Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-01-23


boy. Granted, it Is a great many crippled young
to see at one time, there at Walter Reed; a
tragedy of TO make the simplest soul beWll-
dered. But look again, and again-week by week.
or month by mOnth-then you see the beginning
of this miracle of remaking which is being
wrought there by the doctors, surgeons, educators
and psychologists of the medical department of
our army Indeed, sometimes it is a miracle of
life more abundant" growing out Of seeming
helpessness.
This may be an illustration of it. and how it is
threefold Here is a boy who went overseas as
one of our defenders. He could not read or write,
but he could do the things that soldiers do, and
endure the things that soldiers endure. He could
count off the seconds before the order came to
charge German trench, and then when the
order came he could go over the top and he did
for all of us here at home; and he was struck
by one Of the shells that were blasting at him as
he charged, and he fell.
When the stretcherbearers found him they
saw that his was an amputatiOn case. Perhaps
you have seen in the movies prepared by the
medical department Of the army, how these
stretcher-bearers, privates in the medical corps
make the skilful tourniquet, the emergency splint
of rife and grass for such boy as this one, how
they rush him to the nearest dressing station,
and how he is taken back to his field and then
base hospital If you have not, undoubtedly you
will soon have the opportunity for the film will
be sent broadcast.
There is another film that shows part of the
fhreefold miracle for the returned men at Walter
Reed but only part Q) the film show you
how such boy make one arm or one leg do
the work of two; (2) it illustrates graphically how
he is trained to more interesting and well-paid
trpde than he had before the war, and his ampu-
tation-but (3), the film alone, of course, cannot
show you the life more abundant which he feels
coming through the training of his mind, as he
learns to read and write and life reveals new
wonders and new opportunities.
Mai B. T. Baldwin, S. c., u S.A., with his assist
ants has provided opportunities of advancement
for all of these men, While few words might
explain in general what it is that works this mir
Acle of what the surgeons call Reconstruction"
it has taken the evolution of all the centuries to
develop the knowledge which these surgeons and
now possess.
The process of reconstruction begins with the
physical treatment, medical or surgical,
and the various kinds of physiotherapy.
This is followed or carried on in conjunction with
that occupational reconstruction which develops
new muscular control and power in the partially
paralyzed limb or in the stump while it is at the
same time teaching a new trade or occupation
through that very exercise and in the third place
it is, simultaneously, clearing and training the
mind.
1t is a process slow, patient full of the wonder
Of rebirth. There is one workshop there at Walter
Reed where the once almost helpless fingers of
one returned boy have been forming, very gradual
", a silver necklace of great beauty-the hands
and the mind of that boy becoming the hands and
he mind of artist as he has worked. Curious
hat through being injured there should come
ife more interesting, more significant, more crea-
i've
On the ten-acre farm and in the seven modern
greenhouses ut Walter Reed cruelty crippled men
ire finding life tmmeasurably enhanced through
heir work with growing things. Sometimes men
Who could call only n few flowers by name see in
hem now their loved vocation for the future.
By every means known to modern science the
minds of those others who have been clouded by
hook or wound helped to find themselves
gain to take hold of the opportunities waiting
or them there; there is scarcely man so dis
bled that there is not waiting for him through
hese hospital opportunities definite advance
rent i'm fe--f only his family the public the
ountry at large will understand.
Let the following list of subjects and occnpa-
ons which being taught under the admnistra-
on of Major Baldwin show how definitely this
atement is true. Then let go with these
me crippled boys to the theater ana see
range sight remembering that these are oppor-
mites that they carry in their minds:
"You will be enrolled In more Of the
lowing" says a bulletin addressed to them:
Academic Observation-Disclosures civil serv.
p commercial arithmetic. commercial English
law English foreign language, his
ny, mathematics premiership, craftsmanship