Page 147 - Mastheads Aug-Dec 1944

THE MASTHEAD, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1944 PA'GE 5
Discovery of "AND CASEY WOULD WALTZ" ·* · * I NRS Work Explained In

Anaesthesia by * * Connection With Medical

Horace Wells Care for Depe~dents
One hundred years ago, Decem-
There is manifest an in-
ber 11, 1844, there occurred in Hart-
ford, Connecticut, an event of really creasing belief that the Navy
epoch making importance. This was Relief Society will provide
the 'discovery, by a young Hartford medical care for dependents
dentist, of the anaesthetic proper-
of servicemen without cost.
ties of nitrous oxide.
The Navy Relief Society de-
Up close to the middle of the
sires to assist naval personnel
nineteenth century extraction of
teeth or surgical operations of even and their dependents in meeting
more painful nature had be-en ac- their emergency needs; but it
should not grant loans which can-
complished without the use of any
of the pain-killing drugs now in not possibly be repaid, and it has
use. People were bound to chairs not the financial ability to advance
or tables, or held by several at- sufficient funds to provide free
tendants as parts of their anatomy medical care for the dependents of
were cut, hacked or sawed away. even all of the men in the lower
Today when we hear of the many pay grades, without cost.
and diverse operations being done The Navy Relief Society is sup-
for the health and well being of ported by voluntary contributions.
mankind, we are inclined to take It is not a government agency;
for granted the blessings of anaes- therefore, the assistance given by
thesia for tfie deadening of the it is not a ben-efit or a riglit and
pain that formerly was ever pres- must be limited.
ent. . The first purpose of the society
Wells had had as good an edu- is to . assist, in time of need, the
cation for dentistry as was pos- widows, minor orphans and de-
sible at the time. There were no I ' pendent mothers of deceased men of
dental colleges while he was pre- the Navy and the Marine Corps. It
paring. He had studied in Boston is also it~ purpose, in cases of
under the tutelage of some dentists emergent need, to help active
there. He was still a young man, servicemen provide hospital (ward
only twenty-one, when he came to rates), medical and surgical care
Hartford to practice, but he soon for their dependen~s in cases of
. became one of the leading dentists other than chronic ilJness if,
of that section. Wells always had a. the serviceman and his family
an inquiring mind and an inventive do all that they can to meet their
skill. Among his many interests own obligations, and
was a concern that people should b. the resources of the commun-
seemingly have to suffer so during ity are utilized . as far as possible,
operations. He gave much thought without prejudice to the status of
to ways in which such suffering the family prior to the man's entry
might be averted and eventually a WALTZ HE WOULD if he had gone to the holiday seen at lower right are sharing talk and the special into the service, and
situation arose that gave him the dance for T. I. personnel, Saturday, Dec. 16. The jit- refreshments contributed to the party by St. Nick . c. the application for assistance
terbugs at top left set the tempo, and the foursome at which were set out on the ta~les among Christmas has been approved by the Navy Re-
clue he needed for his discovery.
their right seem to have caught the mood. The couple nd
red a green. lief Society before the services are
rendered,except in emergency cases,
Veterans Give to Yule Gym Heads See Bright when application must be made
within 48 hours to the Navy Relief
Fund
~~~ For Wounded Future For Novel Up- Society directly, or through its
Auxiliaries or through the Ameri-
1111 THIE ll'lllEWS Four hundred Navy men who And-Down Punching Bag can Red Cross.
only recently were fighting in The Navy Relief Society may,
·rreasure Island Tenor raging -Pacific air and sea battles A tricky new addition to the box- after full consideration of the facts
Bluejackets who come to the joined the ranks of those who are ing department in the form of the of the case, help a serviceman pro-
Navy Relief Office for assistance helping to give a real Christmas to Up-and-Down punching bag is a vide hospital, medical and surgical
would, probably be stunned to learn thousands of wounded in Bay area new torment to the punch enthusi- care for his dependents, but it
that the stalwart six-foot-tall yeo- service hospitals. asts who usually jump at the cannot,
man who promptly and courteously Every man among the 400 was chance to try something new, but a. accept the obligation to ad-
processes their applications is a "out there" from 16 to 24 months. who, in this case, will get slapped vance as a gift, sufficient funds to
former opera singer. Some who Many of them had not yet received back if they are not careful. pay in full normal medical and
speak in halting English he help- their pay, as they filed into Re- surgical fees, nor
fully addresses in their native c~iving Ship quarters on Treasure b. pay bills for operations or
tongues, yet they would never sus- Island for an indoctrination lecture medical car,e in chronic -cases, nor
pect he studied foreign languages before "hitting the beach" for their c. pay hospital, medical or surgi-
/cz.a e;__ !IJ.d& because for opera they are as in- first liberty. Chief Petty Officers knowledge or approval, except un-
cal bills contracted without his
dispensable as a voice.
Joseph Casey and Ray Toler, after
Although Roy B. Zobel has be- the lecture, added: der conditions stated in paragraph
hind him a glamorous background "You fellows are healthy-but ·"c" above.
