The NYPR Archive Collections
The Constant Invader, Rehabilitation - Community Action, Program No. 10
( Associated Press )
The exact date of this episode is unknown. We've filled in the date above with a placeholder. What we actually have on record is: 195u-uu-uu.
This episode of the Constant Invader tells the story of Jim Grant, who has suffered several bouts with tuberculosis. His wife is worried that he will have to return to his old job and fall ill again. Mrs. Newton, a concerned neighbor, attends a local Tuberculosis Association meeting and learns about the rehabilitation services Jim is receiving such as job training and income assistance. In the final scene, Jim convinces his former boss to hire him as a draftsman, a new less strenuous position in the company.
The narrator, Vincent Price, questions the listener, "How about your town? Is it ready to give the full measure of help, when help is needed, to launch a man or woman into life again with a real chance of success?"
Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection
WNYC archives id: 150737
Municipal archives id: LT6910
This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.
This is a story of the constant invader. Her. What can a man expect what can a man hope for in human help and understanding when he's fought a battle against an enemy of all of us and comes back to take his place in the world he wants new Perhaps you'll find an answer in a story that affects you a tale told you now by the celebrated star Mr Vincent Price. Jim Grant was coming home he could count the days now and he should have been glad but the memory of other times when he'd come home and what had happened in the harsh days that followed struck a note of fear in him that he couldn't shake complete and we knew that this time things were different that he had help in what he had to say but he still wasn't sure and you could have seen that same concern in the face of his wife Joan in the uncertainty she was trying to hide it she waited in the waiting room of the huge hospital to see a. Law or a new next door neighbor who had given Joan the fifty long miles that day to see her husband Laurie the old friend wanted to help but didn't know how and so she left. What am I going to do Laura is going to see that I'm worried you're going to think I don't want to come home I know we will I know it but you do wanted to come home don't you Joe Lor I love Jim I love him but when I remember what we went through twice before I I don't know whether I can face it you told me yourself the doctor said he's really ready to come home this to he was supposed to be ready the first time my money troubles so many months to get a job you could do without hurting himself and he got so deeply in debt he got desperate he went back to his old job with Mr Hanson in the factory. And as tuberculosis came back I remember Jim thought coming back to this hospital so and you know how we left before we should have that time we couldn't stand it because you had the baby then and all we did was get worse again and have to come back here now I'm afraid I'm afraid it'll happen all over again but it looks as though it'll be different this time he's told you so in his letters and that Miss Waters has come to see you so often a public health nurse she explained how you're going to have help getting started again don't you believe. I want to and I do mostly but I still worry and Jim still doesn't have the promise of a job but something he can do it we'll get one don't worry I know you will but how do you know Mark for it. JIM Hi Laura thanks for bringing my best girl out here I know it's a lot of trouble not a bit of it you do you look I feel wonderful Do you know Fred Evans our rehabilitation counselor for this is Laura new I'm very glad to know you just talked about you a lot and Mrs Grant Well how are you I'm fine Mr Evans Come on I sit down how the kids tell me all about and we have babies had a cold and nothing serious for her but surely been wonderful all winter she sends your kids to college it's got to be wonderful to see those kids again there's boys in great shape Mrs Grant you can be mighty proud of him just so we. Mean just so I stay that way that's what you meant. But interest say it please dear I just want you to stay well that's all I know what you're thinking I don't want to come home so I still just say I don't. Want you to come home and watch don't say things like that. Right or stop it you're only at how didn't mean it I know you're afraid. I'm afraid too yes I can understand you're afraid but you've accomplished a lot Jim you've made real progress I'm sorry Fred if it hadn't been for you and the doctor helping you work out a plan giving me something to work toward I don't think I would even have the will to live but it's hard to forget the other times I know it's hard but things are going to work out differently this time I still haven't got a job waiting for me no not yet but this time you've got something you can set out OK for now why don't you and your wife get out of here take a walk sure what you've been doing I think you'll be interested. I'm sorry I flew off the handle like that you forgive me I just ask you to forgive me. I don't know why I worry so much you come on let's take a walk and talk about it can. Take your time to forget about me thanks again. Oh close to tear my heart out Mr Evans you're pretty concerned about them aren't you Mr Newton Well I love them both and I've sat by helplessly years as they've struggled alone with this thing now they're not alone any longer missing I know that since you've been here at the hospital you've done wonders for Jim what's going to happen when he gets home this New Guinea art tuberculosis association is having a meeting in town next Friday night to discuss what happens nowadays to people like Jim you want to come on the walk and that too but I think you ought to know what we've been trying to do in the past two years not only for Jim but for all others like him who had tuberculosis when you know how the plans been working maybe you can reassure Mrs Grant and I think you'll find it interesting I'll come course aka. And so gentleman because Mr Newton has expressed an interest in what this rehabilitation committee is doing and because I think you're going to help I took the liberty of inviting her to this meeting I did call Mr Williams glad you could come as you can thank you Mr Williams I think we can take a moment right now to review the history of this committee and since he's one of our charter members I want to ask our help of the Dr Denton to begin Well when I took over his health officer two years ago we made a health survey of the town and one of the most pressing problems I found a concern tuberculosis but I thought our TB Association Intel was doing a wonderful job Dr Denton the promotion of the X. ray program you're right we have been doing a fine case finding