The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-06-06
THE RED CROSS IN JAPAN.
a Popular and Efficient Medical Corps OF
the Army.

the Army.
There is one point which no one
seems to have noticed in the recent
war between Japan and China, and
that is, one country has Red Cross
service, very extensive and complete,
and the other has none at all; in fact,
not even a medical department.
Strangely enough, the Chinese, despite
their knowledge and thoughtfulness in
other matters, pursue war almost eX-
astfy as they did long ago, They al
low for so many men being killed and
wounded, captured and missing, and
even for a large number to be de-
stroyed by disease, privation and the
neglect Of wounds and injuries, with
out making any exertion to prevent
them. They take the oldfashioned
view that these are part of the loss
of the war and are not worth bother
ing about The result may be easily
imagined. Thus far they have lost
three or four times rs many soldiers
from prevertable causes as they have
by battle. The japanese, on the
other side, formed Red Cross society
long ago; in fact, l believe, several
years before the Americans did.
In Japan the head Of the society is the
empress, and she has around her large
number of assistants who have charge
of smaller societies These in turn
have special committees, of which each
member is the head of . still smaller
local club. They contribute gener-
ously to the Red Cross, and besides that
there is q provision whereby the gov
eminent gives small amount in times
of peace and large one during war.
The societies make up bandages, lint
and other medical and surgical appli-
ances, and from the first whisper of
war make these things in vast quanti-
ties and send them promptly to the
front. Many Of the members have
taken lessons from physicians and IN
derstand how 10 treat the wounded and
in many cases to perform slight opera
tons, When the army was ready for
movement the Red Cross army was also
ready to accompany it. 1t was organ
lied in military fashion, drilled and
disciplined.
Every person had a place and knew
what to do. From the opening of the
war until to-day they have made
good record for themselves In Corea
they treated the Chinese and Coreans
with the same care and tenderness as
their own people. 1t was novelty
and surprise to these soldiers which
won their hearts They expected the
same treatment which they would
have bestowed upon their captives-
namely, death. In our Red Cross
service we have both men and women
and also servants or laborers. These
are TO do such heavy work as trans
porting their supplies and carrying the
wounded off the battlefield, and where
there are accommodate tons ready 10 the
hospital. Among the male members
of the Red Cross army there are many
physicians, especially young men, who
| have just begun their profession. Most
of these have come from the university
at Toxic. The women members in
clude few trained nurses of ability,
who in their leisure hours have acted
as instructors to the rest. There are
over thousand in the service, and the
| number will be increased just as rap
idly as the armies in the field are in
creased. The organization is very
popular among both the people at
homo and the soldiers far away. From
the former it receives steady stream
of money, goods and supplies, and from
the latter it receives compliments,
! courtesies and favors of all sorts. On
many occasions the soldiers have put
| up the Red Cross tents and arranged
everything ready for the occupants be-
fore they began work upon their own.
We feel very proud Of the organization
and think that it Will be admired by all
other peoples when they come to know
how much work they have accom-
plished, and how well it has all been
done.-N. y. Mail and Express.
IDte0anl@nt