of training for opera in Italy ( he there's a lot of your shipmates in
•made his debut in this area who weren't so lucky, The •
On December 10th, 1844, an en- Operation al
"Rigoletto" in Mi- Examiner War Wounded Christmas
tertainment in Hartford was given
Jan) and has per- Fund is going to give them a real __,,
by a traveling lecturer, Samuel Training School
"'' forrr:ed in concerts, Christmas, and you boys can help
Colton. The basis of the entertain- radio (with Ray if you want · · · " To the officers men and Waves
ment w_as to be •a demonstration th
Noble's orchestra), By the time_ e assembly hall of the OperationaJ Training School,
of the peculiar effects nitrous oxide 462 1
and opera (Chicago was empty agam, a total of $ .4 and to the officers men and Waves
had on different people when in-
City Opera Com- had been contributed. of Treasure · Isl~nd, we extend
baled in small quantities. Laughing
pany), he does not "If it had been pay ~ay," c1;.3ey ·Christmas greetings. May each and
gas, it was called. At the entertain- nd th
feel his 2½ years In the Navy have a Toler proudly grmne~, e every one of us continue to put
ment one of the participants be-
been dull. As first assistant to total would have been ten times as forth all our efforts-and a little
came injured quite severely, chas- th
Chaplain C. Robert Kelly; head of big. As it was, ese fighting Navy more ·- toward ending this war, in
ing another about the hall while the Navy Relief Office here, Roy boys emptied their pockets for_ the Attached to the overhead with order that next year at this time
under the ' effects of the gas. Upon still plays an important role in wounded." a piece of line and to the deck we may say "Merry Christmas."
questioning by . Wells the partici-
lifting people's spirits. He helps - with a thick piece of rubber, this '
pant stated he felt no pain. Wells
deserving sailors, many recently His Ma was Irish and proud of punching bag with brains guaran-
concluded that a person under the returned from overseas, to secure it. His Pa was Scotch and fond of tees quick m?vement on the part I Lost and Found
effect of nitrous oxide felt less or
emergency funds, and watching it. of the boxer 1f he expects to k,eep
no pain as a result of the gas. their anxious worried faces light ---------------- from being hit when the bag re- The following lost and found
The next day he secured a large '. t . h th . his voice since he joined the Navy. bounds It has the advantage of articles have been reported to the
up an db rea m o sm1 es w en e1r . . ·
k
1
supply of nitrous oxide"from Col- . t· d . Billeted durmg 1942 at Great Lakes being easy to punch yet enough Security Office, located in Building
app 1ca 10ns are approve gives . , . . • 222.
1
ton, the lecturer, secured the as- . t th . th as a chaplains assistant, he sang aggravating· motion for the boxer
h1m even a grea er n 11 an . . . . .
sistance of his friend, Dr. Riggs, . . , . m the stat10n ch01rs, performed on to develope accuracy in throwing LOST-1 cigarette ltghter, 8 wallets, 1
iµid in the presence of Colton, Riggs smgmg ~ thousands from ~ehmd the Meet-Your-Navy programs on his best lick. e::e~!f' 3 watches, 1 umbrella, l ID
- ---------------
and one or two others inhaled a the footlights or over the mike. Station WENR over a national Gym heads feel that this bag has FOUND--1 hanuuock, 1 ditty bag, 4 sea-
.
Not that Roy has stowed away
•
•
r
.
larger supply of the gas than was hookup, and directed smg-songs greater qualities in developing bags, 14 wallets, 1 ID bracelet, 1 pe•·
·th Ch' f J h C t d" t· - · coat, 1 Waves rmg.
customary: Then, af!er Wells be- nitrous oxide in deadening pain. w1 ie o n ar er, 1s m- timing than the light punching
came . insensible, Dr. Riggs ex- Wells did not keep his knowledge guished former Metrppolitan Opera bags. Athletic instructors agree cago and New York professional
tracted one of his teeth. . to himself; he proclaimed to others tenor. readily, admittiµg that the light boxing gymnasiums. The hardest
As soon as Wells had recovered the news of his gr.eat find. Anaes- In 1943 Roy was transferred to bag becomes too automatic a re- puncher in the world is as effective
frorri the nitrous oxide inhalation, thesia for surgical operations had Treasure Island, where he has con- action. So automatic that you can as a statue unless he can land .his
he knew that his earlier conclusion been discovered. tinued to devote a considerable learn to hit it blindfolded. The box- punch; therefore, timing and ac-
wa'.s correct. Here, at last, was a Today we military men can pause portion of h!,s off-duty time to sing- ing department invites all hands to curacy are more important tvan
means that would do away with for a second and commemorate Dr. ing for his shipmates. He partici- drop in and give this suspended power. This bag means more to the
all the pain people had suffered Horace Wells for this great discov- pates in the highly popular Treas- bag a try. It's different. Nobody boxer than a heavy, dead training
because they did not know what he ery tb:at gives us the knowledge ure-Pleasure Times, is a soloist can teach you how, it ta~es co- bag that offers no resistance.
now had discovered. From that day and comfort that our wounds will with the Chapel Choir,,and vibrates ordination and practice. If you are a boxer and want to
ori· both Wells and Riggs and any be treated and dressed without pain his vocal cords in the station male This Up-and-Down punching bag try something new, drop in and im-
other who so desired made use of due to his discovery. and mixed quartets, ·• is an idea used in many of the Chi- prove your aim.
/