Report of the Adjutant-General of Louisiana.
Artificial limbs
Act 69, approved April 6, 1880, provides substantial artificial limbs for the
citizens of this State who lost a limb or limbs in the military service of the
Confederate States, and the
adjutant-general is furnished with an official list of those entitled to the benefits of this act, which list serves them as a guide as to the number and kind of artificial limbs to be supplied by the
State.
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Section 5 of that act provides for the payment of the
pro rata pro portion of the appropriation of $12,000 for the year 1880, and of $8,000 for the year 1881; in case the beneficiaries take oath before the clerk of the district court of their parish, stating in their affidavits that they do not believe that the style of artificial limb contracted for by the
adjutant-general would be of any practical use to them; in that case the
adjutant-general is instructed to approve and indorse on the affidavits the contract price of the artificial limb to which the beneficiaries would be entitled under this act, which affidavits so indorsed and approved, shall be the voucher of the auditor of public accounts for his warrant on the
State treasurer in favor of the beneficiary.
By a latter resolution of the House of Representatives, under date of April 15, 1880, the
adjutant-general is authorized and empowered to supplement the list of disabled soldiers, adopted and forwarded to him by the house, by the addition of the names of those at this time
citizens of the State, who may forward or carry to him an affidavit made before the clerk of their parish that they lost a limb or limbs in the service of the
Confederate States, approved by either of their representatives or senators, or by the addition of names of persons forwarded to him by either the
Louisiana Division of Army of Northern Virginia, or
Louisiana Division of Army of Tennessee.
Under this act 69, and under the resolution of the house referred to, the following artificial limbs are accounted for:
| Appropriation for 1880 | $12,000 00 |
| Appropriation for 1881 | 8,000 00 |
Act 72, approved July 1, 1882, directs that the unexpended balances appropriated by
Act No. 69 of 1880, be transferred to and appropriated out of the general fund of 1882 and 1883, to be paid out according to provisions and regulations of Act 69 of 1880.
| For artificial limbs in 1882 | $,300 00 |
| For repairs of same in 1882 | 1,000 00 |
| For artificial limbs in 1883 | 1,300 00 |
| For repairs of same in 1883 | 1,071 77 |
Under Act 72, the following artificial limbs and repairs to same have been furnished upon proper affidavits on file in this office:
| Appropriation for 1882 | $2,300 00 |
| Appropriation for 1883 | 2,371 77 |
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Act 46, approved July 5, 1884, appropriated eight thousand dollars out of the general fund of 1884, and eight thousand dollars out of the general fund of 1885, or so much thereof as may be necessary to supply and keep supplied with substantial artificial limbs the citizens of this State who lost a limb or limbs in the military service of the
Confederate States.
Section 2 of this act provides that the list of those entitled to the benefits of the act, now on file in the
adjutant-general's office of this State, which may be amended by the
adjutant-general by adding the names of other soldiers upon proper proof furnished him, or by striking off the names of those who have died, or who may hereafter die, shall be his guide as to the number and kinds of artificial limbs to be supplied by the
State.
Section 3 of the same act authorizes the
adjutant-general of the
State, with the governor's approval, to contract for the manufacture of the artificial limbs required.
The remaining sections of Act 46 provide that the affidavits or certificates for relief, under this bill, be countersigned by the proper officer of the association of the Army of Northern Virginia or the association of the Army of Tennessee.
That those who received artificial limbs or the value of the same in warrants from the
State in 1880, are entitled to the benefits of this act in 1884, and those who were supplied in 1881 to the benefits of this act in 1885.
That all warrants issued under the same act are made receivable for any licenses or taxes due and payable to the general fund for the year in which they are issued.
| Appropriation for 1884 | $8,000 00 |
| Appropriation for 1885 | 8,000 00 |
Act 115, approved July 8, 1886, directs that the unexpended balances, amounting to thirty-seven hundred and sixty-three dollars, be transferred to and re-appropriated out of the general fund of 1886, 1887 and 1888, to be paid out according to provisions and regulations of Act 46, as follows:
| For artificial limbs and repairs of same in 1886 | $1,500 00 |
| For artificial limbs and repairs of same in 1887 | 1,500 00 |
| For artificial limbs and repairs of same in 1888 | 763 00 |
| ——— |
| $3,763 00 |
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| Appropriation for 886 | $1,500 00 |
| Appropriation for 1887 | 1,500 00 |
Act 32, approved June 29, 1888, directs that the unexpended balances, amounting to eight hundred and forty-five dollars and ninety-one cents, appropriated by Act 115, Acts of 1886, be transferred to and appropriated out of the general fund of 1888, to supply the
citizens of this State who lost a limb or limbs in the military service of the
Confederate States, with substantial artificial limbs, and
those whose disabilities are such, through wounds, surgical orperations, or injuries received in the line of duty as soldiers in the service of the
Confederate States, that an artificial limb would be of no practical use, may have the benefit of the
pro rata share of this appropriation, as hereinafter provided.
For the loss of the use of a leg, eighty dollars; for the loss of the use of an arm, sixty-five dollars; for the loss of the sight of an eye, sixty-five dollars; for the loss of hearing in one ear, twenty dollars; for the loss of the voice, eighty dollars; for the paralysis of any portion of the body, causing disability, sixty-five dollars. All such cases of disability to be established by the certificate of two medical practitioners of good standing in the parish or district where the beneficiary resides; all applications for relief to be approved by the proper officer of the association of the Army of Northern Virginia, or the Army of Tennessee; that all warrants issued under Act 32 are made receivable for any licenses or taxes due and payable to the general fund of the year in which they are issued.
| Appropriation for 1888 | $845 91 |
Act 50, approved July 10, 1888, appropriates six thousand dollars out of the general fund for
the year 1889, and
nine thousand dollars out of the general fund of 1889 to supply and keep supplied with substantial artificial limbs the
citizens of this State who lost a limb or limbs in the military service of the
Confederate States, under provisions similar to those expressed in Act 69 of 1880 and Act 46 of 1884.
| Appropriation for 1888 | $6,000 00 |
The artificial limbs manufactured and furnished by
Mr. A. McDermott, of New Orleans, under Acts 69 and 72, for the years 1880,
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1881, 1882, and 1883, also under Acts 36 and 115, for the years 1884, 1885, 1886, and 1887, having proved satisfactory in every respect, the contract for artificial limbs required by the
State of Louisiana to supply its citizens was, for the fifth time, awarded him, under Act 50, for the years 1888 and 1889.
The prices specified in the contract are as follows:
| Artificial legs | $80 00 |
| Repairs to an artificial leg | 25 00 |
| Artificial arms | 65 00 |
| Repairs to an artificial arm | 5 00 |
All estimated for cash or its equivalent in warrants.
The fluctuations in these warrants for the past nine years have been from 60 to 96 cents.
