Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1915-03-19
LOSE THEIR SPEECH
Many Soldiers in Hospitals Un-
able to Talk.
Men Recovering From Severe Wounds
Must Be Taught 20 Talk as Chill
dren-Can't Frame Words
Physicians Explain Work.
Ry KARL n. Won WIEGAND.

Omitted Press STAN correspondence
Laon, France.--Today l saw men
being taught to talk again. In the
human repair shops" the great Ger
man field hospitals, these men were
learning anew the use OF brains,
tongue, hands and feet. They had re-
ceived their baptism of fire. Bullet,
shrapnel, broken shell, all had done
their work. And now medical science
was doing it's utmost to restore the
victims to partial normality.
This is the third time that Laon has
been In possession of the Germans.
first in 1914 and again in 1870, but
this time only was the city taken with
out fearful bloodshed. The main hos
pital is improvfsed, a large roomy
school building, we'll lighted and aired.
In front is large bronze monument
erected to three yorns Freedmen
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS by the Ger
mans in 1870 fer snlping. Singularly
enough this monument is unscathed.
Professor Erockendeimer in charge,
and Doctor Luetkennueller, chief sur
geon, explained the work They care
for 2,100 severe cases, but the light
wounded arc given FIRST aid treatment
and sent back TO the home bases, as
this is too close to the acrual front
to permit keeping any wounded that
can be moved. More than a score of
cases, French ard German alike, where
trephining operations had been nee
cessary, were shown. 1t was a slngu-
Lar picture Through the windows
came the deep low bass note of dis
tant guns killing, smashing, tearing,
manning the human "tenpins." Here
they were being patched up. Nurses
sat by bedsides of friend and foe alike,
bathing fevered brows and teaching
pale-faced bearded men to speak the
most simple words, telling them the
names of objects and putting words
together into sentences.
What is this?" asked Professor
Brcckenheimer, holding pencil be-
fore a bearded warrior from whose
skull he had cut splinter Of steel.
The lips trembled Then came the
feeble answer: Pencil"
I held out cigarette and asked
what it was. The mans lips moved
and a look came on his face which
seemed to say that he knew what it
was but couldn't say Then Professor
Bockenheimer came to the rescue.
What do we do with this?" he asked.
An apparent tremendous mental effort
and then the reply: Smoke"
Correct" said the professor; now
what is it," This time the brain and
tongue worked and the answer was
correct.
Hours have, to be spent by the
nurses teaching these men all over
again." explained the professor. 1T
requires amending patience and per-
severance"
Many cases of plastic surgery were
shown. Men with most of their faces
smashed away were being brought
back to life with parts of their bodies
being grated on to cover the terrible
gaping holes. Many would be much
better dead, but the doctors feel it is
their duty to save all they can.
I'VE do not ask the wounded
whether they want to live or die"
explained Professor Bockenheimer.
At the main French hospital Profess
sor Manasse of Stuttgart was in
charge. Here, too, nurses were teach
ing men to talk again and terrible
wrecks of humanity were being
patched up.