The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-12-05
AMERICAN ARMY SURGEON
ON THE GERMAN STAFF
YOUNG CHICAGO MAN WRITES HOME TO HIS
MOTHER OF WORK IN HOSPITALS
TELLS OF GERMAN SUCCESSES
Copy of His Letter Reached Moscow and Its Publica
ton Permitted-Some Interesting Details
Are Contained in Mssve

The conditions in the war zone
from observation made by young
American surgeon, now in charge OF
one of the hospitals at Konigsberg,
Germany, are contained in two let
ters written by the surgeon, one to
his mother under date of September
19 and one to his brother under date
of October s. The letters were receiv-
ed by the relatives at Chicago, from
which point the young surgeon mad
gone to enter the service of the kaiser
and in many respects are interesting.
DR.. c.. L. Gritman, who was acquainted
with the family, has received the let
ters and kindly permitted the pub
Iication of such parts as would be OF
interest to the public. Because OF their
length. extracts from the letter to
the mother will be given first and at
later date the second communication
will be printed.
The surgeon writing the letters is
a young man, Pro-German, and while
DR.. Gritman stated today that the
young man was not of boastful dis
position. that in writing to members
of his family he would be more apt to
express satisfaction at his own success
and progress in his work than would
otherwise have been disclosed. To his
mother he says:
Mails Are Irregular
mo doubt that you and the rest OF
the family have been very much wor-
ried about my whereabouts, but I also
feel that it is due to the fact that no
mail has been allowed to be sent over
to America and that the railway line
from here has been closed for some
time. 1t is very doubtful if this let
ter will reach you in safety, as the
mail transportation is still being in
terrupted.
"At the present time | cannot write
very much about the conditions as
they exist here as all the mail passes
through the censor's hands and l
might accidently insert something that
they would not like and therefore the
letter be withheld, SO therefore | will
only write a few brief statements.
Has Charge of Hospital
"At present l am a regular Ger
man MiIitar Arzt, stationed in Kon-
iceberg in Festungs Hilfslarzarett No.
1-B in % Drum Straase. I have charge
of 18O beds and have control OF the
surgical part of the hospital. All OF the
operating is done by me and all the
cases pass through my hands first.
have two assistants that help me with
the work, but as usual, am the boss
and what | say goes. II am sure that
it would surprise you to see me walk
into the hospital and see all the SOL
diers and under officers stand still
with their feet together and their
heads erect and wait for me to pass.
have the entire hospital under per-
feet control Each one knows just
what he has to do and he knows that
it is the best thing for him to do 1t
lust as he is told The Ober Inspector
said that I had the best organized and
cleanest hospital in the city.
Have Large Accommodations
I'm the city of Konigsberg we have
for five thousand sick
people, and when the Ober Inspector
saws that my division is the best run
place it means a great deal 1t is
to some of the older men how
/ handle all of the soldiers and how
/ get so much work out of each OF
them, but there are tricks in all trades
and l have learned few of them.
'In one night alone | dressed loe
wounded soldiers and on some OF these
| operated Again, they were surprised
with the speed and accuracy that
work and how handle the patients. {
It is needless to say that / am well J
known as the American that is work !
ing in the Militar hospital and that
be is a good operator. To help all
of nv advertisement I operated on
several cases that others had failed I
on. with good results, this helped
boost me a great deal. In short all OF s
Il, -. ~. +oLiy0 xotioo If me- +