The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-24


Needle.
From the Utica Press.
DIT. Harry S X. Shaw, formerly of the
medical staff of the Utica State Hospital,
has been for some time in Germany study
ing the methods employed in hospitals
there. Recently he visited Heidelberg, the
great German university town, from which
place he sent the following interesting
letter:
lone of my great desires when ! reached
Heidelberg was to witness a student duel
and to see if there was any comparison
with our college sport. the much ma,isn-
ed game of foot ball. I began 10 fear my
curiosity would have 20 be satisfied with
an incomplete view from the outside.
which is the only way 10 see the duels uR-
less you are personally acquainted with
a member of a corps or verbinding. There
fore. when I was invited by a young doc
tor TO accompany him I was more than
pleased To really have my hands in Ger
man blood on such an occasion appealed
very strongly TO me.
after breakfast on the appointed day
a carriage drove 10 the house and the
student who had asked my medical friend
to lock after him aighted and invited US
70 ride with him. on the way l was much
interested watching this student, whose
numerous scars testified he was no novice.
He smoked chatted and laughed and ap-
peared as happy as if he were going 10
play a game Of golf. Our destination was
on the other side of the Neckar 70 an old
inn called 'Hrschagasse.' This has been
used many years for the duels and Is quite
celebrated on that account We walked
through the inn and up some narrow stars
to fair-sized room with low ceiling
supported with beams. On one side were
several long tables, covered with swords,
Jackets pads and the various paraphe-
MALTA peculiar 20 duels The other sides
of the room was reserved for the sur
Geons. There were three windows. and be-
fore each window was chair placed in
the middle Of a large zinc tray, filled
rather suggestively with saw dust and on
each chair lay rubber apron These
chairs had tables on three sides We were
almost the first 10 arrive, and the doc
tor, without delay dOnned a large white
apron and / then assisted him to prepare
his disinfectants. arrange instruments
thread needles and place plaster ligatures
cotton bandages and gauze in convenient
places. Shortly two other surgeons ar
rived and made their preparations. SO
that soon the room was strongly sueees-
tive of a surgical clinic Great forualitv
was observed by all the students and when
one came into the room he would gravely
bow 70 those present and then go TO his
particular friends and bow and shake
hands with each one, but would entirely
ignore men of the other corps. Al first
! was rather confused when a student
came up 10 me, gravely bowed and NUT
tered his name, but / soon discovered II
was not challenge TO duel, but remarl,
OF pohteness, and in turn was expected
10 give my name and return the bow.
After our surgical preliminaries were
completed ! wandered into the large a5-
joining room. Ii was about the size Of "a
small hall and vas web lighted by many
windows. 1t was decorated with strings
of evergreen which must have been there
for years, and corps banners, caps and
coiors,. which decorated the walls ana
gave the room rather an attractive apnear-
ance. row of tables extended down
both sides and across one end u.berc
there was also cafe bar Arrangement
with sandwiches, beer and wine for sale
Near this stood one of the German tnonu-
ment-lke stoves. and alongside was a
large leather lounge At the other end
covered with sawdust. This was the ARE
ma Returning to the auteroom / fopnd
that many students had arrived. and thar
IN different parts of the room two students
were stripping for the fray, surrounded nv
enthusiastic friends.
THE process of armament is ahout &C
follows: They first strip TO The waist and
put on white linen jacket. a pad is then
strapped over the abdomen and another
down from the neck 20 about four inches
down the arm and cover also a portion of
the chest are strapped over both shoulders
The right fighting arm is the one ex
posed and is very well protected A thick
and very heavy muff-like pad is sliDDed
on which reaches from the shoulder 10
the wrist. With this on it is Impossible 20
bend the arm, and from this time on n is
supported In a horizontal position by some
friend. thick padded baudage is wraD-
ped around the wrist several times and a
light glove put on the hand. which is pro-
tected by the large hilt of the sword A
thick canvas apron is fastened on which
covers the front of the body and extends
down each leg to the knee. where il Is
strapped. All these aprons were rhiclSlv
coated with the gore of former conflicts
and gave the young hero a ferocious an
pearance. A large gauntlet glove is nut
ON the left hand, which covers the arm
almost to the shoulder. and the hand is
fastened behind the back Then a thick
bandage is wound several times around the
neck, which must restrict all head motion
and be very hot and uncomfort able. A
pair of large metal goggles complete the
outfit. These are kept in place by means
of a strap which binds down the ears
tight.
The finishing touch was to fill the space
between the goggles and forehead with
grease to prevent any blood from trick
ling down into the eyes. The seconds are
also protected, but not to so great an eX-
tent They wear goggles. gauntlets and
the neck bandage. They also wear cap
with long leather visor attachment
which covers the exposed side of the face
When all was ready the combatants
walked out into the other room with their
right arms extended and supported With
great soemnity and with an entire alb
sence Of any cheering or demonstration by
the friends, the duellists took their posi-
ttons. A referee stands about fifteen feet
away and each contestant is attended by
couple Of his friends, his doctor and his
second BY this time all the students are
grouped around, smoking aud suppins