The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-04-23
Declares He viii Walk Again and
Asks for Typewriter.
VICTIM OF HUN BRUTALITY
Both Legs ~Amputated as Result OF
Injuries Received When Germans
Bombed Hospital, He Has Become
Champion optimist and Cheer Pro.
Queer Of War-Amazes Doctors and
Nurses.

Probably the champion optlmist and
cheer producer that Uncle Sans war
against the Hun has developed is a
ruddy-faced lad who Is now a patient
at Walter Reed General hospital just
outside of Washington. His name is
Aubrey Mcleod.
Mcleod had worked part of his way
through Purdue when the call came
from his country for troops on the
Mexican border. Mcleod, then a great,
husky bear of n boy-he Ii twenty
three MOVEMENT with the first lot to
keep the Mexicans from numbering
outside of their own baillwick.
When President Wilson accepted the
bloody gauntlet thrown down by the
Hun, Mcleod, having been mustered
out, took virtually the next BOAT for
France. He enlisted in the Harvard
ambulance unit. Shortly thereafter
he was doing his work of mercy at an
English-American base sector, where
he saw six months service.
Huns Bomb Hospital.
One night last September, while
Mcleod was asleep In the hospital
tent, several Hon aviators few owe
the place dropping bombs. The explo-
sions Killed Lieut.. William L. Fitzsim-
mons of the army medical reserve
corps, and three privntes. Lieuts. Clar-
nee A. Mcclure, Thaddeus ID. Smith
and Rea w. Whidden, officers of the
reserve corps, six ~privates, an army
medical corps nurse and % wounded
British Tommies, were injured. Nc
Leod was one Of the privates wounded,
Both feet were shattered. Two big
holes were torn In his back. Gas gan
creme set in, and the feet were ampu-
tated.
But McLeod's CHEEKY disposition re-
manned untouched. All he said was,
"Cut 'em off, doctor give me a pair
of wooden feet and I'll go back to sol
diering."
On four different occasions after
that McLeod's wounds developed gas
gangrene and speedy amputations were
necessary. After the Ave operations,
McLeod's two legs were left 40 longer
than a mans fingers.
And despite all this, Mcleod Is the
same CHEEKY, enthusiastic boy that he
was when he entered the service.
McLeod's case is unique In medical
history. The army medical corps doc
tors are going to try to fit artificial
legs to the stumps that are left him,
Ii they are successful, 1t will be the
first time on record that a man with
such short amputations will have re-
gained what Mcleod calls the EEK.
quisite Joy Of walking" With such
short stumps he will have to walk
with his shoulders" Mcleod says he'll
"do 1t or bust"
Amaxes the Doctors.
The army doctors are CONSTANT,
amazed at McLeod's u~nquenchabl'
spirit. They have seen few who lool
forward to a life of contentment ant
actual Joy after tribulation. But h,
does. Because of this inspiring men
tai attitude of McLeod's, the army doc
tors want to keep him, IL possible. Ii
the service to do work In special hos
pitfalls and rehabilitation work to he'll
them bring wounded Sammies back t.
mental as well as physical health.
Mcleod, In ward b, is a JOY to tn
army doctors, the army nurses, and al
patients with whom he INT In con
tact.
outside Of his desire to try out hi
artificial legs, Mcleod has N obses
sion. He wants a typewriter. Ill
wants 1t badly.