The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-19
Van Horn Tells About His
Experiences in Gas House

4
time. The first gas we tried was teal
gas which is used good bit by both
sides. 1t is not fatal except in rare
cases, but. if strong enough and II
one is in it for a great length OF
4 time without a mask, it causes blind
ness.
But even if it doesn't kill, it is
very effective in putting out of &C
ton gun crews and small bodies OF
troops that fail to get the masks on
quick enough after the gas shell
bursts near them.
Seven seconds is the time allowed
for getting the mask out of it's case
and on the head. We went in the
gas house with masks on, but
couldn't notice any difference in the
air. After being in there for about
five or ten minutes we were ordered
to remove the masks
Troubles Begin.
Then our troubles started, for as
soon as the gas reached our eyes
tears flowed down our cheeks in
streams. We could see very little
and had to be guided out of the
house. 1t did not cause any pain that
could notice and after reaching
fresh air the tears stopped running.
The eyeballs remain a little blood
shot for q short time afterwards.
Il took a good sniff of it before
leaving the gas house but 1 can't de-
scribe the odor. 1t isn't an unpleas-
ant smell, neither is it pleasant
just about $3.50 and strange
Gas That Kills.
THE next morning we went back
for the chlorine gas, the kind that
kills.
with the masks on the air was
pure and caused US no trouble, but,
as before, We were allowed to leave
some of the gas enter our masks.
Now this gas had our goats That
is, most all of Us were little afraid
of getting TOO much.
81 think that state of mind was
cause1 by the warnings about get
ting too much that the officers were
always shouting az US.
He Takes a Chance.
However, l wasn't going to let
the chance go by, so ! obtained a
good sniff. The gas causes a pecu-
liar, cold sensation in the nose and
throat, but doesn't pain 1t has an
odor that is neither pleasant nor un.
pleasant but that is as far as / can
describe H.
on Guard at Hospital.
THE other experience / spoke of
is being on guard al the base hospi-
tai 1t isn't being on guard l like.
but the chance IL gives me TO give
the place the once over from the
inside. l am guarding prisoner
who Is suffering from an abcess in
an ear which caused an operation.
Each ward is separate and has
wide porch all around. The porch is
all screened in and well supplied
with big rocking chairs from one of
which / am now writing.
The ward contains thirty-tvo
white iron beds and now has about
twenty patients.
THE nurses are well trained and
seem to take great interest in the
condition Of the men
Doctors Are Cutters
All the men in this ward have
something wrong with nose, throat
or ears. The doctors visit those
that are bedfast every morning: the
others go TO the clinic.
The clinic is a rather cruel look
ing place, with about four doctors in
each room, nurse and an orderly
who are kept busy steiIizinrg those
awful looking prongs, knives and
tweezers. The place is very clean
and the doctors seem to be very care
| full
However, they don't waste snv
time; If something needs cutting
why they cut at once, at the same
time trying to cause as little pain as
/. possible"