The Washington herald., 1912-06-30
MRsLEPEL -coHITET

~ september, 16Vtt Ut. Nrdnlu1p MI.
Lepel-Cointet and Captain Toilet, all
three great amateur dog fanciers, con-
] ceived the idea Of forming a society for
the purpose Of studying the training of
dogs to aid the wounded on the field of
battle.
Germans had already made some expert
ments along this line in 1890. and the re-
suits obtained had been altogether salts
factory. A French society was therefore
formed, grouped around the three pro-
moters, and the Societe dEtudes being
dissolved May 0, 1908, on that day the
Socitte Rationale du Chen Sani;aire was
founded. The Minister of War approved
the regulations and accepted the position
OF honorary president
Mr.. A. Lepel-Cointet, president of the
society, was questioned about the work
by a representative Of this newspaper.
in past wars" replied Mons. Lepel-
Cointet the number of the missing has
always been considerable. At Recon
vile 5,472 were missing and 1867 killed.
At Saint Privat there were 1920 for
1.126 killed and 6,79O wounded. Among
the missing how many unhappy ones
were there who dragged themselves in a
last effort toward places of shelter and
found there only death, for lack of care:
These groups of the missing, these sorry
retreats of the wounded will be more and
more frequent in wars to come. The i'm
mediate removal of the wounded during
action becomes less and less possible with
existing conditions of combat.
Difficulties of Searching.
The shelter which might protect unfor-
tunates against the attacks Of the enemy
would conceal them equally from the lit
ter bearers, more especially as for the
greater part of the time the search could
only be made by night and without lights.
Too feeble TO call out to those who are
searching for them, they run a great risk
of being abandoned, at least If the litter
bearers are not accompanied by dogs ac-l
customed to hunting for the lost Conse-
quently the modern armies should pos
sess dogs trained to search for the wound
ed and lost on the field of battle
This idea does not date from to-day.
It originated in Germany in 1890 with
the two sanitaetsbund of the battalion
Of infantry guards. 1t has also been
studied in Holland, In Switzerland, in
Italy and in England. Practical sanction
has been acquired. According to Lieu
tenant Johannes, collies during the Anglo
Boer war saved the lives Of some hun
ireds of wounded. During the Russo
Japanese war three dogs sent out by the
German society at the battle Of Cha-Ho,
among others, rescued twenty-three
soldiers who had been given up.
Finally, to make known to the public
he utility, the necessity, of these relief
logs, TO develop a taste for the breeding
If these animals and to facilitate their
raining by setting an example, is an emf
lentIy humanitarian and patriotic work.
1T is that work for which the Societe
Rationale du Chen Sanitaire stands, and
t is open to all interested in the fate of
he wounded. Although of such recent
late, it has already made a good showing.
10 it is due the experiments in 1907 of
he health service of Bordeaux by Cap
ain Toilet and Surgeon-Major Bichelonne.
IN January, 1908, it gave its patronage
o the tests which took place at Paris at
he Tir Aux Pigeons, and at the exhibi-
ions at Nancy, which have given the
q considerable impetus,