Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-06-22
JAPANESE RED CROSS
Tokyo's Biggest Army Hospital
 as Seen by a Russian.
WELL LIGHTED, sUPERBLY CLEAN

Entire StaA Japanese, Although Ger
 man IL the Language of Surgery In
 Japan-Many sorrowful Faces Seen,
 but No sobs Heard-Plenty of vis-
 itors Number of Deaths From
 Wounds Very Small.
 NJ. W. Krashevsky, who is acting as war correspondent of the Russkoye Slovo, sends that journal highly in teresting description of the Japanese Red Cross. He says:
 T was near the military. hospital in Tokyo when my way was blocked by the crowds standing shoulder to shoul- der along the quay for a transport with men wounded before Port Arthur was expected. The crowd was silent in its expectancy, and scarcely voice was heard. Let the foreigner through; let the foreigner through said my guide. And even at such solemn moment the people stepped aside courteously to let me pass to the hospital. The long, sad procession soon came into sight. All the wounded wore white blouses. Only few of them walked, and they had been wounded in the hand or head. Most of them were carried in jinriki- shas, and their feet or bodies were in bandages, while about fifty of them were carried in litters The faces of the latter men were concealed, for my guide told me they were the severest cases, and in Japan it is the custom to cover the face of a man wounded se- verely, so that the people may not sec bis sufferings. Nearly every man borne in the litters had the lower part of his body in bandages. and all of them looked as if they were in the last stages of consumption. for they had been so long in hospital at Dalny. I was interested greatly in the crowd as the terrible procession passed through it. There were no shouts, no tears. only a heavy, oppressive silence, and on every face one could read sympathy and horror. I saw that look of sad ness everywhere. It came from the sight of so many youths maimed for ever. The war is terribly popular in Japan, but these trains of wounded men bring home to the people all the horrors of warfare.
 Seven hundred wounded men had arrived, and the hospital taking them in was a central point, whence every man was distributed among the vari- ous institutions of the Red Cross or in private hospitals and houses. It took only fifteen minutes to register the TOO wounded men. There was no red tape, and all was done very promptly. followed the largest group of wounded until we reached large, three storied building, on the front of which was a cross with the letters R. C. My guide disappeared into the office and returned at once with per mission for me to visit the hospital. The Japanese are very glad to exhibit their perfect European civilizations; in their own words, they are passing in this war their examination to be accepted as first class country.
 "When the wounded have been taken in, one of the surgeons will take the gentleman round and show him everything said an attendant. The surgeon, who spoke excellent English, was most agreeable. 1 was in the big gest of the three Red Cross hospitals in Tokyo. It made the best impression upon me, for it was a mass of light and air, with marvellous cleanliness. You will perhaps notice that the cell ings are lower than they are in the model hospitals in Europe, but we Jap anese are smaller in size,' said the sur geon. The height of the rooms is made in proportion to our stature I ob- served five operating tables in the we'll lighted operating room. We can be proud of our operating rooms,' con- tinued the surgeon; they contain every thing that is best and up to date In each of the very roomy wards l saw forty men on beds arranged on Euro pean methods. and with the remarks written in German on the cards hang ing at the head of every bed. Even the daily reports of all cases are writ ten in German. Said the surgeon with a smile. German Is the language of surgery in Japan, for in medicine and surgery we are the pupils of Germany. Until lately our hospitals were full of German surgeons, but now you will not find a single one. Although the entire hospital staff is Japanese. yet we con tinue to write the notes of cases in German. That is better. for neither the wounded man nor his friends can know the worst
 Many of the wounded were lying unconscious: others were chatting. laughing or trying to make themselves understood by mimicry to such friends as happened to be far away. What surprised me was the great number of visitors. especially of women Hun dreds of women came and went silent ly between the beds. All of them brought presents for the soldiers. and many of tbem had their children with them I saw many a sorrow stricken face. but I did not hear one sob. There Is no crying in hospitals said the sur geon- And that set me thinking once more upon the iron discipline of peo- pie which has produced the. proverb. Sorrow. like A torn garment. must be