HEALING THE SCARS OF "WAR.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1919, Page 4

HEALING THE SCARS OF "WAR.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN AMERICA.

The work of vocational training for returned American soldier’s is being taken in baud by the Uuited States authorities with characteristic vigour. Up to date 52 hospitals have been designated for the work of physical reconstruction, and the treatment given includes the educational as well as the therapeutic (writes the New York “Outlook”). In all these plaiis for the reclamation of disabled men the idea has been not only to cure men, but to help them to secure remunerative employment as soon as they are able to re-enter civilian life. Close co-operation is therefore maintained between the Division of Physical Reconstruction, with its work in hospitals, and the Federal Board of Vocational Education, into w'hose hands the men who are entitled to compensation by the War Risk Insurance Bureau after their discharge, go for further education.

Every effort is made in planning for this restraining to make use of the former trade or occupational knowledge of the disabled man, While he is under training his expenses are paid. After the completion of his training employment is found for him by the Placement Division of the Federal Board, and his work is supervised for a time in order to see that he is able to make good under commercial conditions. During this period of probation his support is continued.

Some idea of the importance which the various Governments attach to this class of work may be judged b}' the fact that an international conference was recently held in New York City. Prance sent as a delegate Dr Maurice Bourrillon, director of the National Institute for War Cripples at St Maurice, and president of the Permanent Inter-Allied Committee on War Cripples. He lias been called the grandfather of the movement for the rehabilitation of maimed soldiers, this work having been in operation in Fi'ance for over four years. He states that the 124 vocational schools which have been established there have not been sufficient for all those who have been desirous of learning a trade, and that these schools have had to lie enlarged and new ones opened.

Incident after incident might be related to show what is being done in the way of healing these sears of war, and what it means to the soldier and to bis family to know that the service and advice of a vast staff of experts—medical, psychological, sociological, and economic—are at his command.

In one of the hospitals devoted entirely to head cases, a pathetic instance is cited of a boy who was horribly burned by liquid fire. His lower jaw was almost completely burned away, he had lost his nose, and there were other serious wounds I about tho face and upper part of the ' head. He had been operated on seven times. Up to the time of the third operation lie had been unable to speak, but his brain was only too active when he thought of what life held for him. While undergoing the third operation, and while still under the influence of the anaesthetic, lie spoke for the first time. And he voiced the thoughts that had been surging through his brain all those terrible weeks when he said—“ This way, ladies and gentlemen ; this way, please. Take a look at the human freak.” And so it is with many of these young men. They do not wish to inflict (lie suffering which the sight of them would bring to their parents. Thus the Government is exerting every effort to mitigate such unfortunate conditions. The blind, the deaf, the armless, the legless, all are being helped in different ways, special attention being given to each kind of disability