not provide us with enough money to do the over-all job that we wished to do.

I want to get down shortly to the epilepsy aspects of employment. We have the United States Civil Service Commission, the United States Employment Service, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, within the orbit of the Federal Government, and I can assure you that I have very carefully checked every one of those agencies over a period since 1942 to determine what types of handicapped people were employed.

I may say the Civil Service Commission today, from our point of view, has collaborated. The difficulty lies mostly with the department heads who do not wish to employ these people, and there is no way we can compel them to do so.

Now the reason that we have directed our first medical bills toward epilepsy and cerebral palsy is because those two showed up most clearly a large group which is almost impossible to place in industry. In short, the Civil Service Commission, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, have made a few half-hearted efforts in the various States, but nothing that you could put your finger on. We could say that 300 out of all the epileptic groups in this country were all that were placed. That would certainly prove that we have not scratched the surface.

I have gone into the private industry angle the best way that I could. I wrote to some 12,000 representatives of business and industrial organizations, and I have asked them to give me some sort of answer on their experience with handicapped people as employees. Very, very few would give any reply at all to either epileptics or cerebral palsy.

The reason for their not hiring epileptics is that they are afraid of them in connection with other employees, and in certain types of work because they cannot very well be used. We could not expect them to climb poles and so forth, but I have found that in the few cases that we were able to check on where these people had employment that fitted their capacity, they got along excellently.

I feel that this matter cannot be treated all in one bill. I feel that we should resolve what is going to be done in the field of medical research and stick to that thesis, and then there are the broader aspects of rehabilitation that we have attempted to reach in another bill which I hope will come before this committee soon, to establish a Federal commission on services for the physically handicapped.

My reason for not wanting to go into that phase now is because I do not want the rough and tumble of rehabilitation work confusing medical research. I want to keep those two things on their own basis. I realize there is a relationship between them, but nonetheless that this is a medical research bill. We have stuck strictly to that thesis in this bill.

I would like to say, Senator Neely, that right in your home town you have an illustration of this matter. You have a young woman who has an excellent education and who has a family, but she could not get employment for a long, long time because of the fear of a seizure.

I am speaking as a layman who has watched the show for a good many years. I had a person in my office a few months ago who had 20 seizures in a few hours while he was sitting there and talking to me, and one of the reasons why I did not ask any epileptics to come before

this committee, as I explained to the committee clerk, was that I did not want to run the risk of having a group of seizures before the committee.

That was my reason, but there is not any way, Senator, that we can check up on employment of epileptics because as soon as industry finds out that they are epileptics, they fire them, and most epileptics go around in fear and trembling that the boss will find out.

Now I say my dear friend Dr. Lennox has presented a case which I know of my own research to be absolutely true. We have got to treat this proposition on its merits.

There is only one group in the country today that is really doing a job on the severely disabled, and I speak as one who is one of the three authors of the first Vocational Training Act 30 years ago.

I confess that Government, State, and Federal, has not grappled with this thing, and the only agency in this country today making a real effort and getting results, is a private organization, the United Mine Workers.

I am speaking of the severely disabled, broken-back cases, silicosis, heart cases, and the like. We are not doing a job, Mr. Chairman, in Government. I am sorry, but we are taking the hangnail and ingrowing toenail cases.

I appreciate the necessity of getting case costs down. I do not want to waste any money. Yet it is ridiculous to say that you can cure any man in 90 days arbitrarily. That is the failure of the law.

If you, for example, had the same disease that I have, which I have had for 17 years, and if there was any doctor in the world who says he could cure me within 90 days, I would like to know where that doctor is. I would go to him immediately.

I want to make one final statement. In early discussions of the committee this morning another bill was referred to. In my statement I have a paragraph which reads:

We note the tendency to lump various diseases under one heading-epilepsy cerebral palsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and so forth.

We are not opposed to an omnibus bill, but we do insist that each disease have its own blueprint, and that the program for it be spelled out specifically.

My reason for that is cold experience. We find that if, for example, a physician is appointed the head of a group, if he happens to be an eminent cardiologist, that although we probably would have an excellent heart clinic, he might know nothing at all about epidemiology, and he could not say a word about epilepsy, he could not say a word about leprosy or cerebral palsy and so forth and we would have little or nothing to meet those needs.

As for

That is why we hope and pray that the committee, in drafting the final bills, will set each one of these diseases up on its own. the administration at the top, of course that can be handled.

It was not our purpose to set up a multitude of institutions. We tried to place this thing under the Surgeon General so that it could take in as many specific cases of severely disabled as might be desired. Mr. Chairman, I thank you.

Senator NEELY. Mr. Chairman, I hope it will not be considered irrelevant for me to observe on the record that I am familiar with the work that Mr. Strachan and his great organization is doing.

