THROUGH THE WRACK OF THE BATTLEFIELD

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 200, 13 May 1918, Page 6

THROUGH THE WRACK OF THE BATTLEFIELD

SERIOUS THOUGHTS AMID GRIM SCENES

WHAT ARE WE EOING FOR THE MAIMED? (By "A Senior Officer" at the Front.) To-day I trudged over the wreckage of fl modern battlefield, first through the streets of a city now represented by heaps of bricks and debris and some gaunt, broken walls that now but 6how the rough outline of what onco were stately buildings. I saw bricks .and nibble from the historic and beautiful Cloth Mill being carted away to make roads for tho monster, of war. Destruction lined tho road leading toward the enemy. General debris marked the place of demolished buildings—barbed-wire, ammunition, tins, Iwttles, rags, shell-cases, old iron, wrecked wagons and vehicles of all description, to which, in some caees, tho dead animals were still attached, and all were mixed up in the endless sea of imid. The trees which once lined the road and graced it with their stately bearing hero and there poked their shell shattered stumps up clear of the wreckage. Midst all this debris one sens an occasional wooden cross which marks tho burial-placo of a fallen British soldier. Along this road wero endless lines of soldiers coming in and going out of the battlefront, and as far as the eye could see to right and left the ground was covered with blasted trees, demolished homes, patches of wire entanglements, and sh'ell-liolos filled with water.

Nearet the line we found some doctors at work. There was a strafo on. The front nreas, the demolished town wo passed through, together with'the roads farther in tho rear, were all receiving their duo portion of destruction. 'j'Jio 6ti , etehor-bea.rcrs wore arriving at the dressing-stations with the wounded, and there tho wonderful medical profession were making the first application of modern science which saves our nation thousands of lives frora the wreckage. What great bravery is shown by those stret-cher-bearers who go out midst the shells in "No Man's Land" seeking tho- wounded _ -and carrying them to safety; what quiet efficiency reigns at the dressing-sta-tion where they are tended; how smoothly works tho transport organisation which takes them to hospital; how tendorly they aro handled by those quiet and noble women who day in and day out pass tho human wreckage through their skilful hands,

And After? Then we see this manhood in another stage farther back in our convalescent homes and de-pots, a mere shadow of what it was before going into the furnace. Some are limbless; some are broken in health; many disabled through severed or lwt nerves and muscles, and practically all unfit to follow the avocations which they fulfilled before tlio war. Yet all tlisso men aro of inestimablo valup to the State. Its manhood is a nation's greatest asset, and no matter what the condition of the individual, ho is, or should be, of some value to the ytato if his abilities are wisely cultivated and directed. As I watched somo of our own soldiers leaving that scene of destruction and desolation, I wondered whether, after all they had gone through, and tho science, care, and tenderness that had been shown to heal them and make them sound again, they were destined to lead an aimless life on a pension, and whatever services thoy might bo capablo of bo lost to the State through any neglect or want of forethought by our rulers. Yet ono feels doubtful sometimes whether our country is making noarly tho full use of, or doing tho right thing by this disabled manhood. Those men justly receive a pension, yet we do not want them to think that their duty in lifo is merely to live on their pension and have no higher ideals or ambitions, and wo cannot afford that they, though disabled, should be an economic loss to the State.

Not two weeks ago I went through "Oaklands," a homo for New Zealand limbless xoldiors in England, and found that Goner.il Richardson, acting more as a statesman and a ioyal.citizen than as a soldier, had applied his talents towards obtaining for the State whatever abilities these men may bo capablo of. But the problem is a much biggerone than can bo handled by an administrative officer in England who is already doing the work ot several men, and one wonders whether our Government realises the magnitude of this problem, and its responsibilities to the men and to out country. Wn could divide the disabled men into three olasses:— ■a) Limbless (b! Orthoepedic. (c) General, debility (chronic medical disoasss). .

