1964–65 Volume 89 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

handicapped? But let us go to the very beginning.Howard A. Rusk was born in Brookfield,Missouri, on April 9, 1901. Following his publicschool education in Brookfield, he entered theUniversity of Missouri from which institutionhe received his A.B. degree in 1923. Two yearslater he received his M.D. degree from the Universityof Pennsylvania. On January 24, 1920,Howard A. Rusk was initiated by MissouriAlpha. From 1926 to 1942, he engaged in thepractice of internal medicine in St. Louis wherehe also served on the faculty of WashingtonUniversity medical school and from 1929 to1942 as associate chief of staff of St. Luke'sHospital.And then the historical event which was togive added meaning and direction to his lifeand leadership in the medical field—WorldWar II. As a Colonel in the Medical Corps, hischief assignment was in the areas of convalescenceand rehabilitation and his work was sufficientlyoutstanding to cause him to receive theDistinguished Service Medal "for services fromMarch 1943 to October 1945 as chief of theConvalescent and Rehabilitation Branch, ProfessionalServices Division and chief of the ConvalescentServices Division in the office of theAir Surgeon." During this period he organizeda convalescent service program in each ArmyAir Force hospital. (See SCROLL, May 1944,pp. 315-317.)In discussing this phase of his life during thetelevision program, Walter Cronkite said: "BeforePearl Harbor, Howard Rusk was a fashionableSt. Louis internist. 'I knew nothing aboutrehabilitation and wasn't particularly interested,'he admits. Then—as an Air Force doctor—Ruskbecame deeply concerned. Militaryconvalescents—he felt—were forgotten men. Tocorrect this, he pioneered new rehabilitationconcepts, then sold his ideas to Washington."His programs worked. The result—82 percentof all U.S. casualties returned to duty. Outof uniform Rusk continued his crusade to provethat even the most seriously handicapped—usingwhat they have left—can fight back to afunctional life. Apostle for the handicapped.Dr. Rusk brings use to the useless, joy to thejoyless," Mr. Cronkite declared.The Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,sometimes designated as "IPMR,"stands today as one of the world's largestprivate, non-profit organizations devoted to therehabilitation of disabled adults and children.Although somewhat similar to a general hospitalin its medical organization, the Institute includesimportant variations to meet the particu-"IPMR"—The Institute" of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation—foundedand directed by Dr. Howard Rusk.In background. New York University Hospital.lar needs of "the third phase of medicine"which helps the patient from bed to job andcommunity.Semi-private in-patient facilities are availablefor 105 adults and 35 children. There are fewprivate rooms because it is believed that thesharing of living quarters contributes to thesharing of experiences helpful to the patient inmany special ways.The Institute also maintains out-patient facilitiesfor 160 adults and 40 children.IPMR operates on a fee-for-service basis.There are no geographical limitations for admission.Patients are admitted for evaluationupon the referral of their own physicians.The Department of Physical Medicine andRehabilitation, of which the Institute is a part,bears professional responsibility for a largenumber of rehabilitation beds in Bellevue andGoldwater Memorial Hospitals, municipal hospitalsin New York and in the Medical Center'sUniversity Hospital located adjacent to the Institute.Through these and other afiiliated resoiurces,the Department conducts the largesttraining program in the world for physiciansand related personnel from the United Statesand more than fifty other countries.The role of Dr. Rusk in the development ofthe Institute and in the total national programof rehabilitation has been recognized by numerousinstitutions which have conferred honorarydegrees upon him, among which are his ownalma mater, the University of Missouri, WestminsterCollege, Hahnemann Medical College,Chungang University of Korea, University ofBoston, Lehigh, Middlebury, Trinity, and