The Winslow mail., 1915-02-06
LOSE THEIR SPEECH
Many Soldiers in Hospitals Un-
able to Talk.
81 A
Men Recovering From Severe Wounds
r Must Be rsdaht to Tafk as Chill
dren-Can,t Frame Words---
Physicians Explain Work.
BY KARL H. Won -W4EoANo.


Laon, France.-Today 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
feei2ed their baptism of fire Bullet
| shEaHaetl broken} shell, all had done
their work And now medical science
was doing its utmost to restore the
victims to partial snprmality.
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.
toafs fearful bloodshed. The main hos.
HIfal is, improvised,Tra Slarge roomy
school building, we'll lighted and aired.
In front is a large bronze monument
erected to three young Frenchmen-
francs-tireurs-exe by the Ger
|. n1ans4in 1875 for snfping. Singularlg
Zen pdugh. this monument is unscathed.
Professor Brockenheimer in charge,
|. and Doctor -Luetkenmueller chief sur
sgeon, explained the work. They care
forz 100 Severe cases. but the light
wounded are given first aid treatment
and sent back to the home bases, as
this ts TOO close to the actual front
to permit keeping any wounded that
can be moved. More than score OF
cases, French and German alike, where
/ trephinings operations had been nee
4 cessary, were shown 1t was singu-
lar picture. Through the windows
came the deep, low bass note of dis
tant gums sklling, smashing, tearing,
manning the human "tenpins." Here
they were being patched up. Nurses
sat by bedsides ofsfriend and foe alike,
bathing fevered brows and teaching
pa1e-faced bearded men TO speak the
most simple words, telling them the
names of objects and putting words
together into sentences.
If What is this?', asked Professor
Breckenheimer holding pencil be-
fore bearded warrior from whose
skull he had cut a splinter of steel,
The lips trembled Then came the
feeble answer. Pencil"
held out a cigarette and asked
what 1T was. The mans lips moved
and a look came on hts face which
seemed to say that he knew what it
was but couldn't say Then Professor
Boekenheimer came to the rescue.
"Wtat 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 at
requires unending patience and per-
severance"
Many cases of plastic surgery Y, ere
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 Profes-
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.