The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-22
BLUE GOWNS BUSY IN
u. 5. AND OVER THERE
Working In Hospitals Over Here AS
Weli---Recruited from Manual
Training Schools.
ELECTRICITY is GUIDE.
Typewriting and Basketry and Also
Childhood Lore of the spelling Book
Are Some of the COnNalescent
Activities.

Washington. D. G. July 21.-Teaeh-
Blue Gowns" Of the army medical
corps, at work now in the hospitals of
the United States and over there"
Reconstruction aides is their official
name. but the CHEEKY hue of their dis
tinctive uniform has already won
handler name for the special corps Of
seventy young women whose member
ship treats and teaches among the
manned soldiers brought back from
the battle front Theirs is the work
of coaxing back the wasted muscles
and disused limbs Of the wounded men,
and later by patient tutoring instilling
1 deftness IN new arts and vocations
which the hospital schools are planning
fer the returned colder,
Most Of the Blue Gowns" were re-
cruited from the instruction STATS of
manual training schools and civilian
hospitals. where experienced workers
were found avaiia Bile.
Carving Taught.
Beside table young fellow In uni
form was carving a conventional flower
border on a wooden picture frame,
says an official description of their
work. The design was his own and
the work was his first piece He was
inclined to be clumsy because he WAS
using his left hand A Blue Gown
was ready 10 guide and advise him The
use Of this mans right hand has been
permanently lost, IL was thought by
! him al one time that he was handi-
capped for life as a money Garner. be-
cause his successful profession had
heen that OF a mechanical craftsman.
So II is that he is wood carving, not
as A possible vocation, but 10 train
his left hand Not only are his I'm
gers becoming ntmble by show degrees,
| but his mind Is al the same time oc-
cupied AS he become adept in left
| handed carving he Is preparing for
| the time when he will gain begin to
draft this time with his left hand.
| This mental concentration upon A new
! task is believed by doctors and rsy-
| biologists to he a valGa BILE antldete for
! disbursement
| "At the same open-alr workshop,
| which is the veranda Of hospital,
| one man was intent upon knitting a
/ scarf He had chosen worsted OF a
| coral pink. and the knitting was being
| done upon wooden framework. One
! group Of men, temporarily crippled
were carving desiFns upon wooden
! blocks and several were learning 10
weave upon hand looms
Electricity IS Guide.
| Typewriting and basketry, and also
| the childhood lore of the spelling book
| and the arithmetic are some OF the con-
| yalescent activities which the Blue
! Gowns direct. IN the treatment rooms
! inside they were guiding electrical APP
| pliances and administering the com
pItcated series Of treatments that per-
feet the restoration work started by
| the surgeons at the front. There is "A
| large field for their work among sol
/ ders who have been imprisoned for
weeks in casts and handaEes after 4
! wound had been sustained, and tht
army provides through the Blue
| Gowns" the trained operators.
Since the corps was organized under
Miss Marguerite Sanderson last Janu
airy, pay and status for its member
has been established They receive s5t
| a month while on duty in the United
| states, and $50 n month Il they gC
| abroad. They are housed al the hos
| pitfalls or allowances Of $3.50 a month
additional Is made them for quarter:
outside. Age limits have been FIXED
from twenty-five TO forty years.