Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-05
THE GERMANS
CLAIM TO HAVE
FINE HOSPITALS

ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence
Berlin, Nov. % Berlin has at pres
ent about l,100 hospitals for the wound
ed, the smallest accommodating 40
cases while the larger ones have from
400 to 600 beds.
In all there are said to be about 10,
600 wounded in Berlin hospitals, the
number being maintained fairly con-
slant although the individual patients
are constantly changing. A very large
proportion of the wounded, it is stated,
are soon discharged as again fit for
duty and return to the front. No def
mite figures are available but an army
surgeon who has had large experience
both in, the field and in the base and
reserve hospitals estimated that about
seventy per cent Of the wounded are
returning or will return to duty, only
thirty per cent, being permanently I'M
fitted for military service. The Asso-
ciated Press correspondent was taken
through six of the larger Berlin hos
pitfalls and found many of the wounded
from the recent campaign against
Warsaw and Ivangorod. These men
had had a particularly trying expert
ence. Many of them, wounded before
Ivangorod for example. had been
transported in wagons for two days
before req aching the Russian railroads
and had another two to four days en-
route over the Russian railroads be-
fore reaching the German railroads at
KattowitZ, Silesia.
Thence to Berlin the transport had
gone forward smoothly and. comfort
ably in the wonderful German hospital
trains to Berlin but the first part Of
the Journey had been a protracted
stage of pain and discomfort. Never
theless they were practically all in
good spirits and in most cases making
rapid progress toward recovery.
Wounded lodged in the Royal Con-
servatory of Music. now converted into
a model hospital, have in their wards
pictures by Van Dyke. Rubens, Vel
aspuez and other old masters, the
works in the school gallery having
been distributed among the various
rooms. In the School of Applied Arts
now also q hospital. the wounded had
before them for study beautiful porce-
lain, enameled curios and tapestries
In one of the officers casinos, now con-
yerted into a hospital, another large
collection of pictures of military sub
JeclS tiAtAtA va 80 49,
Field hospitals are erected quickly A
visit was paid to a new "Barrack hos
pitaP' composed OF wooden, transport
able barracks, each holding thirty men.
In a few days this hospital TO hold
1.2e0 had sprung up on Tempeihoier
Field. hot and cold water had been IN
stalled, heating service provided, a
thoroughly modern operating room
equipped and ii was figured that In
four days. if necessary, the entire nos
pital could be taken to pieces ana
placed on automobiles ready Tor SNIP
ment to any place required.
Little is said in the German papers
about sickness in the army. There mas
been considerable enterio trouble oat
this is disappearing with the advent Oh
cold weather. The entire army IN the
west had been vaccinated against ty-
nhoid. the men assigned to service IN
the Fast have in addition to be inecu-
lated against cholera. pneumonia IL
is said. is comparatively not danger
siuce the men in the trenches are
warmly clad but other diseases OF the
respiratory system are quite frequent
overstrsin of the heart is also ne
onent cause CT men being inVahaeo
home or sent to hospital. many reser-
visits and volunteers breaking Gown
n,der the strain of hard campaigning.