Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1919 — DR. WASHBURN WRITES TO WAR MOTHERS [ARTICLE]

DR. WASHBURN WRITES TO WAR MOTHERS

> The Jasper County War Mothers, having sent a number of sweaters, helmets end comfort kits to the patients in Capt. Ira M. Washburn’s ward at Fort Des Moines, lowa, received the following interesting letter of appreciation from the Captain: U. S. General Hospital No., 26, Fort Des Moines, lowa, January 9, 1919. Deat Hanley:— . - Both consignments of sweaters, helmets and comfort kits have reached the ward and have been given to the men who need them. The helmets came on the Hay that the temperature was 22 degrees below zero and they were quickly disposed of. About 35 of the men were without sweaters and were in great need of them. hre brought here without any other clothes than their blankets and pajamas. Such cases are supplied with entire outfits of clothing, but that does not include any?knit goods or comfort kits and the ’War Mothers’ contribution is gratefully received at this institution. Sweaters and kits tlrat are not distributed to date will be held for new patients that arrive every few days and are destitute of cioth:ng.—The boy from Wheatfield, Russo]l Hickam, was pleased to re-'“ ceive his package and if he has not done so will write you-soon. We op-erated-on him this morning in an effort to repair his broken arm. He was struck by the propellor of an aeroplane in France last summer and the humerus, the bone in the upper arm, wa§ fractured, and has never united. We took a bone graft from the tibia or shin bone of his right leg and inserted it into the fracture-d bone of the arm and hope to get a good result, but such cases are up- . certain and Jt will require a long , 'time to tell what the outcome will fjjßT’ We have some remarkable cases in -my —ward —arrd hr - some-respects it resembles an —anatomicat museum/ Two cases of broken back are nearly recovered and several cases of paralyzed arms or legs due to nerves being severed by gunshot are showing remarkable recoveries following operations and stitching of the severed nerve —ends.* X-Ray examinations showed in one case'that a’llullet was lying-so close to the heart-that it moved with each heart beat. Operation for the removal of this bullet was performed last week and was successful, the bullet being found jn the pericardium, the membrane surrounding the heart. We have 1400 cases now and they still come, but we discharge the cured f a cs jus: a lit - *? fas. n* than the new ones come in so in time we will be ready to go out of business as the source of material has been exhausted

This place is superior to any medical school I even attended as we are not allowed to cut classes. The daily clinics, boTh medical and surgical, lectures and operations must be attended. Fortunately the autopsies are not many, only occurring about every five days. Elsie and the children seem to enjoy the life at the Fort and as we have good street car service we can get to the city in about twenty minutes. The children go to school each morning on the street car and return in the evening. Of course, they notice every school detail that is different from the schools at home. I am glad your boys are home and in good physical condition. If you could see this crowd here you would feel doubly thankful that fate or the war department decreed that your sons should not go to the front. I hope we will all be home spring comes and can settle down to odr eld routine, which we were never able to appreciate until it was so rudely interrupted by the. insane kaiser and his crowd. Naturally, I would like to be in Rensselaer looking after my friends and patrons, but -feel that I should stay here until my duties in caring for these unfortunate fellows =arF“pfojreTiy 3 a^gtTf3ed = t;bF == YT^y :^Wi “ of the surgeons here are inclined. to quit before the work is done and we expect it to be done by March 15th or April Ist. You will probably hear from some of these men who have received articles of equipment from the Jasper County War Mothers, but we have an average crowd'of young men and you know how careful they are about such matters. But they are grateful just the same and I am sure that you could not have found a beter place to distribute the things that were madg by your organization. Yours very truly, I. M. WASHBURN, ' Captain M. C.