Gorla, Wayne O.

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The Linacre QuarterlyVolume 32 | Number 4 Article 12November 1965Report of Physical Examinations: ReligiousCommunities - Archdiocese of St. LouisWayne O. GorlaFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnqRecommended CitationGorla, Wayne O. (1965) "Report of Physical Examinations: Religious Communities - Archdiocese of St. Louis," The Linacre Quarterly:Vol. 32 : No. 4 , Article 12.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/lnq/vol32/iss4/12Report of Physical Examinatic 3 Religious Communities - Archdioc ,e of St. Louis WAYNE 0. GORLA, M.D. This is a preliminary report of the findings in the examination of 975 nuns in six separate examinations. Numb er of nuns  with major defects: 354 or 36%. Number of nuns with minor defects: 519 or 53%. Number of nuns with no abnor­malities: 294 or 30%. Number of nuns who need care: 453 or 47%. Number of nuns under care: 213 or 21%. Abnormal small x-rays of tbe chest: 39 or 4%. Family history of diabetes: 125 or 12.9%. Dental defects: 214 (only two major) or 22%. Each examination as it was being conducted yielded an immediately apparent small number (2-5) of major pathologies which needed im­mediate attention. This in itself, in Dr. _Gorla, an internist, is immediate past­president of the St. Louis Guild during whose administration the Health Care Plan was initiated. 324 our opinion, justified th, ntire proj­ect. Such things as a1 1cute pul­monary tuberculosis, a 1 1cer of the thyroid, a toxic goiter, cancer of the breast, three cases diabetes, two hernias, one of wl 1 was in­carcerated, and two n or dental problems with severe 1 .Jocclusion and temporal-mandibul: joint syn­drome were among th, immediate major pathologies disco· ced How­ever, a total of 354 nun: dth maj�r defects and 519 with n ,or defects out of 975 nuns gives an {aggerated picture of their overall 1ealth. In general we found the i ,el of the health care these nuns iave been receiving to be very aL :quate. It varied considerably with 2ach com· munity as might well f , expected considering the varying l: ckgrounds and associations of each ,me. Those associated with nursing ,rders who have their own hospitals and those who teach at the collegC' level were found to have the h ighc,t standard of medical and dental care. Although 36% of the nuns had major defects, 21 % were found to be under the care of  physicians and these were almost exclusively for the LINACRE QUARTERLY above tabulated major defects. The remaining 15% of the major defects were either unknown or untreated. The minor defects as detailed below included impacted cerumen, varicose veins of the legs, mostly of minor degree and mostly asymptomatic. Of the 22% exhibiting dental pa­thology, approximately three-fourths were listed as needing dental care for prophylaxis only. Two major dental problems. were discovered­severe malocclusion with temporal­mandibular joint syndrome. How­ever, many ill-fitting dentures and out-dated dental restorations were discovered, and the majority of the nuns did not make dental visits at regular intervals of 6-12 months. It would perhaps be of interest to detail the major defects found in one of the six examinations: Out of 179 nuns examined on one Sunday there were 3 thyroid adenomas; I colloid goiter; 3 cases of diabetes mellitus, all known and under care; 3 · eye problems: one retinitis, one enuclea:: tion for melanoma of the eye, and 1 blind eye; I incarcerated inguinal hernia; 27 cases of cardiovascular disease, including 11 cases of hyper­tension, most of which were un -known; I possible aortic aneurysm, and 10 cases with heart murmurs and enlarged heart, also 2 possible cases of angina pectoris. There were 3 major gynecological problems found: 1 fibroid uterus, 1 metro­menorrhagia of menopause, and I ovarian tumor. One breast tumor, probably benign, 2 cases of asthma, I case of quiescent tuberculosis not �ing observed regularly, 5 diagnos­tic GI problems, 1 diagnostic GU problem, 3 diagnostic neurological NOVEMBER, 1965 problems, I case of Parkinson's Dis­ease, 1 known peptic ulcer not under care, I known esophagitis (chronic), I major dental problem, I case of known polycystic kidney disease, I case of chronic otitis media, 2 cases of rheumatoid arthritis, I case of osteoarthritis, and I case of Meniere's Disease were also noted. Of the minor defects on this same Sunday were found: 6 nervous prob­lems, as follows: 4 non-specific nervousness, I tension headache, and I insomnia; 4 problems of head­ache of undetermined etiology, 13 cases of varicose veins, 13 cases of obesity; 2 cases of hemorrhoids, 21 ENT problems including 13 with large amounts of wax in the ears, four chronic otitis externus, 4 post­nasal discharges, I recurrent sinusitis, 1 · acute pharyngitis, and I healed perforated drum; I case of chronic bronchitis and pharyngitis, l bleed- . ing rectal polyp, I case of chronic cystitis, 8 cases of orthopedic prob­lems of the feet, 2 other orthopedic problems, I ptosis of the kidney, 2 nasal allergies, 3 anemias, 7 derma­tological problems including 1 li­poma, 1 acne, 2 fungus of :�e feet, and 3 sebaceous cysts requmng at­tention; 11 minor gynecological problems including 1 meno�ause, oligomenorrhea, 1 menstrual irreg­ularity, I vaginal discharge, 1 dys­menorrhea, 1 hypoplastic internal · genitalia, I cervical polyp, 2 monilial vaginitis, and I premenstrual tension. A yield of 39 abnormal small x-rays of the chest, or 4% of the total nuns examined, was obtained. Most of these correlated with the physical findings of enlarged heart, and/or rheumatic heart disease, or 325 hypertension, o.