jobs getting people with TB into the hospital. But I discovered that after they had returned home at least twelve of them had broken down again with tuberculosis three times I know one example of what you mean something was wrong there were no rehabilitation facilities not TB hospital no social services really nothing to help with these problems but I'm beginning to understand what happened Mr when you know it was pretty clear that these people were forced to return to jobs which are dangerous to them they broke down again and again and danger in their own lives and becoming again a possible source of infection to those around them but that's all and the human standpoint it was worse than tragic it was unforgivable but from an economic standpoint it was wasteful to each case of TB cost the state about fourteen thousand dollars What could you do with Christmas sale funds we had Mr Evans here as rehabilitation consulate when we've demonstrated that you his absolute need we think the state will take a moment I mean intend to hire a medical social worker on the same basis I know for a fact that what Mr Evans has done for patients has been a revelation to the hospital staff that are convinced that rehabilitation has a definite medical value into the treatment we have been working to get agencies to act together so their resources are ready for these patients and I think we've made progress. Mr Evans I think you can bring us up to date well during the past two years the State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation has had funds for teachers and equipment to give these patients training in the hospital to fit their abilities strengths and choice and then often for their own safety some must start part time on a job this limits their income and could cause hardship to patients and their families but now the department of public assistance gives financial help to individuals while they go through this hardening up period yeah I know one case where that kind of help could probably have prevented the second breakdown and that brings us to the purpose of our meeting tonight one patient is now coming home one of the first patients to return since this plan of ours started he's pretty well set except for a job I understand Mr Evans have you had any success not yet but I have an appointment with his former employer again tomorrow I feel we must do everything we can to keep up the morale of this couple and you can help Miss new I live next door to these people for years wishing I could do something and not knowing what but now I know how I can help and I will. I'm sorry Jim I appreciate the problem you've got but I just can't give you another job but it's not going to be the same as it was before Mr Hanson Jim I'd feel like a criminal if I gave you your old job back knowing it just break down again and I have to go back to the hospital but there's another job Mr Hanson but where in the drafting department with a little more training no wait a minute Jim this is no training school I'm sorry but I've got a good stock Mr Hanson I've been studying drafting at the hospital and looking at these plans I drew up this is our X. twelve you know the big job I've always been interested in and I do it from memory you do this for. A little rough but not bad to jam it with some on the job training from old man with Jack you got a gear arrangement here for the Dr what is this. Little bearing just an idea you know the lubrication problems we've always had at that point the use of a gun I think you've got something here bile but there's from here just as it is why do I show this to what's all know please Mr had to let me work it out myself in the drafting department the doc says I've got a four hour work tolerance right now I later when I get hard more hours Well I can't pay you enough to live on and take care of your family if I have a day's work Jim and the cost of continuing your training didn't Fred Evans tell you how that's going to be worked out he said something about public assistance funds and the cost of training being paid by the states Mr HANSON I used to think I was too proud to accept help for myself and my family from welfare funds Well you know what happened but now I realize that that money is not charity but a kind of insurance to help me so I won't break down again from T.V. like I did before. If that happened I'd only cost the community more money getting me well again like Fred Evans says the help I'm going to get is a kind of stitching time soon yeah it makes sense Jim very good sense all I need now is a break from you Mr Hanson jam you're going to have it you got a job starting whenever you want oh gosh thanks Mr Hanson mind if I telephone the waiting in your outer office John and Lauren Fred up right here on my secretaries and the man the three people waiting for Jim Grant gentlemen please oh you don't know what this means to me Mr HANSON I haven't heard is going to mean a lot to me until this plant to jam. Jam Joan honey I've got a job a job I can stay Well it's a job I can be proud of that here that Fred Laura it's wonderful Gee I didn't have the slightest doubt you could do it Jim and I was sure Mr Hanson could see Evans a way why couldn't some of those planning some of this help a been given to Jim before if you'd been around I'm here because the citizens of this town and its T.V. Association saw a problem and decided to do something about it they know that when they help a man like Jim the community's help too and I'm going to prove they're right friends you'll see Jim I'm not afraid any longer Laura you are right now I've got everybody on my side before I had nobody Oh I'm glad you young Yes I'm coming home honey this time I'm coming home this me. Behind the big and very professional where rehabilitation lies the answer to a hope that the human tragedy. The way to new hope for those who have cured themselves of tuberculosis and must learn to live with their disease. We owe them the chance for our own sake as as well. But we all share in the dividends of money happiness and better health that accrue in proportion to the rehabilitation facility we make possible and insist upon in our community often the community resources out there but uncoordinated sometimes they do not exist at all and must be demonstrated how about your time is it ready to give the full measure of help when help is needed to launch a man or woman into life again with a real chance at success if it is we have struck another blow against a common enemy a constant in a. Whole early the a. Narrated by Vincent Price written and directed by Hugh Jane with musical direction by Ben Ludlow this series is brought to you by your tuberculosis Association to give you some insight into the problems of tuberculosis and your part in solving them remember TB can happen to you or yours what you do about it today may prevent it tomorrow. It's all the the. The. The the.