VII. SURVEY AND LEGISLATION 



In order to obtain public support and interest in a bill 

 before the legislature, it is necessary first to secure authentic 

 data and figures on the subject at issue. Therefore before 

 making an effort to pass reform laws to alleviate and improve 

 conditions for crippled children in any locality, a survey of 

 existing conditions and its publication is an excellent way of 

 making known the need for legislation. The survey of all 

 the cripples of Cleveland, Ohio, in 1916^ serves as a fine illu- 

 stration of the value of such pre-legislative agitation for a 

 social reform. 



The Cleveland Survey included adults as well as juveniles, 

 but only the results of the investigation of juvenile conditions 

 will be mentioned here, in keeping with the limitations of 

 this study. Crippled children under fifteen years of age to the 

 number of 936 were discovered. Their physical deformities 

 were diagnosed as follows : 16 per cent congenital, 9 per cent 

 results of accidents, 15 per cent tuberculous bone and joint 

 disease, 41 per cent infantile paralysis, and 16 per cent re- 

 sults of other diseases. A survey of the educational situa- 

 tion of the children between five and fifteen years of age gives 

 the following estimate: 



SCHOOL attendance' 



Total 



At public school. . . , 



Regular classes 

 Special classes 

 Not at school 



NUMBER 



. 771 



. 525 



. 415 



. 110 



. 246 



PER CENT DISTRIBUTION 



100 per cent 

 68 per cent 

 79 per cent 

 21 per cent 

 32 per cent 



The survey stated that there were 4 institutions for crip- 

 pled children in Cleveland: 



1. Rainbow Hospital capacity 50-85 cases .. School instruction. 



2. Holy Cross House capacity 50 cases . . School instruction. 



3. Willson School Classes. . capacity 110 cases. . Special school. 



4. Sunbeam Association Promotion of Aid for 



Cripples. 



These few facts from the Cleveland Survey serve the pur- 

 pose of indicating the general plan of its investigation. At 



1 Publication of the Red Cross Institute for Crippled and Disabled Men, Series II. 

 No. 3. 



2 A Survey of Cripples in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1916, p. 43, Red Cross Institute Pub- 

 lication. 



(55) 



