Connecticut western news., 1920-04-22
LEONARD WOOD
 AS PHYSICIAN
Looked Upon as an Especially SkiIIfuI Diagnostician and
 Surgeon.

General Leonard Wood was trained for the profession of medicine and surgery, and practiced steadily for about fourteen years-that Is, from 1884, when he graduated from liar. yard, till 1898, when he received his commission as colonel of the Rough Riders. For thirteen years he served as assistant surgeon and post surgeon fin the army, part of this time being stationed at Washington, D. O.
 Woods skill as a physician and sur geon is best known among the army officers at the posts where he served. It testifies to his proficiency that he was family physician to both Presi- dents Cleveland and Mckinley. The latter's wife was an invalid and re- quired and received the best care which the country could afford Gen eral Wood was asked once if he had specialized in any branch of his pro- fession.
 Specialized he exclaimed. "A post surgeon can't specialize. You've got to be able to treat all sorts of cases from fracture to collie. You have to look after the injuries and sick nesses of the officers and enlisted men and diphtheria and whooping cough of the officers babies"
 General Wood admitted, however, that he had been more interested in surgery than any other branch of med ical science and would probably have entered that field if he had continued with his profession.
 An army officer who served for a long time with General Wood while the latter was post surgeon declares that Wood was looked upon as a won- derfully exact diagnostician and ex- ceptionally able doctor.
 "Wood had become attached to a young lieutenant who had recently ar rived at our post and had showed great deal of ability as football play er," said this officer. After a football game one day Wood, who then held the i rank of captain, turned to the lieu tenant and said rather brusquely: I understand that you are a married man and that your wife Is sick. Where is sheP
 'The lieutenant told Captain Wood she had been in a Southern sanitarium for seven months suffering from a mal- ady which baff1ed the doctors who had examined her. Captain Wood asked the young officer to describe the symp- toms, which he did.
 "'Sounds like necrosis of the bone,' said Captain Wood. You bring your wife home. No use paying sanitarium fees for a case of that sort. I'll guar antee that I'll have her walking within six weeks after I perform an opera tion'
 "The officer took the advice, and Wood was better than his word, for the lieutenant's wife was dancing with in six weeks after an operation per formed by Wood. She had consulted seven doctors, two of them specialists in bone diseases. It Is needless to add that the husband and wife were mighty grateful and never forgot Woods skill and kindness"
 General Wood has never given up his interest in his old profession and he follows it's progress with the keen- est attention. Before entering the army he practiced for several months in Boston. He had no lack of patients, but most of them were so poor they could not afford to pay. Some time ago General Wood told 8 friend that during his Boston practice he was so hard up" that for a while he lived on twenty-five cents a day, five cents for g breakfast of coffee and rolls, ten cents for stew at noon, and ten cents for a glass Of milk and sandwich at night.