Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-28


forum to the very doors. Upon the plat
form in front sat stff1y the entire medical
staff, from the four famous consulting sur.
geons down to the junior house
Keon AT respectful distance from the latter
seated the supervising nurse and at still greater
and disrespectful distance lounged dehanty john
Schaeffer inventor of braces for crippled children
in the words of the enthusiastic house surgeon the
original orthopedc man of New York and the great
est crank in America.
Two hours had already elapsed, and soft sigh of
content from the audience greeted the conclusion OF
another report The surgeon-inchef arose, glanclng
apprehensively at the bulky manuscript held osten-
tatiousy in John Schaeer's hands. Nevertheless he
smiled defcrentiay, "And now will listen to the
report Of" he bowed courteously-our brace maker
John Schaeffers chair creaked suddenly and omi-
nouslY, and seemed fairly to gust him to the center
of the platform He waved his manuscript excitedly
in the astonshed surgeons face
"Brace-nakerp he snarled; II brace-maker
YAH Scissors grinder, l suppose Machinistl Com,
mon mechanic! Dots what | am! You ting dot!
Bah" He snapped his fingers and wheeled upon the
medical staff
Fools Donderheadsl You, NIT your know-no'-
ing heads and hands-who bungle all dot do-who
cannot do what do, you fink am br-brace-maker!
SO! Den | tell you vot you arel" and John Schaefer
gave his opinion at length
signs of disturbance. AS Mrs Henry Goldfogle
Chairman of the Committee on Linen and House Fur
chase caught the significance of certain German oaths
the benevolent lines of her face stiened into those
of severe disapproval and with heavy rustic OF
silks she arose and swept from the room
Miss Sarah Sterling Watts, Chairman or the Com-
n,ttee on Free Beds, beat Also swift and mincing
retreat her chin pointed high in the air Others not
acquainted with the German tongue but realizing IN
tuitvey that the meeting had suddenly become no
place for ladies, developed expressions of mild purity
and walked out with determined tread.
One of the famous surgeons held his hand discreety
over his mouth to hide smile; the young mouse
surgeon looked white and scared.
They all listened with rapt attention TIL John Schaef-
I'D - ,,rdar hic heel.
his chair off the platform in token OF his departure
forevermore from annual meetings, saw his huge I'M
calmly figure disappear violently through sac door
The famous surgeon who smiled behind his . hand
recovered carefully the crumpled manuscript. ms
may prove valuable, gentlemen said he; and so It
did. After reading it month later before the
Academy of Medicine he added emphaticaly: This
remarkable treatise stamps John Schaefter Tor whSe
he is and should be known genius and skilled anat
omist: man without degree and with little recog-
nton but one nevertheless, who has done more Tor
orthopedic surgery than any man, living or dead
After the incident of the annual meeting Jonn
Schacfer was rarely seen in the hospital wards
When he did appear it to correct and goat over
the mistake of a surgeon or nurse =. -.
From morning until night he toiled away IN ms
laboratory a weird in the hospital basement;
Its walls were lined with plaster casts OF olstortee
legs and arms, exhibiting apparently every species OF
human malformation With its grizzed dnnrad az
Imaginative assistant like "he lair OF man-eating
lion. Me boss" he averred "has no heart whatever;
as for his BRAIN you f fe s6ap ms of fNa brace
Fxerv evening after work John Schaeffer went to
a nearby German restaurant and then directly up
stairs to hall bedroom. 1t contained foluingoeu;
a foot-lathe and large chest filed with tools and
bits of brass steel and leather. Here were his means
of relaxation and his chosen environment .r Vot
know, | know, 1t was his CUSTOM ~ s'a'e' ~
notings else 81. ,,
grim obstinate glazing ray OF light. EhtetHg
his laboratory late morning he seized a Dro"n
paper pattern from his desk and eyed 1t herceiy 49,
"Ha!" he exulted, some fool at work again. Ell"
He turned to his assistant 81,
dere ISIS such crooked back1 Bah! We're from dit
s'Ward -Four" the assistant replied laconicaly.
80? Den l go and Maybe l catch some
fool eh?" The assistant grinned broadly and then
promptly regretted his ndiscetion The German turned
upon him angrily 3.
"Vat you doing amending braces, or mrnding my
business3 Den do it" he roared and with the am am,
biguous injunction he slammed the door and hailed
The nurse in Number Four, the bone-tuberculosis
''Vot back fits dis2" he demanded. We're ISIS he1
Don't you know Our Sailor johnny" $685.,
John Schaeffer wheeled about and faced little
white bed from the pillow of which chubby baby
face and two large brown eyes regarded him calmly
AS the nurse swept down the covers she revealed
tiny form incased from chin to ankle in rigid casts
John Schaeffer saw only the braces Casts he did
not believe in And human body to his mind was
simply something that went INTO BRACE ana should
fit it with mechanical precision.
Using only his Big gnarled thumb he turned the
child roughly its face, and laid the pattern
hastily along the spine. There was a cruel, sharp
hump just under the shoulderblades; and nearly
as one could judge, the pattern exactly fitted it
CDR Frank-here he comes now-he put that brace
on until new could be made" explained the
nurse.
When the bare spine revealed he placed the
pattern over it and squnted along the line of union
It fitted perfectly Well said Schaefer testify, 81 hat
nefer yet seen such back" He his thumb heavily
down the crooked bone.
A mufied groan from the pillows, Easy
mattel cautioned faint voice.