signifi-: rehabilitation team, the Inter- Last Monday her.e in New cance that among the official York this globe was again relit observ~rs at the congress was a. at the opening ceremonies of phys1c1an from Russia. national Society is working co- the second congress of the .A P.articularly important con~ World Confederation for Phys- tnbution of the World Confed., leal Therapy. erati_on for Ph~sical The~~J:PY· A review of this meeting at- and 1ts members 1s the ptoVISIOQ operatively with the World tended by over 2,400 phy~ical of consultant services in under.. therapists, of whom over 350 9-evelop~ countries in establish­ were from outside the United mg physiCal therapy scho(){s and Confederation for Physical States and Canada, shows that services in hospitals and reha­ tpis organization's credo written bilitation centers. by one of its British members Attending the congress, for. Therapy toward the achieve- three years ago has become a example, was a Finnish physical reality. Frequently this writer has therap1st who has been in Guate- commented on how America's ma12. the last two years under ment of mutual global goals. participation in international re- the auspices of the United Na.­ habilitation projects has fur- tions aiding the Guatemalan In• tb,ered our-foreign policy through stitute for Social Security in .the dramatization of the high establishing rehabilitation serv­ values we in a democracy place ices. You are invited to parti- upon human d~gn~t:y and the American therapists have per­ woJ;t~?- of th~ md1':1dual. 'fh:e formed similar services in Greece, validity of th1s t?es1s Wf-S eVl- Egypt, Cuba, Italy, Lebanon, cipate in the International dent .in last week ~ congress for Haiti, Korea and, other nations. phy_siCal ther~py m one of. _the In addition, students from Co· lbas1c foundations of rehab1hta- lombia, Mexico, Cuba, Thailand, tion. Egypt and many other nations Society's mission of linking Greatest Single Deterrent have attended our American Today, the greatest single de- physical therapy S?~ools and .re­ terrent to the more rapid expan- ~urne~ home to imt~ate serv1ces people together by joint enter- sian of greatly needed rehabili- m the1r own countnes. tation services is the shortag~ Currently there is a Norwe• Of personnel, particularly of gian therapist working in a dem­ prise for the world's disabled. qualified physical therapists. A onstration rehabilitation center recent governmental studv has in Bombay. A Canadian thera­ reported that there are cu'rrent- pist is doing the same in Cara· 1y approximately 7 800 qualified cas, a British therapist is helping physical therapists' in the U. s. establish a physical therapy An additional 5,800 therapists school in Karachi, and a Finnish are needed now by hospitals and therapist is working in the ,solo other agencies and this need will Rehabilitation Center in Indo· contirtue to grow. nesia. Dr. Raden Soeharso, medi· The therapist-population ratio cal director of the later center, In Great Britain ltnd the North- was among the several score of ern European nations far ex- physicians interested in rehabili· ceeds that of the U. s. Here our tation in attendance at the con• approximate 7,800 active quali- gress. fled physical therapists give us Physical disability knows no a ratio of one therapist for each geographical, racial, language or 22,000 population, as compared political boundaries. The Israeli to 18,000 in Canada, 6,000 in amputee, the Egyptian child Qreat Britain,· and 2,600 irt Swe- paralyzed by. polto, the Norwe­ den. g'iari houseWife wHo has S'L\ffered 701 FIRST AVENUE The greater numbers of physi• a stroke, and the young Brazil· cal therapists in these ndti6ris jan student whose back was NEW YORK 17. N.Y.• U.S. A. are undoubtedly due in some de• broken in an auto accident are gree to a much heavier empha- concerned with but one thing­ sis there upon electrotherapy, restoring themselves to lives of hydrotherapy and massag~. In dignity and productivity. .