I do not believe there is a more praiseworthy, self-sacrificing organization in the country, and I do not believe that there is any other

organization which, within the means available to it, is accomplishing more for suffering humanity than Mr. Strachan and his organization are accomplishing.

He referred to a case in my home city of Fairmont. I think it is the case in which he became interested at my request, which concerned a girl of very limited means, a young woman of fine character who was severely handicapped, and handicapped in such a manner that there were no available means in her home county or even in our State by which she could be started on the road to recovery.

I wrote to Mr. Strachan's organization about it, and almost immediately they began to help that girl. I do not know how they got her here, but they brought her to Washington and in a little while she reported to me the unusual service that had been rendered to her by this organization on behalf of which Mr. Strachan has spoken this morning.

I want to cast my vote on this committee for the utmost assistance that propriety will permit us to extend to this great institution of human service.

Senator MURRAY. Senator, I am very glad to have you put that statement in the record.

Mr. STRACHAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, it is a privilege and an honor to appear before your committee.

Senator MURRAY. Is there anything else you wish to present? Mr. WENDER. I might say, Mr. Chairman, that Mr. Strachan would like to have his written statement included in the record. the interest of time he did not read it.

Senator MURRAY. Certainly.

(The statement above referred to is as follows:)

In

STATEMENT OF PAUL A. STRACHAN, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED

Mr. Chairman, the medical aspects of S. 659 having been well covered by Dr. Lennox, and others, I will confine myself to certain practical observations as to the need for the bill and the general aspects of the epilepsy situation.

For many years past we have noted the totally inadequate facilities, personnel, and funds expended in public and private programs dealing with the problems of our 800,000 epileptics. As stated in the declaration of policy of the bill, the States, themselves, are spending some $40,000,000 a year to keep patients alive in State institutions-many in jails because of lack of better places to keep thembut the States are spending nothing, or at least very little, to learn how to prevent these patients from becoming lifetime public charges.

The Federal Government, itself, has done little or nothing in this field, so, today, the need is acute, and the door is wide open for the Congress to perform a great and needed public service. It is time for action and this bill, we believe, offers a sane and practical solution without doing violence to the Federal-State cooperative program.

The principles of the bill, outlined under "Duties of the Surgeon General," "National Epilepsy Council," "Control Grants,” “Gifts and Authorizations," and "General Provisions," we know, are sound.

We have many epileptics amongst our members and know, from experience, that their potentials, as responsible citizens, in many instances, have never been allowed to come to a head, or, have been snuffed out, entirely. They live in a world of terror and uncertainty because of the ever-present fear of seizures-seizures of which, when industry and business learn of them, invariably means loss of jobs and opportunity. Society all too often bars the epileptics from social intercourse, or, rejects them entirely. Their lives, then, through no fault of their own, are warped, and wanting in that serenity and balance which can only come from a well-rounded out experience in everyday living.

We insist, Mr. Chairman, on the necessity of establishing, through enactment of this bill, a national epilepsy council, on which would be the various medical experts, administrators, educators, and others, as well as at least one who, himself, or herself, is, or has been, a victim of epilepsy. It is well and good for the experts to pontificate, and talk to themselves, but, all too often it is necessary for one who has been through the mill, personally, to call the score. We would oppose any set-up that did not contemplate such a council, with such broad representation thereupon. We are convinced that one reason for past and present widespread public disinterest is, that the public, itself, has never been taken into the holy of holies, and it is time to sweep out the cobwebs, open up the windows, and let in some fresh air. The laymen may not know all the answers, but, they do know, in most cases, what is right, and what is wrong, when the proof is before them. This applies with particular force, of course, to the need for at least one qualified epileptic on the proposed council.

We note the tendency to lump various diseases under one heading—epilepsy, cerebral palsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and so forth. We are not opposed to an omnibus bill of this nature, but we do insist that each disease have its own blueprint and that the program for it be spelled out specifically. We have seen too many instances, in the past 36 years, of where the intent of Congress has been ignored, when the law is administered, and in this instance we want to know exactly what is to be done; who is to do it, and have a practical means of checking results, without having to snoop around and peek in closed closets, as would be the case if all these diseases are jumbled up, under one heading, without a clear exposition of what is expected in the way of treatment of each of them. There

is no relation, for example, between epilepsy and arthritis, although, of course, an epileptic might also be a victim of arthritis, and so forth. But, basically, research for each would have to be in entirely different directions.

