The Washington times., 1905-09-17
MOTOR BOAT RACE
ON LAKE GENEVA
The Interesting Event Is
Graphically Described.
HOSPITALS ARE CRITICISED
French Institutions Said to Be Far
Behind Those of England
and America.
HOSPITALS ARE CRITICISED


on the Lake Of Geneva at a bright little
French watering-place called Evian.
Few English or Americans appear to
have discovered it, as the visitors are
almost exclusively French. and vet the
baths are excellent as to their medical
properties. and luxurious in their ap-
potntments-
The principal event was the three
days race of motor boats on the lake.
Motor cars have already altered the
face of the peaceful country, as they
whirl and hoot through the land. rails
ing clouds OF dust, but the motor boat
rushing through the water emits a
sound which is something between the
noisc of an express train and the rum
Bile of an electric car.
Still. there was something strangely
exhilarating in this race on the blue
waters. as each little craft tore onward.
leaving it's train of SNOWY foam and
parting the clear waves as they forged
ahead
In the evening the lake was ilIuri-
mated. Thousands of colored lanterns
hung from the masts of ships moored
along the quay. and boats with strange
fiery devices foated on the water. Later
rockets shot into the sky and fell again
red.
It struck me as I watched them how
each age has its seers. teaching MEN to
think and see. Amor these undoubt-
edly was Whistler, the painter, who
more than anyone in our time taught
US to understand the wonderful effects
of everyday things-the fog on the river,
the blaekness of the night sky. the effect
OF sunlight on a whitewashed wall. And
did he not portray as did no other, the
wonders of shower of rockets against
the deep velvet Of a night sky?
French Hospitals Criticised.
The French hospitals are much behind
the English and American. It has been
extremely difficult TO move the cum
brous machinery of the assistance pub
lique. who will brook no interference
and ignore modern theories The I'm
firmieres' are wholly insufficient. Often
one woman has to look after forty beds,
and is on duty for twenty-four hours
These nurses are frequently drawn ex-
ciusively from the peasant class and
are extremely ignorant
The overcrawding Is atrocious. As
many as forty to forty-fve beds are in
one ward, without any proper classi-
ffcation. The theory which is now prac-
ticaliy established, that consumption is
not hereditary, but that conditions
rather than constitution are answerabie
for its existence make this state of
things extremely bad.
IF a person is in a low condition"
said Mr.. Theobald twho has just re-
signed a position after fifty-one years
of devoted work at the London Hospi-
tai for Consumption 'he is in a high
state of receptivity. and is liable to con
tract disease
One of the more modern French doc
tors was SO impressed with this danger
In the wards of one of the Paris hospi-
tails that he insisted on an analysis of
the saliva of all the patients. with the
result that only two were found to be
free from the germs or tuberculosis
IL would be n splendid work If the
wealthy Americans who so often enjoy
the beauties OF this city OF pleasure
would found a great American hospital.
managed by a board of American resi-
dents Many of the great French doc
tors would welcome it's existence. and
the good that such movement would
accomplish is incalcuiable-