Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-26
"D ."VANASTONlSHES
 ARMY SURGEANS WITH
 HIS HUMAN TARMENT
Surgeon Diycovrs Beet Methods of Trea ing Shell.Shocked Soldie-s at
 the Front.
Pke,s Ns.scauee

Paris, Dec. 23.-"Doctor Van" isn't doctor, really-that is. he has nev- CT been inside of medical school He is not commissioned officer, either. Two days after the war was declared in America, he enlisted in cne of the cities of the middle West and came over as a private. He is a sergeant now His experiences. driving an an1bu lance first. and af ter that in the front line and then in various camrs in France till he was se1lt to base hospital as patient, would fill several diaries, if he keeps such things, which I doubt.
 But there are a good many men III that base hospital who owe their returning health to him. after they had been ill bed for weeks and even months. Now. although they admit that he is we'll again. they will not let him go from the hospital. because a tran9fer is lcTg and tedious busi- ness to bring a'hout, and they need him here to help out with the pa- tients.
 He was only out of bed a day or so himself when he came across two boys in ono of the wards. who had been in the hospital since April. One of them had been an interpreter with the French army and the other was a Marine from Chateau Thierry. They had been shellshockked, and in all these months--from Apri. 70 S2ptem- ber-they had grown scarcely any better
 "Captain," Sergeant Van said one morning, 10 the doctor in charge of the ward. do you mind if I see what I can do for those men there? think I may be able to help them out a bit, if you don't mind"
 The captain looked at him inter estingly. r. it had boei any other man the captsn would have been indifferent. perhaps. But Sergeant Van has way with him.
 "What do you want to do With them?" he wanted to know.
 I'd just like to talk to them bit sir, new and then," Sergeant Van said.
 The captain threw up his hands.
 "Kamerad!" he cried iovially. "Talk is the deadliest medicine on ton of the earth"
 q was meaning it, sir, the Ser geant said steadily.
 ''Oh. go ahead, Van,' the Captain agreed Do anything you blame please"
 The next morning on his rounds the captain stopped beside the bed of the first of the two men who had been shall-shocked,
 "How's is coming this morning, -cve?" he asked.
 "F-f-fi,e. sir" was the answer. a little unsteadilv given. perhaps, but the Captain did not notice that. He sat down on the bed and looked at the hov in amazement Those were the firet words he had spoken aloud since the day he came to the nos pital, unconscious five months befNTe.
 At that moment Sergesalt Van hove into sight from the diet kitchen He had plate of milk toast in his haods--,, p'ats that the hov in bed fcllowed with an interested gaze.
 Beg pardon, sir" ergeant Van said. saluting Out I must ask you to wait until my patient has had his breakfast before you talt with him"
 The astonished captain allowed himeelf to te waved from the bed 10 the nearest chair and watched in engagement the boy devour the toast. His bands shook so from shell-snocK, thst he could scarcely manage it. but be was propped up and fed himself, with every appearance of keen inter- est 1T, his food The day before the boy had not been able to swallow arvthiny hut li"uid food. and he couldn't have held tho spoon.
 The captain beckoned sergeant Nsn to the end of the ward. Did you do that?" he demanded. "Yes sir" admitted Sergeant Van. "How in blue blaze" began tae