Mexico weekly ledger., 1914-12-31
DOGS SAVING THE
WOUNDED IN EUROPE


Paris, (by mail1.-Not-
withstanding much that has already
been recorded of them, the ambulance
dogs have not yet been given full rec
ognition for the part they are play
ing in the war, say the dog lovers.
Doctor Kresser of the National So
ciety Of Ambulance Dogs told in in
teresting detail their intelligent and
courageous feats.
The French ambulance dog is the
French Shepherd. The French dog
is taught TO seek the wounded of the
enemy's troops as well as his owl.
He is as gentle as he is faithful, and,
as in the case Of "Tom," is the pet of
his company.
The case of Tom" is this:
CASTOR Durand of the Fiftieth In
fantry fell in one of the violent en-
gagements in the Argonne Forest,
wounded in the arm by a fragment of
a shell, with a bullet in his jaw and
nearly sealped by a blow from a saber.
He tried to rise, but a heavy weight
fell upon him and then he lost con-
seriousness. The first thing he became
aware of was a feeling that resem
bled a caress upon his forehead. He
opened his eyes and there was Tom,
one of the ambulance dogs, affection
ately tapping his torn head. He
tried to rise, but the heavy weight
that had borne him down was still
there. 1t was the body of one of his
comrades who had fallen with a bull
let through his heart.
Pulled Doctor 10 Soldier.
Impossible to extricate himself, he
finally got in a sitting posture. His
cap was gone and that explained why
Tom had not gone back to the ambu-
lance for help. Durand looked, and
Tom searched, but no cap was to be
found go Tom, and fetch the com
rades," Durand cried. A half hour
later Tom went into camp and seiz-
ing the first soldiers coat in his teeth,
began Juggling at him. The soldier
did not understand, Then Tom bark
ed appealingly, but with no more cf-
feet. Finally he barked menacingly,
with no result. Then the doctor came
along. He understood and Tom gave
a yelp of joy when he realized that he
had succeeded. Directed by him the
doctor and the stretcher bearer soon
found Durand, hidden in a thicket,
where probably he would have passed
~unnoticed until he had either starved
or died from his wounds, had it not
been for Tom.
They lifted the dead man off, car
ried Durand back TO the ambulance
and notwithstanding the gravity of
his three wounds, he is now mending,
all thanks to Tom.
a case is reported from the vicinity
of Verdun in which a dog discovered
a soldier who had been wounded in
the head. His cap had also been lost
and the dog could find nothing that
he could carry back to the ambulance
to report his find. Finally, despair
ing of finding anything he could carry
hack, he lay down on the ground op-
the wounded mar and howled
dismally until help came. Doctor
Vertier, surgeon in the Thirteenth
Corps, reports that the ambul-
ance dogs in his corps have saved
hundreds of lives.
An affecting scene was reported
from Belgium after the first fighting
around Iiege. A machine gun dog
wounded in the leg; at the same
lime one Of the gunners was wounded
the face and after the battle they
cen returning. The soldier had
-he dog in his arms and the dog was
lf%ectionately licking the wound in
his masters face.
Took Message For Wounded Master.
"Prusco" IS the name of a shepherd
log that belongs to an Estafet, who
orders along the lines with a
"Prusco" sits alongside his
whatever the pace and how
yer rough may be the route, he can
lot be shaken from his post. The es-
afet received a bullet in his shoulder
he other day and was unable to go
m. He tucked the order which he was
o bring back to headquarters under
he dogs collar and finally persuaded
i'm to start off with it. The dog de-
lvered his message and then started
Jack TO find his master, accompanied
stretcher bearers, who brought
i'm safely back to the lines.