The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1919-01-16
MEDICS PUZZLED
|. BY DOCTOR Van
His Cure Of Shell Shock Cases in
France Astonishes
Physicians.
never STUDIED MEDICINE
Sergeant AceompIishes WONDERFUL Re
suits in Treatment Of Patients Suf.
fering From Nervous Attic
tions-Says He Is Not
Hypnotist.

/ 80 Aos A~OStOk Sdu 1911 L u QOCIO
really-that is, he has never been in
side medical school. He is not com
m1ssioned officer, either. Two day.
after war was declared in a "a hi
enlisted In one Of the cities q mid
die West and -came over as /; waite
He is sergeant now. His experiences
driving an ambulance first, and after
that in the front line and then in vari
Gus camps in France until he was sent
to base hospital as a patient-would
ill several diaries, if he keeps such
things, which / doubt.
But there are great many men in
that base hospital who owe their re-
turning health to him after they had
been in bed for weeks, and even
months. Now, although they admit
that he is we'll again, they will not. let
him go from the hospital, because a
transfer is long and tedious bust
ness to bring about, and they need him
there to help out with the patients.
He was out of bed only q day or so
himself when he came across two bows
in one of the wards who had been in
the hospital since April. They had been
shell shocked, and in all those months,
from April to September, they had
grown scarcely any better.
Asks Leave to Try.
captain" Sergeant Van said one
morning to the doctor in charge of the
ward, do you mind If I see- what 1
can do for those men there? 1. think
[ may be able to help them out bit if
you don't mind"
The captain looked at him interest
edly. If it had been any other man the
captain would have been Indifferent,
perhaps. But Sergeant Van has way
with him.
"oh. 60 ahead, van," the captain
agreed. do anything you blame
please"
Next morning on his rounds the cap
tain stopped beside the bed of the first
of the two men who had been shell
shocked. :
Flows it coming this morning,
boys? he asked.
'sFf-fine, sir" was the answer. q. lit
tie unsteadily given, perhaps, but the
captain did not notice that. He sat
down on the bed and looked at the boy
In amazement. Those were the first
words he had spoken aloud since the
day he came to the hospital, .uncon-
sclous, five months before.
At that moment Sergeant Van hove
into sight from the diet kitchen. He
had plate of milk toast-a plate the
boy in bed followed, with an interested
gaze.
BEG pardon, sir" Sergeant Van
said, saluting. ."but must ask you to
wait until my patient has had his
breakfast before you talk with him."
The astonished captain allowed him
self to be waved from the bed to the
nearest chair and watched in amaze
nent the boy devour the toast. His
lands shook so from shell shock that
he could scarcely manage 1t, but he
vas propped up and fed himself, with
every appearance Of keen interest In
his food. The day before the boy had
lot been able to swallow anything but
liquid food, and he couldn't have held
he spoon.
The captain beckoned Sergeant Van
o the end of the ward.
did you do thatY' he demanded.
Eyes, sir" admitted Sergeant Van.
'How in blue blazes'-began the
aptain and paused for lack Of words.
''I'll show you if you like, sir"
II would like" ordered the captain.
Astonishes the Doctors.
So Van showed him, though the doc
or couldn't quite make 1t out at that
ust what Van did. He stroked their
eads a little and massaged their
hroats a bit, and all the time he
alked to them In the quietest voice in
he world. Ten minutes after he be-
an the boys were asleep, naturally,
'ithout tremor In the bodies that
ad been nerve-wracked for weeks.
he doctor looked at Sergeant Van
elplessly and left shaking his head.
Two weeks later Sergeant Van held
clinic before major general Of the
ledical corps and several majors and
I'LL more captains and lieutenants-
II men of reputation in America as
octors. Two of his subjects were the
len over whom he worked that first
forming. They came into the clinic,
lear-eyed and straight and ruddy as
thletes from the field.
They passed tests that the doctors
ouldn't pass themselves.
Since then the shell shock cases have
cen in Vans hands. The doctors
make their heads and wonder.
In the camp and the hospital they
Ill him the "hypnotist."
."It isn't that hypnotized them at
H." he will tell you. 81 just tell them
lat they are bigger than their nerves,
nd that they can control them if they
,ally want to. And show them how
hey believe it because tell them 1t
so, and then, you See. they are we'll
doof0rc oopfipTJa to wonder / 4