Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-21
PRESENT PITIABLE SIGHTS
Wounded from German Russian
Fights in Horrible Shape.
IINGER FOR DAYS AND WEEKS
Ninety Per Cent OF the Hurts Are
Infected and They VIII Un-
deFEo Much SOLDERING Re-
fore They Are Cared.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press
GLEIWITz, Germany, Dec. 1s-CBy
Courier to Holland -1he hospitals Of
lGleiwitz and Cosei filled mainly with
wounded from the battles before Ivan
gorod and Warsaw. present striking con-
trssts to those further from the front.
which are not so unattractive,
Here arc gathered men who we're worn,
haggard and suffering long before they
were wounded. Many of them had not re-
moved their clothing for four or five
weeks. and had slept IN mud and filth
Water was scarce and food scarcer. A
large number lay on the fields for a day
or two after being injured before receiv-
ing medical attention. Followed then by
| Journeys of a day or more in joltinR
peasants carts and three or four days
nerve-racking riding on railway trains
until the base hospitals finally were
reached
These delays cause at least 20 per cent
OF the wounds to become infected, maxi
ing the problems OF the surgeons more
difficult. Every effort is made in the
American hospitals 60 save as many
limbs as possible, regardless OF the length
OF time the patients must be kept. To the
correspondent OF the Associated Press
were pointed out several men who, the
surgeon said, could have been discharged
days before IL amputation had ben re-
sorted to. But bone and skin grating Is
thought TO be more humane, even though
II takes longer.
No Reflection Upon Germans.
It IL no reflection upon the German
sanitary arrangements that the wounded
nrlffCr 40 nr, h.
conditions are better The wounded in
France and Belgium come back rapidly
to comfortable beds in field and base
hospitals and receive speedy treatment,
which heads off infection. The wounded,
who are expected today or tomorrow from
the battlefields Just across the Faussian
frontier will be In far better shape than
their predecessors. because they have been
wounded but few miles from goo Ger
man roads and few hours from clean
hospital beds and adequate medical care.
Only few OF the wounded will die.
Nearly all will recover, eventually. al
though recovery can not proceed. nor
broken bones knit until suppuration
ceases, Some can write postcards, read
the daily war bulletins, play checkers or
even shuttle about the wards and cor
riuorb. Almost all can eat ana the dietary
prescribed for those seriously wounded
soldiers would make many an American
physician gasp.
Dinner today comprised for each patient
two large slices OF meat several large
spoonsful OF cooked sauerkraut. several
potatoes and a spoonful Of gravy, oil
served in a large bowl. Each man gets
q large loaf Of rye bread daily. which he
keeps beside his bed to cut from whenever
he is so inclined. Food is served in one
form or another five times a day. Not all
the wounded. but most OF them. get this
dietary. which was laid down for the
American surgeons by German experts
familiar with the needs Of the German
soldier.
The Americans have been most welcome
guests In Gieiwits and Cosei and their
presence is appreciated not only by the
medical and army authorities. but, by
the civilian population. At Gleiwitz the
president OF the district court. on service
with the troops. turned over his villa and
servants TO the American surgeons for
residence, The nurses are quartered at the
hospital Surgeons and nurses at Cosel
have been furnished quarters at the hotel.