Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-01-06
Worldto Benefit By War Medicine
New Methods and Discoveries Will Save Lives Hence
forth-Some Marvels of Up-to-Date Surgery.

SooSte' at INST AIKEN somewhat as
a joke, became a serious menace, for
greatest little disease carrier on
earth, compared with which the New
Jersey mosquito was as nothing. 1t is
now generally admitted that the
"cootie' transmitted more disease
during the war than any other single
agency. But now the doctors know
all that is to be known about this
pest and have learned to muzzle the
%"cootie," SO to speak.
Disease in time Of war has always
caused more deaths than shot and
shell. This was the case during the
brief Spanish-American war, and his
tory has repeated itself during the
war that has just ended. In this con-
%nection it is interesting to record the
established fact that the total death
roll of the United States forces in the
war was just about one-half of the
toll that was exacted of us by the
recent epidemic of Spanish influenza.
Nor should it be overlooked that in
times of peace, the deaths annually
from industrial accidents in this
country are estimated to be approx
mately 10000. In many accidents
where the patient is not killed, he or
she energies from the hospital a
hopeless cripple. But the new sur
gerry, the surgery developed during
the war, will not only save many of
these industrial victims. but will help
to restore to usefulness the lame and
the halt n the blind.
In a hospital in Milan, Italy, they
nave been experimenting successfully
with a new apparatus which insures
immobility of the mouth and jaws,
a ND time ,,,o111~ ~ ,--1 e. -
physician to rebuild, reshape and
even to actually restore, lost functions
to men who were suffering from
mouth wounds. This marvellous jaw
lock consists of two light metal arcs,
one of which is placed on the outside
or the lower range Of teeth and the
other on the upper range, the whole
being fastened to the teeth by metal
ligaments in such fashion that no
movement Of the mouth can distract
the physician at work. And while the
work goes on, the patient is fed by
means Of liquid food inserted be-
tween the interstices of the teeth. BY
means Of this continuance the wonder
WORKER IN surgery car practically
make over a human face.
Connected with this amazing hos
pital in Milan, where war remnants
are made over into presentable hui
man beings, is a facto..y where arti-
fetal palates, jaw bones and other
parts are manufactured. Some of
the products that come from this
factory are said to be such astound-
ing substitutes for natures own handi-
work that it is often difficult to tell
where nature left off and modern sci
ence began.
Equally amazing strides have been
made in the manufacture of artificial
limbs. which are so cunningly sub
stituted by the attending
that the victim Of war all the ap-
pearance of being a whole man. In
other words, the var has made it
necessary for the surgeon to under
stand h human anatomy as the
skilled m~echanician understands a
machine that he has helped to build
from the ground up. And so familiar
have the doctors become with every
conceivable sort of disagreement and
mutilation, that a gruesome new art
has grown up-an art that smacks OF
miracles and magic. but is based on
common sense. observation OF detail,
and a supernormal skill.
The modern hospitals in New York
and other cities will bring these
benefits to the public. The wiza-dry
OF war has made men perform the
seemingly unperformable, and wound
ed doughboys who have fought for
world freedom will have every ad-
vantage that modern surgery can sug-
gestI In the treatment of their wounds
by American surgeons, than uhom
there are no better.
But the war has affected the hos
pital service in New York very seri-
ously on account OF the great need
for surgeons on the other side. The
recent influenza epidemic proved that.
1t Is a matter of record that only one
person in ten who needs hospital care
in New York gets 1t, and the United
Hospital Fund Is now trying hard to
put New York hospitals in a position
to do more work for more people. AS
q matter OF fact, the hospitals pro-
vided by the city provide only 40 pc.
cent of Tho totsl hospital bed capac-
lily OF New York.
It has been estimated that under
normal conditions about 3 per cent of
the people are sick. Apply, these ng-