Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1920-12-23
Former Baraboo Lad Tells of In
teresting Work in Hospital in
Tacoma, Washington
ALL BOYS ARE EX-SERVICE
MEN, MERCHANT MARINES
Inmates of Institution Taught to
Take Up Life Anew by Learn
ing Some Trade

-
Louis w. Jacobs, son Of Mr.. and
Mrs. l.. M. Jacobs of this city, Is
now located in Tacoma, Wash. The
following interesting letter tells OF
his work there:
Presently, 1 am located at the Unit
ed States Public Health hospital So,
located at Tacoma, Wash. This place
was formerly the old Cushman Indian
trade school where the Indians were
taught a trade. 1t is now hospital.
We are situated about two miles from
the heart of the city, on the Seattle
highway, and about three blocks from
a car line. Being on side hill the
city is in front of us and nights it is
a very picturesque sight all lighted
up. The institution consists OF about
sixty buildings including the houses
of the doctors and the other power
plants and lighting places. We have
electric lights and steam heat and
all conveniences. By looking out my
front windows, I can see the wonder
ia mountains and by going over to-
ward q, I can see the famous snow
capped Mt Rainier. 1t is almost 49,
900 feet high and is mighty slightly,
At sunset it is pink. The ferns are
green yet on the reservation and the
grass too. Marigolds are still in bios
som in our beds We have a very
fine laundry here and my clothes are
Iaundered at half price.
The boys here are all former ex-
This hospital is a Neuro-Phvschic in
stitution We have now over 110
patients. 1t will be the largest hos
pital Of it's kind in the northwest.
These men are all suffering from shell
shock, nervous troubles, paralysis etc.
Very few are bed patients. The very
first thing they receive upon enter
ing is rest. They are kept in bed for
several days and then given many
examinations until all conditions OF
stood. Many types of treatments are
given. We have several Hydro-Thera
pists who give all sorts of mud, water
and spray baths besides messages.
Some days these treatments run into
the hundreds Then we have highly
trained workers who give all sorts
of electric treatments dealing with
violet ray and high frequency. The
very best of equipment is in this hos,
pital and the men are gaining daily
too. We also have an occupational
therapist who gives work to men who
are bed patients, Weaving, painting,
toy making, bead work, etc is in this.
This not only helps the patient Is
pass the time away and to make many
very wonderful and artistic things of
rare beauty but it has it's therapeutic
value too 1t helps to bring back the
mans mind normal thought to con-
struct things, to form things and to
be himself. It cannot be over estimated
in it's value a sa cureIf you might see
some of the wonderful things turned
out by these men in drawing, toys
and bags, you would not wonder that
the French envied outright our bags
beaded here. The men are given tho
best food we'll balanced and of the best
quality. I knew, eat it, have the ut
most regard for the government for it
is doing all it can to bring back these
men to their former condition.
Many Recreations
These men have a fine Red Cross
room with a piano and victrola and
we have all kinds of reading with a
splendid library Of over three hun
dred volumes. Then all kinds of talent
comes out from the city twice a week
for entertainments as we have a fine
stage and assembly hall seating about
five hundred. The pOpulace of Taco
ma has been very generous with US.
Being so near the city makes it easy
to have those things.
Coming to myself / have charge OF
the school that the Federal Board of
Vocational Education sends in these
hospitals am an Educational Direct
or and have two teachers with me.
One teaches academic subjects and
the other commercial work. We have
a mighty busy school and the boys
all seem anxious to take something
to take up their time and to help them
gain. My commercial department is
filed and my department of academic
work as many men had been loggers
before this and now never car go