Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-01-07
LETTER FROM
WASHINGTON, d. C.

Extracts from letter received from
Miss Prudential Woodward, who is en-
gagged in department work in Wash
ington, d. c., Saturday, Dec. 2Sth
"This afternoon we went to see the
| Walter Reed hospital, where we went
| all through the reconstruction build
| ings. There were only few at work
as it is holiday time, but we met most
of the instructors, saw the equipment
and much of the handicraft. In the
carpenter shop the work is planned to
give the men exercise for certain
muscles, and at the same time enable
them to really make things. For in
stance, they use the jig saw to exercise
leg stumps that have artificial limbs
attached. There is a machine shop,
an oriental rug-weaving shop where
men are taught to weave rugs as in the
Orient, with the idea of equipping
them to mend real Oriental rugs. Then
there's a jewelry shop where they
learn to make lovely hand-wrought
jewelry of silver. The instructor in
charge there, is a little civilian who is
entirely wrapped up in his work. We
had quite long talk, as I've always
been interested in that sort of thing.
There was one man there who had lost
his right arm. He was making a
silver ring out of Belgium coin.
You could still see the letters on it.
The class in drafting had done some
very fine work, evidences of which
were scattered around the room. Of
course all this work is done by Grip
pies and other wounded men. Some
take it up for it's primary value-ex-
ercise in co-ordinating strange or dis
used muscles, and as an occupation,
Some of the men, of course, will take
it up as vocation. We saw some
fine examples of engraving. One man,
Marine, is almost ready to qualify
as an expert engraver. The instruct
er told us that this fellow said that at
Belleau Wood, his division of five
thousand came out of the battle with
seven hundred and fifty men. The NOR
tality and wounds have been by far the
heaviest among the Marines owing to
the character of their fighting. We
were also taken through the artificial
limb department. They have all sorts
OF devices to start the men out with.
After the stumps get accustomed to
artificial appendages, and the men
have been trained to help themselves,
they get orders from the government
for the best limb made. The lower
limbs are the most wonderful, for a
man with both legs amputated can
learn to walk easily and well. The
new arm is not so satisfactory of
course, and really seems rather grue-
some to think Of
Every manufacturing concern MAX
ing artificial limbs has a man here to
help in the work. The hospital grounds
are pretty in places. The permanent
buildings are very pretty Georgian
structures of red brick with white
trimmings. The temporary buildings
| are fully as ugly as such buildings
usually are. l don't know just how
many buildings there are, but it's a
good many, with more going up. The
hospital is built on the famous battle
ground where Gen. Early made his
record. In excavating for the build
ings they dug up shells and common
balls filled with shrapnel. There are
men instructors and lady aids who
assist in the work. The women are
paid about twice as much as the men.
When we returned from the hospital,
we were cold, tired and hungry, and
we realized winter is here.