The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-02-06

otLCCtt WdS Ic. jected because of the injury to my left arm, which was beginning to resemble Q form of paralysis.
 T was terribly disappointed. I determined to get medical treat nlent that would put my arm into shape, wanted to be a marine. The marine slogan of First to Fight!' and the definition of a marine which I had gleaned from D pamphlet picked up at a recruit ing tent in City Hall Park fascin- ated me. A marine is 8 two-fisted fighting man! read. Enough.
 T changed my doctors and was advised what the arm needed was immediate exercise and sunshine. Whereupon I got a job as life guard for the summer season at keansburg, N. J.
 More Hard Luck
 "Jusr before the season closed, when the prospect of acceptance by the marine medical examiner was very bright, I had the indis- cretion to put the gloves on with one of the boys on the beach. A feeble left starting for the face was slipped. and in countering with a right my friend hit me right on the elbow. This bent the arm backward. causing 1t to drop Imply at my side. It was as bad ly injured as 1t had been at its worst. This was most dishearten- ing. The world looked black. There was nothing to do, now that the season was about to close, but go back to New York to undergo more treatment.
 Upon returning to New York ] found myself with no job, no money and a practically useless left arm. Two months of discour- aging daily treatments in the mechanotherapy department in the basement of Bellevue Hospital, produced very little improvement.
 T got 8 job at the Erie Pier in Jersey City. The duties. for which was paid twenty-five dollars a week involved receiving and checking airplane parts sent from different parts of the country and reshipped to the Hoboken piers for transportation to France.
 The Silver Lining
 My concern about my left arm kept increasing. And the shame over not being in uniform though working with soldiers caused con- stant secret humiliation. Discour- agement about the arm grew into despair. I tried all kinds of home remedies, but the deltoid triceps and biceps muscles continued to shringk. one of the office staff over at the Erie gave me the name of d German physician who, he ad- v:sed, gave electrical treatments for neuritis, rheumatism and sim liar diseases. With little hope accompanied him to the office of Dr Frederick de Kraft at 142 West roth St. After examining me, Dr deKraft said, in English with a heavy German accent, My boy. you have a traumatic neuritis, and can cure you but 1t will take some time.'
 Suddenly was filled with hope and I wanted to embrace this kindly old gentleman. I visited his office three nights a week for a sort of diathermic treatment. He knew I was not in very affluent circumstances, and made a nom- inal charge of two dollars a visit. I January to June, 1918, when he pronounced me cured.
 Short Arm Left
 My arm looked 1t, for it had gradually come back to almost normal size and strength. Curious ly neuogh, 1t has remained shorter than the right arm to this day The, muscular contraction at the elbow causes this.
 "I never told this gentle old German why I was so anxious tC have him put my arm into shape until after I had been accepted for enlisted in the Marines. Cur iously enough I was accepted by the same medical examiner whc had rejected me before. On my las visit to Dr de Krakt I tolt him that was going away to war Ho said, Well, I wish you luck and hope you come back alive and unintured."