On Aug. 8, 1914, I joined a Bavarian cavalry regiment as...

Ehrhart Hussong

On Aug. 8, 1914, I joined a Bavarian cavalry regiment as a volunteer, and thirteen days later sustained a fracture of the left upper arm and of a bone in the shoulder. Being a soldier, I had to go to a military hospital and have medical treatment. Word was sent from home that I should submit to it, though not with the thought that I would be healed thereby, but should maintain a Christianly scientific attitude of mind, as the case had been put into the hands of a Christian Science practitioner. Two weeks later I became aware that I could move my arm inside the plaster cast, which had become slightly loosened.

On Sept. 9 the nurse upon my request asked the chief surgeon when the bandage could be removed, and he said not for quite a while. The attending head physician said that if it was removed a new one would have to be applied, and that I might as well keep the first, as it fitted properly. On Sept. 17 the bandage was taken off and I was able to move my arm, though not with absolute freedom. Two days later the physician informed me that I would have to stay one more week at the military hospital, and after dismissal would require further treatment at the barracks under the instructions of the physician of our company. However, as room was needed I was dismissed in three days. Then the physician said that the arm must be massaged every morning, but as this was not insisted upon I did not take the treatment. After a short time normal strength returned, and I was able to use the arm with absolute freedom.

By way of contrast to a former fracture of my arm, when Christian Science was not resorted to, I would like to mention the following points: In this latter experience I clearly felt after the first two weeks that the arm was healed; after the bandage was removed no orthopedic exercises for the prevention of stiffness and the acquiring of perfect freedom of motion were required, as were resorted to for weeks in the former case; and while there were two fractures, the injury thus being more serious than in the first experience, the healing process was of shorter duration.

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