The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-11
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
RUREAU
FREDERIC J. HASKIN, Director
Washington, D. c.
WORKING SICK MEN WELL.
Washington. D. c.

WORKING SICK MEN WE'LL.
Washington, D. c., Sept. S.-Situ-
ated on the outskirts Of Washington.
in high stretch of open country, is
the Walter Reed Army hospital, now
g gagged in it's reconstruction wards, in
restoring to health American wounded
sent back from France. They are
coming in rapidly now-mostly ampu-
tation cases. Physiologically. they
present very few difficulties. The
work. of the surgeons at the front
can seldom be improved upon. But
psychologically, they present a prob
lem which it has taken an entirely
new science to solve-the science OF
| occupational therapy.
Here at the Walter Reed hospital
they not only have operating rooms.
sick wards, convalescent wards and all
the other features of a regular hos
pitaI, but they have a carpenter shop,
a business college, a printing estab-
lishment, farm, an Oriental rug FAC
| tory, an elementary school, and
! courses in advanced mathematics.
From a few red brick buildings, with
white pillared porticos. the institution
| has gro yn ia the size of a small town,
| with q power plant at one end, farm
at the other. and thick scattering of
rough pine workshops and long. mar
row, frame dormitories in between. II
it were not for the screened porches
| that run the full length of the dormi-
tories, and the informal costume Of
the patients, which is grey flannel
bathrobe, visitor might easily mis-
| take the Walter Reed hospital for a
university, possibly specializing in
| medicine.
The other day a group of bathrobed
| a a
| table on the porch of building
marked. Curative Workshop" Three
of them were big. light-haired Swedes,
i two were small, dark Sicilians, two
were blond, raw-boned youths from
our own rural districts. and one was a
negro. All were busily copying pas
sages out of textbooks under the sup
ervision of a man in khaki One of
the, Swedes was writing with his left
hand because his right hand was miss
ing. This is class of illiterates,"
explained one of the hospital instruc.
tors. They are just learning how to
read and write, and they are fascinat-
ed by it. Under the stimulus of this
new interest they are getting well at
a great rate
I'VE have meen of all nationalties
here" the instructor continued, "men
of all degrees of education. intelli-
gence and physical capacity. Each
mans case must be considered sepa-
ton for him, but it must be an occu-
patton adapted to-his specific needs
III he has stiff joint, he must be
given work to take the stiffness out;
If his legs are injured so that he can
not use them, he must be taught some
occupation depending upon the use of
his hands; if nervous he is given work
to occupy his mind, and if his hea ri
is weak his occupation must be light. u
Not far from the group of students
on the porch. under the shade of a
stretched canvas roof. three privates
in blue oyeralls were working on three
different automobiles in various stages
OF decrepitude. One was barely more
than chassis; one was minus it's front
wheels and engine, and the other was
whole but extremely battered The
third private was preparing to paint il
dark blue. 1t was hot day The
mems faces were stained with per-
spira ton, but they swore cheerfully
as they worked, which in the Ameri.
can male is sign of deep content
ment. Those are nervous PATIENTS
said the instructor. I'VE gave then
automobile work because it keeps theil
minds occupied without producing any
mental strain. They don't have to dc
1t If they don't want to, but they have
been at it all day."
OccupationaI therapy is instituted a
the Walter Reed hospital as soon as g
patient is able to sit up in bed, before
ne can become prey to melancholy
reflections upon his physical condi
tfons. Materials and tools are brought
to him by cheerful women in blue uni.
forms and wells. who show him how t
make a variety of useful articles
With a small hand loom, made of dis
carded adhesive plaster spools ant
pine wood in the hospital carpenter
shop, he is taught how to knit helmet
and socks and belts. The belt O
| Ia -.
thing that decides man to learn tt
knit They are very popular, ant
nearly every patient has one.
Many men prefer embroidery t.
knitting, but fewer of them succeed
at this because the average male il
hopelessly clumsy when it comes t,
handling a needle. Nevertheless, SOM
very good work is turned out. The,
$ have collection of embroidered ant
r stenciled bags, centerpieces and tabl
covers. here at the hospital whicl
; would do credit to a professional EN-
broidery establishment. Also. one o
1.-THE men declares that the embroidere,
knitting bag he sent home to his wifi
was SO well done that he has nave
been able to make her believe he did II
Wooden toys are also made by tn
men while still confined in their beds
and willow baskets in all shapes an
l colors. The effect of color on the sic
: mans mind is taken into considera
| ton, and the somber colors are KEEP
: away from him. Instead, his toys ar
Y made OF brightly painted woodf hi
. baskets are of yellow, orange. gree
, and blue grass and his embroidery de
signs are planned by the new schoo
Of artists. Recently, one of the re
n construction aides developed an ar
= paratus which permits a man to Sc
type in bed, and typesetting is no,
: gaining in popularity. The other da
one invalid set the type Of patriot
: song in large letters, while his conrad
!, in the next bed drew an illustratio
. for it.
Il AS long as a man remains in be
a the occupations afforded him ar
d necessarily limited, but when he
!, able to get up and &alk about
L really useful vocation must be foun
t for him-something that will enabl