Mr. Chairman, in drafting this measure we submitted it to many medical specialists, and others at interest. Today, this bill has the support of many industrialists and businessmen-all the great organizations of labor-AFL, CIO, Rail Brotherhoods, Miners, Machinists, and others-educational groups, such as the American Council on Education and the National Education Associationfarm groups, women's organizations, and many scientific and professional groups have endorsed this bill, either specifically, or in principle.

We hope, Mr. Chairman, that your committee will immediately report out, favorably, S. 659.

Mr. WENDER. We deeply appreciate what Senator Neely has said about our organization. We have a great many volunteers in it like myself. Most of us are volunteers. As a matter of fact, Paul and Miss Scott are virtually volunteers because of our limited funds.

Senator MURRAY. Mr. Wender, you are the next witness. You are the general counsel of the American Federation of the Physically Handicapped.

Mr. WENDER. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Strachan has made the statement for our organization. I merely want to say that I have been active civically in Washington for the past 20 years. I am the past president of the Federation of Citizens Association, Chairman of the District of Columbia Recreation Board. For some years I have been with this association, and helped to organize the sister association which is a foundation we hope eventually will be able to do a great deal of philanthropic work in this field.

I am personally familiar with many epileptics, and I certainly hope that the committee will give favorable approval to this legislation, because of its truly great need.

I do not think it is necessary for me to elaborate on testimony such as that given by Dr. Lennox and Paul Strachan who have had so much experience in this field, but surely the public is willing and anxious to do what it can to help this unfortunate situation which is truly a tragedy and a disgrace to a great country like ours.

To have a country with the great resources in natural wealth and human resources, and to waste so many people as we do and have been

doing for so many years is truly disgraceful. Our Government has got to do something about it because it is obvious the States cannot do it. It is obvious that local communities cannot do it. It can only be done through the assistance of the Federal Government. Nobody can contradict that. The facts are apparent to all of us. Thank you very much, sir.

Senator MURRAY. Thank you. I am sure we all approve what you have just said.

Is Dr. Arthur Morris here?

Miss SCOTT. Dr. Morris could not come. He had an operation to perform this morning. He did submit a statement.

Senator MURRAY. The statement will be incorporated in the record at this point.

(The statement of Dr. Arthur A. Morris above referred to is as follows:)

STATEMENT OF Dr. Arthur A. MORRIS, WASHINGTON, D. C., on S. 659, a Bill TO AMEND THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT TO PROVIDE FOR RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION AS TO THE CAUSE, PREVENTION, TREATMENT, AND POSSIBLE CURE OF EPILEPSY

Gentlemen, I am Dr. Arthur A. Morris, 915 Nineteenth Street NW., Washington 6, D. C. At present I am a consultant in neurology and electroencephalography for the Veterans' Administration, associate chief of neurosurgery at Doctor's Hospital, Washington, D. C., and president of the neurosurgical Society of America. I studied under an outstanding authority on epilepsy, Dr. Wilder Penfield, professor of neurology, McGill University, in Montreal and since that time I have developed both experimental and clinical researches and investigations in epilepsy. My special development in the treatment of epilepsy is within the surgical field. After detection of abnormal areas these are removed with subsequent freedom from epilepsy in 60 to 80 percent of the cases. I have contributed original experimental data on epilepsy and have published a list of contributions in this field. By having contact with the original National Epilepsy Act (S. 659) and being well acquainted with its contents, and in consideration of my present status and training I would like to go on record as being strongly in favor of the adoption of the National Epilepsy Act.

It is unfortunate that the advance in the treatment of the epileptic is little beyond mere discription of the attack so magnificantly described in Mark, 22. Concepts as to the cause of epilepsy are even less advanced than treatment. Until basic physiological research and carefully controlled investigations can be made our progress will be limited to verbose writings on "trial and error" therapy. It requires the lifetime of a man to gain impetus in the understanding of epilepsy and unless there are facilities for expert training of young men an almost total loss is felt with the passage of this one man.

Epilepsy constitutes 10 percent of the Nation's neurological burden and costs the United States $40,000,000 annually. Economically it is not intelligent to ignore so great a burden and to continue to spend so little on ways to keep these patients from becoming lifetime public charges. This is a curable affliction.

One could go on and on into the reasons, economically, medically, and socially when in our times we need the United States Congress and the people of the United States to know of the problems facing us now and in the future. All of this will however have been covered in the scholarly testimony of Dr. William G. Lennox. Personally, I beg of you gentlemen to provide the means through which some of the epileptics of today and tomorrow may be aided and their lives made perhaps to parallel those outstanding figures in history who were also sufferers from epilepsy.

It is with deep regret that I make this written statement rather than a personal appearance at the meeting this morning. I am unfortunately being detained by an emergency brain operation.

May I say again that I do most heartily approve of the bill and sincerely hope that it will receive your full support.