The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-11-02
American Red Cross
Works in Hospital
81 BEATRlcE wAsHsURN

Asheville, Nov. l. 1s21.-It is
easy to confuse it with tuberculosis
because it means practically the
same thing but what it really stands
for is permeanent and total disabili-
ty. At least that. is what the gov
eminent calls it but the boys-our
exservice men who were not killed in
France but who have come back to
die instead allude to it lovingly as
P. and T. because it means 800 a
month and hospital care. They don't
seem to look ahead and see what it
means besides but perhaps it is just
as well. They are still pretty young
it was characteristic Of our Ameri-
can army-and perhaps death in a
n. B. Hospital is no worse than death
in the trenches after all, except that
it takes little longer.
stop a minute in ward / and 2 and
lock them over while the Red Cross
medical worker goes from bed to bed.
Ward j represents the danger cases"
at U. S. P. H. S. Hospital so and
1t contains view across the Blue
Ridge mountains that rise, like low
Ing, violet guardians from the circl-
ed hills.
Ward / has men Of every class,
state. and former rank. There is
a captain there and commander in
the navy, lieutenant colonel and a
merchant marine but most Of them
are privates. tuberculosis is a great
leveller Some Of these men come
from California, two from Maine, six
from the Middle West, and the others
from the south. Some Of them are
from your state, no doubt, or even
your community for Ward is always
full There is never any dearth Of
patients. The boys. in the jocuar
spirit that even hemorrhage can not
puen-refer TO it as st Peters" ward.
There are 1000 more men in the hos
pital and some Of them will be dis.
charged as arrested cases" but many
of them. it is feared, WIN come to
ward i in the end. It is the place
they STOP
Il amt kicking against the gov
ernmeatH lays Charlie feebly from
the first Charlie looks so young
that it is hard to believe he is
veteran Of the world war and not just
a little boy but his discharge papers
show that he was gassed in the Ar
gonne. His xray plate will show
you-if you have the heart to look-
that Charlie has only great vacan-
cy in three lobes Of his lungs-he
breathes painfully through the fourth
Charlie halls from Georgia.
"No Ma'am, amt maxim kick
against the government. Folks say
the government amt treatin' us boys
right-you might find folks In this
hospital to say that very thing but
reckon the government has treated
me white. / got my p and THE
Red Cross helped me file it and now
it's come"
Charles voice trails away into
silence. The boy ii the next bed
to him opens bright. unseeipg eyes
and the nurse bends down to stroke
his burning hand. He is a beautiful
boy-with curls and big brown eyes
and the fever gives him a CHASTITY
illusion OF health. The Red Cross
has sent for the boys mother, tfortu-
fnately he is not married) and she will
be here tonight but there is no use
in telling him this. Besides. he would
not understand. Towards the end
tuberculosis some times grants her
victims the mercy Of unconsciodsness.
Seems like l would kinda like to
go home again and see the folks !"
pants the boy, each word a sharp
staceato.
The Red Cross worker says. softly
for fear she viii choke on the words
How would you like your mother
to come and see you here, and your
little friendY
The boy has been engaged for four
years ever since the day he marched
away to war. His eyesalready more
than half his face, begin to burn like
candles. He only pants and gives up
trying to speak.
I'VE will put them up at this Hos
tess House" continues the Red Cross
worker who has already transported,
welcomed and tried to comfort 161
relatives Of dying patients. Eve
win keep them as long as they want
to stay
She knows and The 1rss kr ) IS
and the chaplain who has been in
Just that morning TO see him that
the mother and iitsle fioncse will
not stay long.
From the lower bed comes a deep,
husky voice. Meet seargent John
Smith Of East Tennessee who was
at Fismes Sergeant Smith has still
two lObes left to breathe with.