The Colorado statesman., 1917-08-11
NO HANDS, WORKS
Manned Soldier Goes Home and
Learns TO Do Things.
Designs and Manufactures Apparatua
Which Enable Him Almost TO
Ignore -is Mutilation.

One French farm Is being cultivated
by former soldier who lost bouh
hands in the war. Jean Baptiste LED
rms is the man who has overcome this
handicap. When war was declared
Ledrans was young handy mechanic,
accustomed TO repairing plows ano
reapers. At the call to arms he re-
1oine6 his battery as cavalry ser
geant. He distinguished himself Dy
manning a bomb mortar and advancing
with the infantry to the attack OF
strong redoubt. This exploit earned
him the rank Of underlieutenant.
After fighting safely through many
battles, Ledrpns was wounded near Ar
ras and upon his recovery was trans
ferred TO the infantry, says a CORE
spondent of the Chicago News. In his
new position the young underofiicer,
because OF his mechanical ability, was
assigned 10 the grenade section, where
he soon became proficient. Finally
he became an instructor.
II was while lnstructlng some young
soldiers, about TO leave for the 'front.'
that Iedrans received his terrible
wounds. A new recruit produced an
governmental grenade from his poekef
and gave II TO Ledrans. The instructor
began his lesson, releasing the fuso
lighter which, unfortunately, was con
nected with q loaded grenade, and not
one as used in practice. The greDado
exploded. killing six men and wound
ing several others. Ledrans was
wounded in five places; q rib broken,
right eye put out, one eardrum pierced
and his two hands carried away.
This was in 1915. In spite of his In
juries, Ledrnns' fiancee remained faith
ful, and two months later received
letter written by her future husband
In January, 1917, they were married
and, Ledrans is now cultivating his
father-in-law's farm.
Putting his ingenuity to practical
use, the former soldier has been aDle 10
design and build apparatus which eh
able him almost to ignore his mutiia-
ton. He can hitch up and drive
horse driving by sitting on the Hoop
of the lines and guiding with his nr'
ranged forearms. He can load and
unload the wagon, care for the horse
and manage IL IeiiH as Wcii' AhS "'''b
passes through Il ring in the right arm
equipment.
BY means of special harness LED
rams can work in the fields as well ms
anyone. A steel plate strapped on tho
body, and supplemented with feathers
for the arms, support the interchange
able tools which are needed to per
form various operations of farm work
On the left arm is carried ring
through which the handle of the rake
or shovel slides like through the hano
The right nrm is equipped with SOCK
ct and set screws in which the too's
can be placed and fixed. There Is
complete assortment of farm tools and
special hooks.
The farm work done, the brave eS
soldier takes off his working arms,
and his wife adjusts n pair of elastic
gloves which accommodate the smaller
articles of daily use. With these gloVeh
Ledrans can write, shave, eat ana
dress himself. He drinks by taking tho
Gun between the two elastic gloVes
Combing his hair, brushing his teeth
and adjusting his collar become simple
operations to this injured man, WHO
has solved, for himself, one OF the
great problems of the war. .tE lNc-~1