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Wednesday, March 26, 1975
University Daily Kansan
Doctor shortage . . .
From nage one
She said that a few years ago there had been four doctors in St. Francis but that two of them had retired and one had died. The doctor actively insisted in St. Francis that she officiated the fifth.
COUSE SAID THE salaries of doctors in some rural towns with large drawing areas, such as St. Francis, were actually higher than those of general practitioners in some towns.
Couse also said that some of the young physicians the Chamber of Commerce recruited had been interested, but that their wives had refused to move there.
The closest doctor outside of St. Francis is 30 miles away, said St. Francis has its own ambulance.
Oakley, in Logan County, is also a victim of the doctor shortage. According to Caroline Jones, secretary of the Oakley Chamber of Commerce, there are two general practice hospitals in the area, and it is about 40 nurses to other medical facilities.
JONES TAED THAT since Oakley's tidd doctor, a surgeon, died four years ago, the chamber of commerce had been searching for another doctor to replace him.
"I's almost impossible," Jones said. "Recent med school graduates are moving into the big cities, and older doctors already know the best practices and don't want to relocate."
Jones also said that often it was the doctors' wives, rather than the doctors, who did the surgery.
HOWARD, THE COUNTY seat of Elk County, also is suffering from a severe lack of doctors, according to Ruth Murphy, a resident of the Elk County Public Health Department.
A new hospital is under construction and may help to attract new doctors to Oakley.
There is one ostepah to serve Elk County, 4,000 residents, Murphy said. There are no vacancies.
Murphy said that although there wasn't a physician living in Howard, a doctor from Wichita came in on Monday, Wednesday at midafternoons to help at the clinic there.
THE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT employs Murphy and one other registered nurse to administer care to children. The nurse will perform emergency first aid treatment.
According to Murphy, the chambers of commerce in the five small towns in Elk County have been trying to recruit another doctor. She said they had offered to build offices and supply equipment for doctors and hospitals in the county, but hadn't been successful so far.
Doctors and their wives don't want to live in small, rural towns, Murphy said.
William O. Rieke, executive vice chancellor for the KU Medical Center, described the shortage in terms of physician distribution and the trend toward
specialization, rather than as an actual lack in the number of physicians.
"YES, THERE IS a shortage of doctors, Riake said. "It's not just a paper shortage—it's particularly real in states that are rural or have large inner city ghettos."
"The total number of physicians in Kansas is less than the national average, but worse than that, where are they?" Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City, and a few others in some cities like Salina, Hays and Hutchinson."
Rieke said specialization was an important part of the problem because it limited the kinds of patients a physician cared for. Therefore, only a limited part of the patient population would have access to him.
A book. "Physician Manpow2r in Kansas," published by the Kansas Regional Medical Program, gives the 1974 statistics on the number, age and types of physicians in various regions and counties in Kansas.
ACCORDING TO STATISTICS, only six of the 105 counties in Kansas met the physician ratio of 159 physicians per 100,000 people.
Although 95 per cent of the people in Kansas live in rural areas, only 95 per cent of the doctors are practicing there. Fourteen per cent of those doctors are over 65.
City garage . . .
Counties that had only one actively practicing physician in 1974 were Clark, Elk, Gray, Greeley, Hodgeman, Lane, Rush, Sheridan, Stanton, and Washington. Kearney and Wilson Counties had no physicians in 1974.
From page one
them of sidewalk repairs that have to be made.
The city is beginning the repair project north of the University because of the number of students walking to school, Rose said.
Property owners will have the option of fixing the sidewalks themselves or having the city repair them. If they fail to make the repairs, the property owner will work and bill the land owners for the costs.
The letters will tell property owners the cost of repairs per foot so that they can calculate the approximate costs. A public hearing will follow the notifications.
The commission also repealed a city ordinance that put a 25-year age limit and a three-year residency requirement on all commission candidates.
Bords will be issued for repair costs if the city does the work. They would be paid back within 30 days of receipt of the repair.
George Williams, director of public works, said sidewalk costs for corner lots were running behind them. The 50-foot frontage, cost approximately $400 for sidewalk repairs.
Commissioner Barkley Clark said state regulations delegated the responsibility of sidewalk maintenance to the property owner. If the city should be decided by the state legislature,
KAPLAN ASKED the commission whether it had considered placing sidewalk repairs under public domain, as street repairs now are. He said the repairs would be cheaper and of better quality if done at the appropriate "patchwork job," being done.
THE ORDINANCE was in conflict with a new state law making any qualified voter, which is anyone 18 years old who has been a resident for 21 days, eligible as a candidate.
