The sun., 1919-05-18
o

i'll hundreds OF miles from homo and
friends and acquaintance know some
thing OF the feeling Of helplessness
these men suffer from, not caring
S Sie. m0'n "ne'heF 'h'' recover or
One Of the ladies' met several young
fellows from New Jersey where she
| now resides and they wanted to know
| all about the news from home. An
other young man from a city in New
York State where she formerly re-
sided was delighted to talk about home
and what he was going to do when he
got there and I feel sure that the visit
FASTENED his recovery, somewhat at
least.
The sheilshock cases are pitiful.
Some lose their minds entirely. They
cannot talk and do not understand
what Is said to them. Gradually by
very patient effort the teachers and
nurses lead them on until in many
cases there Is complete recovery.
One man arrived without his papers,
so that all record OF who he was and
where he was from was lost. He was
unable to talk. His mind seemed a
perfect blank. The nurse began with
a handful Of red and white pieces of
cloth. All day long she kept him
busy. herself guiding his hand, select
ing only the red. After days OF this
work, what was wanted seemed to
dawn on the patient and he would
mechanically pick out the red pieces
alone. Then the same course was
pursued with the white until this part
Of the programme could be performed
without error. and gradually other
oolors were added and in a little while
the patient began to show that he
was again obtaining control over
himself.
Gradually through an equally la
borious process work was continued,
resulting in complete recovery. The
patient, giving his name and place OF
residence. was finally discharged and
sent home.
There Is what Is called an oppor-
tunity school in the hospital and It
is a school of considerable size. 1t Is
in charge OF Major Arthur D. Dean.
formerly Of Cornell University. This
school contains a crafts shop, where
clay modelling. drawing. painting.
carving. basketry, fret saving and
wood turning, &c. are taught. The idea
Is to give the convalescents something
to do and keep them occupied and at
the same time teach them something
they will be able to put to practical
use when they recover and are dis
charged. To prevent nervousness the
scholars are frequently changed from
one kind of work to another.
The work in the crafts shop helps
get the muscles back In shape and the
men do their utmost. knowing that
they are helping themselves. The
Opportunity School is in charge Of
Miss Barnum. Miss Field is the in
structor in wood carving.
Nell Walker, the Spanish teacher In
the School of Languages. was ousily
engaged with a scholar. giving him
lesson in Spanish. His head was
swathed, the bandages covering all but
his eyes and mouth. On inquiring his
name It was rather a surprise to heal
alfred Nichthauser." 1t Is not always
that the correct opinion OF persons can
be formed by their names. This man
certainly has proved his loyalty.
Miss Viteli teaches Italian Russian
and English. She has many italian
scholars, and is improving them In
their own language and teaching them
English as well. She has both Greek
and Russian scholars and she also acts
as interpreter for the doctors and
others.
Foreigners who do not understand
English very we'll are apt to be exceed
ingly nervous when sent to hospital.
fearing the kind Of treatment they Will
receive. It Is when they meet the In
terpreter, who can tell them in their
own language that they are to have
good care and treatment. that they
calm down and follow the instructions
of the nurses.
Business English. mathematics ana
various other elementary branches are
taught. The large number OF pa
tients received who cannot read or
write is surprising, and perhaps more
so is the fact that New York State