Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-08-16
WOUNDED SOLDIERS ARE
QUICKLY CURED

Modern Surgery; new kinds of treatment re-
claim many for the army.
larger percentage of Germany's soldiers than
the outside world imagines those reclaimed
from what have heretofore been regarded fatal
wounds received in battle Modern surgery has
brought back, and rebuilt, thousands that in other
conflicts would have been nvalided for the remain
der of the war. Where a man is rendered incap-
able of doing front military duty he is into in
dustrial lines to release a person physically fit.
What percentage of its wounded Germany is
able to put back into active service can not be de-
termined, but it is interesting to know that sur
gerry and scientific treatment of wounded has pro-
crossed to such an extent in the American army
that so per cent of the wounded returned to
the forces for duty within three or four weeks In
order that this percentage may be maintained, and
even increased, Surgeon General Gorgas has estab-
lished special classes of instruction for a slected
corps of medical officers in which information for
the latest treatments is impaired What surgery
and scientific treatment has been the means of &C
complshing in retaining the injured will be one
or the most interesting chapters of the war, but
less interesting is study of of the disabili-
ties this has produced, yet little heard of in
prior wars, if at all In this class is she'll shook
the crash to the nervous system that comes as a
result or bombardments 1t might be also said that
no war has before produced the noise of this one
and that conclusions have never been experienced
as continuous and heavy.
The ordinary shell shock is calculated to leave
the subject in pretty much the physical attitude
OF the time the shock is received That is to say,
while nothing~fs wrong organicalIy the nervous
function is absent Surgeons have made an especial
study OF this condition, and how to bring the af-
1icted out of it. One system in Europe involves
the use of suggestion and music under which daul
influence the patient is brought back to normal
status surgeon being asked why mesmerism
would not be valuable replied that the patient, in
order to be reclaimed, would have to depend upon
his own will rather than that of another.
A small percentage of those receiving shell
shocks stricken dumb added affection and
this condition presents one of the most difficult
with which the surgeon has to deal. The man
can hear, but is unable to utter word He could
make a sound, but does not realize it His fear
is that he is doomed for the remainder of his life,
into the of his faculties and with that process
goes the dispatch of fear. simple treatment has
been worked out by surgeon in Europe, whereby
the patient is taken into room by the surgeon and
one assistant. Standing before the patient the
geon suggests that the patient wants to speak He
mods that he does.
'All right take a deep breath" instructs the
medical officer. When this is completed the assist
ant delivers quick blow against the ribs virtually
knocking the wind out of the forcing him to
utter a gutteral sound.
There, you spoke!" says the officer now try
it by yourself-take deep breath and get it out"
The patient goes it alone this time, frequently
with results but if not, then he is jabbed against
the ribs a second time, and again. until finally he
begins talking under his own power This process,
so the surgeon related, require anywhere from
few minutes to hours, and usually the operators
are much exhausted as the subject at its conclu-
sion.
Another affection is shell blindness the shock
taking a peculiar form in its effect upon the optic
nerve. An Iowa surgeon is said to have discovered
cure by operating upon the vertebrae of the neck,
which has become displaced, at the conclusion of
which the patient able to see within short
time.-Medical Insurance and Health Conserva-
ton.