Your Editor Sez….
Larry Kaercher
Originally in Forest Park Review July 14, 1971 page 3
On June 23rd of this year, the United States Senate passed an amendment to the Military Draft Extension Bill which will exempt from military service doctors who agree to practice for a certain period of time in areal so low-physician accessibility.
Specifically, it means the amendment provides that a medical doctor, including osteopathic physicians, who agree to y Kaercherspend four years in a rural or urban area that is short of doctors, can be relieved of his responsibility of serving in the military.
Now this is not big news to the fortunate citizens of Forest park who are blessed with many fine practicing M.D.’s located in our town, not to mention the many good hospitals nearby. However, it is estimated that almost 5,000 communities are without any doctors in almost 30 million people in the country lack proper medical care, many of these in the State of Illinois.
The surprising fact of all this is people in rural areas compared to those living in so-called ghettos, are even more deprived of medial help. It is estimated that there are 14 million rural Americans living in poverty and without medical aid… and this very often means frequent illness, mental retardation and much too often, early death.
While it is true that those in the ghetto, or if you wish urban areas, suffer the same medial iniquities, it is extremely difficult for most of us to visualize extreme poverty and lack of doctors in what might be known as clean, healthy, fresh air country towns.
There is no doubt that pollution, narcotics and Vietnam are the most talked about and pursued problems in our nation today. However, it seems the health of all the people should be high on that list, now and forever more.
