El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-11-14
WOUNDED SUFFER.
0FPR0PERGARE
Soldiers Manned in Battle
Are Jolted Over Roads
and Poorly Fed.
JOURNEYS DESCRIBED
AS dad NIGHTMARES"

~ ARTS, France. Nov. 14-By far the
worst feature of being wounded is
= the long journey back to hos
pitaL in jolting ambulances. wagons
and boxcars, with only slight atten-
ton and sometimes insufficient water
and food The number Of wounded is
too great for good care for all
For instance, al infantryman was
wounded by a bursting shell, piece
OF which was driven into the flesh OF
the thigh, innicting a severe CASH
The soldier collapsed at once ana
lay at the bottom of the trench, DIeeu-
ing freely. He was dazed oy lhe con-
Cussion. Happily doctor was a
hand creeping along the trehCn a ms
hazardous work. With the help OL an
ambulance man of the medical CORPS,
he raised the injured limb cut away
the trouser leg, and applied a tenn
pOrary antiscptic dressing ana Dahu-
age. This was all that could ne zone
at the moment, because the enemy Wds
Smelling the trench vigorously, ana 50
preventing anyone from leaving II
The wounded soldier, left to himself
gradually recovered full consciousness.
at first his wound did not hurt MIN
very much, because the blow had dead
eued the sensitiveness Of the nerves.
but, after a little time, the PAIN pc
came severe dull, persistent lnIOD
bling growing more and more acute
Suffered Severely.
This stay in the trenches reuqceu
vitality and shattered resistance. LOSS
o. blood. pain, shock, hunger, colo anu
damp all exacted their toll OF strength
50 that when night fell and the enemy >
fire abated a little, il was very Weah
and broken man who was collected
bv the stretcher bearers and carried
back through the dark woods to the
regimental aid post and thence 10 the
dressing station Inc ore ;slIlLS5,,ise5
as a hospital. oThe floor of the build
ing was covered with straw.
Doctors attended the wounded mere
food was served and treatment given
as far as was possible. The doctors
we're tired out and overworked, ana
fresh cases were arriving every mo
ment, many of them demanding lnlInS-
diate and long attention. me Wouhu-
ed infantryman was covered with a
blanket and left to 20 to sleep. ne
could not sleep and spent an uneasy
The groans Of his fellow sufferers
were narrowing.
Next day he felt feverish and ILL 1t
was, necessary. however, to remove MN
from the dressing station, as there
were more cases coming down and the
accommodation was limited.
Carried over Rough Road.
His dressing was attended to and ne
was then placed in an ambulance along
with other cases and conveyed over
rather rough road TO place Where an
ambulance train had been drawn up IN
readiness.
The train consisted of horse boxes,
capable Of holding eight horses and ~
men. and some thirdclass carriages,
The horse boxes were quite clean; they
were carpeted with straw. Arrange
ments had been made for swinging
stretchers inside them. The stretcher
cases were accommodated, some on
these swinging places, others on the
straw. -Four doctors and body OF
ambulance men accompanied the train
A period OF several hours was re-
Quired in which to enIraln the lull
complement of wounded. This was a
very weary time, for, Of course, dress
ings could not be attended TO in the
horse boxes. nor could pam pc al
leviated except in a perfunctory way.
The rate Of travel, when the train AT
last began to move, was very slow ana
there were frequent delays
These stoppages were usually abrupt
there being no system Of air brakes
on the horse boxes Many OF the pa
tents complained bitterly Of the shocks
ard joltings, but it was recognized that
these were unavoidable.
short Rests Taken.
There were occasional rests at sta
tiCns by the Wayside where nurses ana I
HELPERS of various kinds waited to be-
stow wine and warm drinks, choco-
lates and cigarets. Dressings could
also be attended to here in case of
great need The journey lasted about |
a day and a night (many of the jour
At certain places wounded were re-
moved from the train TO be taken by |
motor ambulance to hospital These !
men were to be envied, because life in |
that train was very trying for men !
who had already been. subjected to the /
fierce penalty Of the trenches and in |
many cases, were the victims Of in 1
flammation Of their wounds.
WEAKNESS Profound.
The WEAKNESS and exhaustion were |
profound. a man lived in a kind OF /
feverish nightmare through which |
rumbled increasingly innumerable /
wheels moving by jars and jolts."
At Rouen the journey ended. Ambu- |
lance men crowded into the wagons |
and carried theN stretchers out across !
the great dark stations to a group OF |
motor ambulances which were waiting. (
The wounded men were brave ana I
even cheerful; but their faces-those /
white drawn faces. begrimed and be-
shaven-told how sore the ordeal had |
)een.