KING AND QUEEN AND OUR LIMBLESS HEROES.

MARVELS OF MODERN SURGERY

The King and Queen first inspected Queen Mary’s Hospital at Roehampton in March, 1916. Yesterday they paid a further visit, accompanied by Princess Mary, and found that a marvellous change had taken place in the equipment and achievements of the hospital. The sights witnessed were pathetic in the extreme, because here are gathered together many hundreds of those maimed in the war; but there was a bright side to the picture in that so much has been done and is being accomplished to fit these wounded heroes to be useful citizens, and to reduce, as far as may be, the disabilities under which they suffer. A guard of honour was drawn up at the main entrance composed entirely of old patients who. having been fitted with artificial limbs, are now employed on the staff in the instruction of others. The various nursing sisters were all presented to the King, the Queen, and the Princess, who subsequently went on to the spacious lawns to witness a demonstration. The scene presented here was a picturesque one. The “parade ground” was flanked by nurses in uniform, and beneath the shade of giant cedars were seated over 800 patients, some with artificial limbs fitted and others waiting their turn for treatment. In the background were a number of stands, upon which were displayed artificial hands, arms, feet, and legs, and the various attachments by which they are operated. The King and Queen took their stand at a “saluting base,” and witnessed a march-past of patients who have had limbs fitted within the past few days, and were able to demonstrate how rapidly some wearers are able to use these appliances effectually. Then there was a marchpast of more advanced cases. Some of these patients not only walked with apparent ease, but ran at a very creditable pace, while one or two made an obstacle-race of it, and leaped over benches or other obstructions. Some of the men climbed steps, walked backwards and forwards over a ramp, and some very expert cases rode bicycles round the lawn. Jumping and climbing were included in the demonstration. The Queen was very much interested in an Australian private, H. A. Walker, who hails from Sydney. Her Majesty was curious to know why this soldier was taking no part in the demonstration, and he smilingly replied that he had only just been fitted, and was anxious not to “spoil the show.”

“ESSENTIAL” LIMBS.

Their Majesties afterwards inspected a number of “essential” limbs, and remarked upon their lightness and strength. They are made principally of steel and leather, and the King inquired how long it took to adjust them when once the wearer became accustomed to them. He was told that three or four minutes was usually ample, and one man was produced who said it took him not more than two minutes. He added that he was able to play golf, and was now on scratch, as against plus one. The King, the Queen, and the Princess talked with many of the men, invited explanations as to how they used their artificial limbs, and displayed great interest in them. In another part of the grounds the visitors saw a number of patients seated in wheeled chairs. These were cases only recently fitted with artificial limbs, but each man in turn was able to walk forward (some a little stiffly) to salute, and to demonstrate such skill as he had acquired One patient won the hearty applause of his fellows by striding forward without use of the walkingstick which he carried. He was a coloured man from Jamaica, who had lost his lower extremities through frostbite. Another very interesting case in this group was ex-private Chafer, the proud wearer of the V.C. and a Russian decoration. A group of seated officers was next visited. These, without exception, had lost one or more limbs, and were waiting for the fitting of artificial substitutes. One poor fellow sat with two leg stumps protruding from his chair-seat. In the centre of the group was seated a lady A.S.C. driver, Miss Waddell, who had had the misfortune to lose one leg in an accident, and is receiving treatment from Roehampton, while residing for the time at a neighbouring convent. The Royal visitors next witnessed an exhibition of planing, filing, and other operations by a patient who has had an artificial arm for three years, and is exceedingly dexterous. He told the King that he had recently dug thirteen rods of ground. While in this part of the grounds his Majesty called the Queen’s attention to an excellently written paper by a man who had lost both arms. A number of mechanical operations by maimed men were witnessed, and one of these men mentioned that he could use an axe or a sledge-hammer. He proceeded to demonstrate with such vigour that the Queen beat a hasty retreat. A man who had lost both hands informed his Majesty that he could use a fork comfortably with his left hand, but could not yet use a knife with the right. Digging, pile-driving, golf playing, and batting at cricket were all performed by men who had lost either arms or legs, or both, while one man held aloft a heavy sledgehammer with his artificial right hand, and another, in a dummy boat, gave a fine exhibition of sculling.

WRITING WITH DUMMY HAND.

A patient with an artificial right hand used that “member” to take a match out of a box and to strike it and light his cigarette. He shook hands with the King to show how firm a grip he possessed, and said he could easily lift 50lb with his new arm. A Grenadier Guardsman showed how he could select and strike a match with his artificial left arm, and the Queen and the Princess each tried the new arm to test its resisting power. A patient with both arms artificial showed how he could pour out liquid from a bottle into a glass, pick up the glass, and drain its contents. He then sat down at a table and used a knife and fork with passable skill, and wrote a short message on a card. The visitors displayed much interest in the “Cauet,” a new form of mechanical arm, with metal hands to match. It was explained that hand and arm weighed only 1½lb, and as to their efficacy, a man who had been without hands for twenty-one years (he lost them in a mill accident) till a fortnight ago, picked up small articles, selected matches, lighted his pipe, and wrote very clearly a letter which he signed “Fred Jowett, No. 5, Laurel Bank, Holmfield, near Halifax, Yorks.” The visit concluded with an inspection of the workshops, in which all sorts of useful and intricate operations were being carried on. Clerks were seen undergoing a course of training, electricians were busy at their benches, a motor chassis was being fitted, and the King was told that a man trained in the machine shop who took a finishing course at Leicester was now earning £12 a week as an aero-engineer. When signing the visitors’ book the King remarked that it was very encouraging to see how much could be done for our maimed soldiers and sailors.