Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-31
SCIENCE MEASURES
CRIPPLES' POWERS
Wonderful instruments In
vented by Belgians Gauge
Wounded Soldiers Abilities.
HUMAN REPAIR SHOPS

wounded soldier to perform some new
line OF useful work have been put in
operation at the Belgian Military in
stitute at Port Billez, France, for the
re-education OF mutilated soldiers.
While the outer world regards Bel
/ GUM as PROSTATE under the iron hand
of Germany, it is striking tribute
TO the vitality of the country that It
has been able to establish such institu-
lions outside Of the country.
Here at small town between Paris
and Rouen 800 wounded Belgian SOL
diers, most Of whom fought in the bat
tie OF the User, are being made over
for some useful occupation. A park
OF 900 acres has been donated, and ex-
tensive buildings have been erected.
So that Belgium, PROSTATE as it is, has
an establishment comparing favorably
with the best English and French in
situations.
The Belgians have always been ia
nous for fine mechanical appliances,
and here they have shown their genius
in this line by the use of seven or
eight new scientific instruments which
measure precisely the efficiency of
wounded man. DR.. Nyms Of the med
cal staff of the institute, has furnished
the following sketch of these instru-
ments and how they measure a
wounded workman's energy:
Stops Human Wastage.
Recent studies on the efficiency OF
workmen have shown the enormous
force wasted through the non-adapta-
ton Of working conditions to the
worknan's capacity for production,
and the chief object of efficiency re-
searches is to suppress all useless ef-
fort and establish precise conditions
for securing the best results. When
the study concerns mutilated soldiers,
is acquires a new value. A certain loss
OF, effort may be tolerated when
workman is normal. But it Is not 50
with the mutilated, whose functional
powers are diminished, and to whom
It is indispensable that every particle
Of work OF which they are capable
should be made integrally available
After explaining the method OF
charts and tracings employed, DR..
Nyms describes the instruments which
measure the energy OF the wounded,
in part, as follows:
First, the arthrodynamometer. 1t
permits the measurement In degrees
Of the angles formed by the flexion
and extension of the forearm. II is
particularly useful in studying partial
ankylosis. A dyuamometer attached
to this instrument measures in kilo-
grams the force that a wounded man
can exert.
Second, the lime, with cylinder
giving chronological register. This
registers the impulsive force Of the
right hand, OF the left hand; the pres
sure OF the right hand, Of the left
hand. These are compared with the
standards showing in Kilograms what
the maximum force would be, thus
showing what is lacking and what
needs to be corrected
third, a varlop, with registering
cylinder and electric signal. which
permits US to study the work in car
pentering similar to the measurement
Of force by the lime.
Fourth, the photographic, which re-
stores the mobility of the fingers and
registers their power OF work.
Fifth, a spirometcr. with eudio-
meter, cardiograph and a pneumo-
graph, complete the installation, and
permit the study OF all the physiot
logical phenomena bearing on work.
manship, and indicating when work is
too heavy and should be limited by
additional periods Of rest"
Future Not Dismal.
The use Of these novel instruments
is. of course, only one phase Of the
extensive work being done here,
which includes the training OF archi-
tects, sculptors, painters In art and
trade, carpenters, shoemakers, sad
dlers, machinists, typewriters, print
ers, engravers, linotypers, photogra-
piers and vast number Of other oc-
equations.
Men who have lost q leg were
thought at first to be adapted to some
work not requiring the man to stand.
But this has been found to be mis-
take and one-legged men are now con-
siderel we'll adapted to standing at q
printing case or working at q car
penter's bench. However, most Of
the one-armed and one-legged men
show a preference to becoming tall
ors and shoemakcrs. They are also
much opposed to taking DIP occupa-
tons, such as jewelers. photographers
and painters, who are not much In
demand in the small towns Of Bel
gium and France.
Usually wounded soldier chooses
an occupation akin to his former
work. An iron moulder who has lost
his arm and can no longer lift heavy
moulds, has become modeller Of
these mould. A mason has become
stone designer. Others mutilated.
have taken up entirely new occupa-
tons, A restaurant waiter has de-
yeloped into an expert sign painter.
Many wounded soldiers are prepar-
ing themselves to be government
functionaries after the war, in the
customs Offices, post and telegraph
Offices, state banks, etc., as 1t is as
sumed preference will be given to
old soldiers. One of the schools here
prepares men for this government
work and for the provincial and COM
munal administrations. This school
for the training Of government en-
ployees is something Of a pioneer
in this line and il has suggested the
establishment of regular Institutions
after the war for the training Of
people for government employment
the same as people are trained for all
branches of private enterprise.
4t
Austrian Saw Napoleon