The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-31
FRENCH SCHOOL FOR
 NAMED SOLDIERS
Aim Is to Make Them Self
 Supporting in Future
SPEND 100000 FRANCS
Elaborate Institution Where Every thing Possible Is Done to
 Restore Men to
 Health

Saint Maurice. France, october ?. | Correspondence of the Associated | Press )--The problem of caring for the army of maimed and disabled soldiers ] is being gradually worked out The aim of the government is to make them self-supporting notwithstanding their | infirmities. To do this the first ne- cessity Is functional readoption and professional re-education of physical | training. A million francs ts20o,ooo) Is | being spent on this work. Here, not | far from Paris, in the National Conva- | lescent Asylum and Military hospital. are quartered at present SS5 men, about 1s5 of whom are cured and are learn ing new trades or professions in the various schools of the institutions. | Other similar establishments will be put into operation at Bordeaux. Bay 1 onne Bourges. Montpellier, Rouen, Tours. Toulouse, Caen. Limoges, Nancy. Pan, Saint -Etienne, Brest and Gran i (Algeria.)
 The Saint Maurice institution. ere | ated by Napoleon III, and located in a large well-kept park, is admirably | adapted to this work. It's halls are large and we'll ventilated and equipped with modern apparatus Victims Of paralysis. ankylosis. those whose ten l dons have been cut out and others sur | fering frorR various lesions may be seen working special machines, most of them made in the United States. to | exercise stiff joints and bring back l life to deadened muscles. In many cases after patient application to the treatment the member functions nor
 mally. There is an appliance for all
 most every conceivable complication resulting from wound Most of the patients are able to use them without I aid after having been shown, then 1t l is simply case of sticking to it. The adjoining room is filled with the whirr of electric massage instruments ma l nipulated by nurses
 Large Footsteps Painted
 l On a concrete walk in the garden large footsteps have been painted These are a cure for locomotion dis orders for soldiers who lost control of their legs through nerve shock or otherwise and who have to begin over again like a child. An outdoor gym nasium furnishes more severe forms of | exercise for those who need 1t and can stand 1t.
 | After the functional cure, the pa
 tients are treated from the standpoint
 ot professional re-education," refit- 1 ting them for renumerative occupa- l tions. This phrase of the work at l Saint Maurice is no less complete than | that provided for the restoration of
 suspended physical functions. Several | halls are devoted to particular trades and professions and in six buildings
 recently constructed the soldiers them 1 selves are making artificial limbs such as have heretofore largely come from l Tntt tAd of MnITina Rn1Ir- 1 illon, director of the institution. says the majority of cripples are unable to pay the prices for imported artificial l limbs so they are learning how to compete with the American trade | The trade schools are in successful l operation and arrangements are being made to take care of the increased numbers of arrivals as the war contin- ues. At present there is great need of men who car repair the American farm machinery tractors and so forth used in France and a number of them
 are being trained for this work
 Learn to Use Left Hands In the designing room a number of
 men who have lost their right arms are training themselves with the aid of various American drawing devices to
 use their left hand. After these men have been sufficiently trained the gov ernment will find positions where such as have mastered a new calling may earn decent living. All those who have fought for the country will be well cared for. according to Monsieur Jules Brisac, in charge of this work; none will become charge. They can choose whatever work they wish. Pri- vate societies that are interested in
 aiding the maimed will be subsidized, but the government will exercise con- trol generally.
 Dr. Bourillon, apart from his general
 professional work. improves the oppor- tunity to do some moral training He is an enemy to strong drink and in
 the large comfortable room at the
 asylum are placards conspicuously
 posted such as "Absinthe will make
 you crazy" "Alcohol is the perfect type
 of poison of the nervous system"
 When man drinks the family Is com
 promsed--when woman drinks. the
 f.mily Is lost" "Eau-de-vie; Eau-de-
 mort Brandy Is death.)
 Experience has shown that the
 maimed at Saint Maurice learn in less
 than half tho time the trades or pro-
 fessions they choose as compared with
 others who have the normal use of
 their limbs. pr. Bourillon attributes
 this to their strong will power
 aroused by the obstacles met in their
 changed condition. "The great mum
 Der of maimed who are in such con
 dition as to earn their living only
 with difficulty at all, raises social
 problem of the greatest importance.
 said Dr. Bourillon. "Evidently they
 should be given all places they are
 able to fill in the government or or ganizations over which the state has control But 1t is doubtful if work can be found for all who seek 1t. It is necessary to find something for them as soon as they can begin work"