The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-11-20
Former Weaklings Now Have
Muscles Like a Black
smiths Apprentice.
INJURED TO ALL HARDSHIPS
Outdoor Work and Proper Food Make
HusKies of Them Army Doctors
Continually on Watch for
Health of Men.


American boy, judging from the solid,
healhy-looking specimens you see
uudging up and down the lines and
holding them.
It is a series of surprises you have
with the American army, continually
meeting some husky whom You hardly
recognise because back in the States
he was that fra1l little William
JONES' tndcr Uncle Sans care he
has grown shoulders of "A football
l, player. ana lie marches on a pair Of
isEs twice as stout as they used TO be,
and YOU couldn't call him Willium If
YOU had to--his only name is Bill, now
hat he has joined the heavyweight
class.
Despite the fears of the family for
the boy, it has done him good to join
up in Uncle Sans army His present
healthy condition is due to a number
0f causes, not the least Of which is the
ply zeal training he has undergone TO
| enable him TO stand hardship. Thc chap
who couldu't take gymnasium at high
| school because he had weak heart
has become Il doughboy who thinks
nothing Of marching all night with II
| pack on his back and then standing
guard next day
Strong as 8Iacksmiths.
Outdoor work almost continually
and being tired enough at the end Of
| the day 70 drop down and sleep any
whore, has been just the thing TO in-
ure lhe hoy to hardships. He is out
not only in summer when it is pleas
ant hut in rain and wind, and his life
has made him hard ana rugged. and a
| far better man physically than when
! he came to France. jogging mp and
down roads on an artillery caisson, or
! handlmg huge truck. has given the
former drug clerk muscles like those
Of the blacksmith's apprentice.
The kind Of food he has had to eat
has been encouraging, too. Good solid
"chow," like beef, beans, potatoes and
bread, make man-power and they
have lots Of "chow" in the American
army Ii IS served up at regular in
tcrvals, and It builds muscles in the
soldiers arms and legs and makes him
J have broader, better tiled-out Shoul-
dcrs. They have dessert too in this
mans army, but instead Of the pies
ANA cakes Of peace days it is rice pud-
ding, or canned fruit.
Then the boy keeps pretty good hab-
its with the army here in France, ex-
ccpt for his night hours, which he be-
comes accustomed to, and which h0
makes up with sleep in the daylight
hours when Germans could see him if
he worked. The means of going even
ON mild "tcars" are not at the dough-
hoy'S disposal in the army, and any
way he is too busy beating the Ger
mans to think about anything but his
work, a situation which is helpful TO
his state Of mind, as we'll as his body.
lie is learning good living and clean
habits in the army.
Doctors on Lookout.
Then there are those army doctors
who arc continually watching to nip
anything in the bud that might break
down health of the men. A good foot
ball team I'm training never averaged
higher iii medical attention than Uncle
Sans fighters. Inspection takes place
ever SO often, and is careful. The men,
knowing they are entitled to treatment
freely. report sooner for attention
Dentists are far more popular than
they used to be, as well as doctors.
Even the chaps who are sent back
to hospitals gain by the deal, despite
the uomlar belief. by far the larger
nurlber of men in hospitals have mere
ly temporary disabilities.
The army hospitals run on one basis,
tl,.t of making a man better for serv-
ice than he was before. OF course
there are men who must go back home
after their hospital sojourns, but with
fle exception of few eases, they too
leave hospitals in healthier condition
: than they were in when they Joined
the army.
The reason is this: Every means OF
science is used freely to find out what
ails the doughboy who enters the hos
pital. and before he leaves every means
kncwp t. cure him has been tried
Tnrre is 90 question Of cost or whether
or not he wants to take the treatment
IIo gets it-which is Important. say
PHYSICIANS. since an enormous amount
OF disability in civilians is allowed tC
Increase. because of antipathy of many
people 10 medical treatment.
The soldier who arrives at hos
pital Is practically certain to get ~
N.rav examination all over, unless hi
trouble IS mere scratch and he i
an right otherwise. If anything ail
HIN. the medical meh End IT ont, an
th.v 20 right nfter the ailment at once
Thus tie soldier who came in To &c
his srpeGdiT removed may have hi
hlaes treated, his teeth fixed and hi
jest ear Operated upon and made pei
feet tie IS n decidedly better huma
! bsinE fos his hospital experience,