The repeal motion passed unanimously, but commissioners Fred Pence, John
Emick and Nancy Hambleton objected to permanent retreatment of the law and requested a charter ordinance to draw up new local restrictions.
Under the state law, the repeal of the present ordinance was mandatory, but the commission can exempt the city by passing a charter ordinance.
Commissioner Hambleton said candidate requirements should be restricted to 21-year-olds with a one-year residency requirement.
"I'm capable of voting for president, but I not capable of being president," Pence said. "I don't think an 18-year-old is capable of holding office."
COMMISSIONER FENCE said he objected to the lower age requirement.
Mayor Rose said the matter should be left to the new commission because the commission couldn't pass a charter ordinance before the new commission took office.
A charter ordinance must be read and passed by a four-fifths majority three times and is subject to a referendum if a protest petition signed by 10 per cent of the total persons voting in previous commission election is filed.
The future of the nation and the world is uncertain, Erwin D. Canham, editor emeritus of the Christian Science Monitor, said at a public lecture Tuesday.
CANHAM SAID that there were many things that could be done to help cope with the shortage of resources. He said that a restructuring of the American automobile was essential to an evolution in values that was necessary for survival.
Canham spoke on the future of America to a crowd of 279 people in Wescoe Hall. He described his lecture as a "survey of our unrealized business and an estimate of our projects."
Camhain said the challenge of the future was to meet all needs, not just energy needs, with resources that were renewable. He said he was optimistic that this could be done. Part of the effort was "meaning the growing of food, fuel, energy and other essential needs."
He said he was on the side of hope and not a probet of doom.
By KATHY STECHERT
Kansan Staff Reporter
"I believe in the genius and instinct for survival of the human race," Caham said.
survival of the human race," Camham said. A strong deterent to global war is the realization on the part of most nations of the sacdual dangers of such a war, Camham
The future of America depends upon how the country adjusts to dependence on renewable rather than irreplaceable resources, Canham said, and how values change in response. A lack of such rather than the accumulation of goods must be the country's main concern.
Future hazy, editor says
"If you win", "Canhan said, "what do you do the next day?"
Camhann said one of the greatest problems facing the world today was overpopulation. He said the rapid population growth of past decades must be moderated because of the tremendous pressures brought on the world supply of food and energy.
However, Canham said, even if the birth rate is lowered, the planet will still be crowded; therefore, adjustments must be made so that nature can be harmonized
CANHAM SAID when the future is contemplated it must be remembered that every person is God's child and a part of the human family living on a carefully balanced planet.
Above Rates Include Insurance Insurance Law Requires You Must Be 21
Canham said that a reinstatement of confidence was essential to the future stability of the U.S. economy. He said that if the nation felt there was strong leadership in Congress and the White House many of our problems would be lessened.
He said that although he had great knowledge of the law and some members of his administration
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Gallery Room, Lawrence Public Library
Canham's lecture and visit to the University of Kansas was sponsored by the KU Christian Science Organization and the School of Journalism.
TAKING APPLICATIONS NOW
VOLUNTEER CLEARING HOUSE
will be taking applications March 24-
nine; will meet midterm school year. We will booking for dedi-
cated, concerned students to fill
Brother/ Bigger Brother/
Sister coordinator, public relations, or agency contact, etc.
For interview or further information call office, 864-3869, or Dee Ellen Ervin, 843-8255.
Just Arrived... While They Last Summer & Spring Tops
927 Massachusetts
THE ATTIC
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Sherm Yocher -BANJO PLAYER, SINGER, COMEDIAN
Music at 8:30 . . . TONIGHT ONLY . . . $ ^{1 0 0} $ Cov DON'T MISS HEARING SHERM PLAY AND SING ALL THE RIGHT, AND WRONG, WORDS TO ALL YOUR FAVORITE DIXIELAND SONGS
SUA Canoe Trips
Paul Gray's Jazz Place ENTER FROM ALLEY BEHIND
926
Mass.
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Beginner Trips:
Advanced Trips:
Buffalo River
North Fork River
Niangua River
Current River
Sign Up for trips begins March 26, and Organizational Meetings will be 7 p.m. at Sign Up
KU. SAILING CLUB
April 11-13
April 25-27
April 4-6
April 18-20
Sign Up for trips begins March 26, and Organizational Meetings will be 7 p.m. a
the Kansas Union on the Wednesday preceding each trip.
Canoes are available at any other time from SUA Wilderness Discovery for $7 per
day, or $14 per weekend.
Thursday 7:30 ~ UNION
5
Come sail with me!
KU MOUNTAINEERING BACKPACK CLUB MEETING FOR EASTER OZARK TRIP Wednesday, March 26 at 7:30 p.m. Big Eight Room in the Kansas Union
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