· with known Fre­vious pulmonary tuberculosis In itself it was of no real valu� in <lete_cting pathology, the pathology ?avmg already been suspected or toun� bY, the history and physical xammat10n. _ The finding of 125 family histories• r diab�tes_ out of 975 people or 12.9rc,, md1c�tes the high incidence o_f diabetes m our civilization. It hkewise should stimulate all of us t� inquire as to the family history of diabetes in . e�ch and every patient w� see, as it is this group which i, g?mg _to yield the vast majority ofdiabetic pa�ients in our practice. Each nun with a positive family his­tory was advised to have an annual blood sugar and/or urine collected 2 _hours after a meal. Three of those with a family history of diabetes w�re found to have sugar in the urme and a diagnosis of diabetes was confirmed by subsequent blood �ugars. Those nuns who were obese 1� addition to a family history of diabetes, were encouraged to under­take a weight reduction prog,am. Resume: The level of the general health care and dental care of the 326 975 nuns examined , ably with that of the tion in the St. Louis I.) The immedia1 major pathologies ear day, ranging from ac tuberculosis, incarcer CA of the breast, & thyroid, alone full, program. 2.) The long-ran; terms of preventativr those found with hype ity, family history of nostic problems of th, other systems are considerable. 3.) The stimulus 1 have those minor d( which were found in 53 % of those exami immeasurably to thei efficiency. 4.) It is intended , aminations will stimu· and the individual nu annual or bi-annua; medical check-ups. 1 ared favor­'ral popula-1. ·ield of 1-5 ·:xamination pulmonary:l hernia, toCA of the ustifies the benefits in 11edicine for ·nsion, obes-1 betes, diag­;r tract, and tain to be ·he nuns to ·ts corrected 19 nuns, ord, will add .:omfort and at these ex­le the order, , to seek out dental and LINACRE QUARTERLY Economic Aspects Health Care of Religious JOHN J. FLANAGAN, S.J. Every physician and every layman with family obligations is acutely and sometimes painfully aware of the spiraling cost of living which has engulfed our whole country in the last 25 years. One of the most critical areas which families face is the ever increasing cost of health care. The same problems which the head of a family faces are common also to religious communities of men and women whose members live under the vow of poverty. Life has changed for them as much as for the laymen-except that the com -munity income base has not risen in proportion to the cost of educating religious, the cost of supporting them while they are engaged in thei!'.' apostolic work and the cost of pro­viding adequate care for an i_ncreas­ing percentage of retired and infirm religious. The situation is most . c�tical for the religious congrega­tions heavily committed to teaching in the parochial school system and for those serving in orphanages, homes for the aged and for those en -gaged in catechetical work and home nursing. Father Flanagan is Executive Director of The Catholic Hospital Association. The He�!� Cari! Program For Priests and Rehg1ous which the Association heartily endorses had its encouragement and de­velopm��� through his interest and making the fac1ht1es at the Central Office available for the work of the project. NOVEMBER, 1965 In order to function in our modem society the religious must bring to her religious assignment not only zeal and good will, but full profes­sional training. This is undoubtedly a proper requirement for the times in which we live, but it has brought with it hardships and great financial burdens. Religious communities, in , general, have the responsibility to carry the young religious not only through her noviti�te and juniorate training but through undergraduate work to a bachelor's degree and on into some level of graduate educa­tion. The Master's degree is becom­ing more and more necessary for all · religious in education, welfare work and hospital services. In institutions of higher learning the Ph.D. degree is becoming much more necessary for all. It is manifest that the cost of preparing religious for useful serv­ice in the apostolate has increased by almost geometrical proportions. Unfortunately the financial base for supporting these increased re­sponsibilities has not grown propor­tionately. The earning base and, therefore, the contributing power ofthe teaching sister to her religious community has not greatly increased. With great effort the stipend for the teaching sister in the parochial school system has moved away from the pre-war scale of $35.00 and $50.00 a month. In good situations 327 

Report of Physical Examinations: Religious Communities - Archdiocese of St. Louis

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Report of Physical Examinations: Religious Communities - Archdiocese of St. Louis

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