New Zealand's Part, The first class, General Richardson's organisation is providing lor. He is endeavouring to teach all liinbloss ■ men some occupation in order that they may be able to provide ngainst any possibility of want, have u new ideal and new ambitions in life and be more useful members of tho State. At Oaklands there are various classes for these men where wool-classing, carpentering, bookkeeping, engineering, and other trades are taugh't. After they have gained a certain standard of efficiency arrangements have been made to send them to the various big manufactories throughout Britain, where they will get practical work in an atmosphere which he justly claims will give them the best education that win possibly be gained in the country, after which they will be returned to New Zealand with a certificate . showing their proficiency in the new work tihat they have taken up. So much for the limbless men. But the ortboepedic cases are a far greater problem. As far as my knowledge goes these case.? numbered close on 1000 last year. Now it must be realised that England is only the half-way house for these men. Their base is New. Zealand; and it etands to reason that they must be moved out of England as soon as their physical condition allows, so as to.allow their places to be taken by others coming on. Many of the men require very long and tedious treatment, and their cases present one of tho greatest difficulties to the medical profession. I am glad to see that England realises the importance of scientific treatment for such men and has wlaeed this matter in the hands of > Sir Robert Jones, who, I believe, is re-; cognised as the leading authority on j orthopedic cases in the world to-day,, and by his system many men who have i lost the use of parts of their limbs or [ liodies have been restored to hoaltih and | usefulness. If I am rightly imormed, | the iiiiliiorities in New Zealand do not fully realise the importance oi this treatment or their duty to the men roquiring it. America has already sent over ; some of her leading authorities for a, course of study under Sir Robert ..Tones, with a view to the same attention to her soldiers. How pleasing it would be if wo could follow, say, a disabled soldier to New Zealand and see him thoro in an orthoepedic hospital under the care of a modern orthoepedic surgeon, being. trca<ecl for his disablement, and at the samo lime being iimeU some occupation lor which his physical and mental abilities are suitable, so that in course ot time, be it six mouths or twelve months, or two yenrs, he cmihl be He'ised from hospital .t= perfect in hrilth . s modern | science cou.hi ivako him, :iml also v " ' n < certificate of cnisliF.calion ■ howmg that ho was also capi'blc ot performing sonio (!nh- for IW general good <f the Stato and himself.

Conditions of Discharge. In iiiv opinion, nnv ?o!<!ut ROTO baA; to »\v Zivilin.i in any wny tenleo should not be difclinrscd from the Force until — , . ~ (a) Up was ht as medical tciouce could 7liY Ho was proficient in some trade or calling. . . L) Ho w;is nliipeil in i> livniicli or woi'li nl n H-n-c !u. v.-jis capable of earnme. This should not in any way nitorfore with tho man's pension, wlmh .shmil-J an i»i lin miller wli.it lie -arns in me, fir i-o lw: iustly M.'iied --ny pcnßiou the State mis?ht give him for hie sufTerhiKS and sacriflccs. If any limbless men are sent from Eiiftlnnd without a certificate of proficiency in the calling they have lalion up, they should at onco bo

put into a class in Now Zealand and kept there until they do [aiu a proficiency certificate and no limbless or injured man should be discharged from the Forces until Hie Government has found a suitable occupation for him. A clearing houso in New Zealand is therefore essential, whare these men must bo kept until they are mode .1? sound a» modern scienco can make them, taught n trade, and placet! in an occupation. In the interests of the man, in !ho interesls of the State, in the interests cf the Governmont, this is the least that 'an be done. Follow me for a momtn in ihis picture— t'ie one which I am led to believe obtains at the present time, .iflei- all the care from tho battlefield, through Iho clearing station, through the hospifcil, through tho operating '.heatre, 'through tho convalescent homos, and in to Hip hospital ship, and buck 'o New Zealand yon follow Private Jones. He has received a wound which has -teprivcd him of tho use of one ami, or some such tisnbility winch prevents him following the occupation ue followed before the war. Hμ knows no other, and yd he is an intelligent man. He arrives back in New Zealand, iocs before the nieaicnl board, receives his pension find the Wc«:ne< of a tlionwnd officials , who say "Thank God Hint's over," and goes home with 10 greater ambition in his life than to be able to livo on his pension. Now, hud he been taken into the Orthoepfdic Hospital ho might possibly have regained the use of his limb, and in any case he could have been tousht. some trade or calling he was physically and mentally'capable of fulfilling, and not only have Ken placed in a position where he wild hove earned a good livine, but. been of villus to the State, and he himself would have had onened for him iwv ideals and new ambitions in life to live up to.

A Fine Record. Of all the thousands of cases who have passed through the Orthoepedic Hospital in Great Britain, 75 per cent, have been restored to the Army. I would be happy to know that we had such a record. Are there any men in New Zealand who have been discharged from the Forces in a state of disablement who ?night be gathered up nod made better l>y treatment? Are we now discharging any men in such a state? Do our authorities realise the magnitude of the task before them ? Yet the orthoepedic cases, numerous as they are, only represent a portion of the men who will require treatment long after the war lias ended and the glamour of it gone'. There are those chest casesmen showing no dgn of battle ecnrs and enlisting no pity, but who are in far worse coudition, in many cases, than those who do, for the effeots of gas may have disastrous results for long years afterwards. The nerve rases also present a proposition, but fortunately we have at least one specialist in nerve treatment. I refer to Captain Marshall M'Donald, whose work has lwen recognised by the French. I nm not « medical man, but just a plain combatant officer wtio has been associated with theso fellows from tho start, me who has always loved them, and is anxious about their future, and may I not claim a right to speak for them. We may do much more flian I have suggested, we have no right, nov , can we afford to do less.