The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-12-23

Corporal Everett /. Wentworth, son
Of Mr.. and Mrs. G. L. Wentworth Of
East Dover, who has been i'll with in
fuenza in base hospital 202 at Orleans,
France, writes interestingly under date
of Nov. 20 regarding wonderful surgi-
cal operations performed since he en-
tered the hospital. Another son, priv
ate Harland II. Wentworth of the sani-
tary detachment of the first provision
al machine gun regiment, under date
OF Nov. -, says there is just one thing
they are looking forward to,-and that
is getting home. The letters follow:
Dear Folks:
AS Sunday was Fathers day. l
meant TO have started q letter at that
time, but the day was chilly and |
spent practically the whole time in
bed. tell YOU ] have become very
lazy since reaching the hospital.
] have been thinking of YOU people
lot these last few weeks, in fact, /
don't think | ever was SO near home
sick as 1 have been lately: Now that
the war is over, ] will confess that they
can Z ship me back to the states any
too soon TO suit me. This surely has
been hard year on both of you.
1t won't be very long now before
shall be ready to go back to my outfit.
It has been Just n month since ! came
10 the hospital, and during that time
have been isolated from all my friends
and acquaintance. and from all news
of any OF you. All the people here are
of n nice sort, but l certainly do miss
those letters.
Since my entrance into the hospital.
/ have seen some wonderful eases of
surgery. There are operation cases be-
ing performed every day, and there
hash Z been q fatal result since ] came.
Many Of the boys here are suffering
from injured iaws-some shattered by
bullets, Others torn by pieces of shrap-
mel. In some instances, they have lost
several teeth, and many Of the re-
mainder are loose. These are wired up
to hold them in place until the jaws
are healed up sufficiently to hold the
teeth in place As long as the teeth arc
wired, the soldier can but just sepa-
rate his teeth so he has to live on a
liquid diet of milk, cocoa, or coffee.
One lad had an aperture between two
teeth large enough for him TO suck in
corn meal, so he was always looking
forward to the mornings when corn
meal was served at breakfast.
Another lad had his cheek laid open
clear to his upper lip by bullet OF
piece o. shrapnel. No bones were
touched, but when the wound healed
up, il left n hideous scar which turned
up one corner of his upper lip. So a
week ago, the surgeon slashed it all
TO pieces, and grated in part of his
under jaw. The lad was a fearful
sight when he was brought back from
the operating room. lie had over forty
stitches in his face. But it was won
derful success, and it looks now as
though there would be practically nC
scar when the wound heals up.
All the instruments used for operat
ing on or dressing wounds are care
fully sterilized and the nurse Away
uses rubber gloves which have beer
disinfeetcd before she dresses tn
wounds. So you see there is PRACTICAL,
no danger of an infected wound.
don Z know Of a single ease since
have been here.
Ny cold has bothered me quite hi
so / have been out only once or twic
in the past three weeks. Last Saturda
/ walked up street TO get a haircut.
never had a shave by French barber
but some Of the lads who have passe
thru the ordeal say il is a "thriller.
The barber makes n few passes owe
your face TO get his aim then rip
goes from one ear 10 the other A cal