Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-19
WITH THE RED CROSS in EUROPE
American Soceys Splendid WorkArmy Officer Who Conducted
Surgeons and Nurses Into Midst of War Tells Experiences
Rx I. C. HEMPHILL


CINCE the beginning OF the war the Ameri-
~ can National Red Cross has expended APP
proximately 100000 in Europe. BY the end
of the present year the expenditures will
amount to more than S76o,000
The offer of the Red Cross to send doctors
and nurses and supplies was accepted by all
the countries affected by the war, and in
August 1t was determined to send ship
loaded with relief supplies for the stricken
people At first the intention was to secure
one of the army transports OF the United
States for this service; but this was found
to be impractIcable, as these ships were em-
ployed In bringing American refugees out
of the war zone The Hamburg American
Line then offered one of it's finest vessels for
the sum OF 81, and the offer was accepted.
There was delay in dlspatchlng the ship be-
cause Of the protests made by the Ambassa-
doris of France and Germany on account of
the nationality of the crew, and these protests
imposed a very considerable expense. as un-
necessary as 1t was unexpected, upon the
Red Cross, which was compelled to organize
a new crew and pay the discharged crew
full months wages The fault-finders, with
out any knowledge OF the facts, severely
criticised the Red Cross for this unavoidable
expenditure
When the ship, which had been rechristen-
ed "Red Cross" got away on September 1S,
it was loaded to the gunwales with supplies,
and carried doctors and nurses To know
how thoroughly the expedition had been put
fitted, this manifest of the cargo Is worth
reading;
1850 pounds C6Ss bales) absorbent cotton.
1888 $50 pounds (21O9 bales) non-absoTbent cotton.
1900 pounds Gao cases) bandages
$4,000 yards .(os cases) gauze.
2lO4 stretchers.
1900 cans chloroform and ether.
5 cases vaseline
3 cases adhesive plaster.
p gallons Iodine
6 cases surgical supplies.
II cases miscellaneous supplies,
Hospital Once Gambling Palace
The ship carried 10 units of surgeons and
nurses. A unit is an arbitrary term, and
means surgeons and 12 nurses. so that
there were 80 surgeons and 12O nurses on the
Red Cross The first landing was made
at Falmouth. England, whence the two units
intended for Russia were dispatched by devil
Gus routes to their destination at Kiev 400
miles east OF the southern Russian army.
where they are attending a military hospital
supplied with 500 beds. on their arrival IN
Russia the surgeons were required 10
Gnun8b NHclE uHlluAtl5 70 the RUSSIAN gray
or sate-eolored habits. and were made
officers in the Russian Red Cross
The two English units were dispatched TO
the hospital at Paignton South Devonshire.
established by the American wives OF Eng
lshmen. From Falmouth the ship went to
Pauinac. the port OF Bordeaux, where 10s
tons of supplies We're discharged for the
French Red Cross and for the American EN-
bassy at Paris Six surgeons and "a nurses
were sent to Paris, where they were assigned
to a hospital which was formerly gambling
palace,
At Rotterdam the units and supplies for
Austria, Germany and Belgium were landed
The Belgian supplies were sent TO Client. ana
were probably captured by the Germans four
days later The units for Austria and Ger
many were sent to Berlin, where they al
vided. One OF the Austrian units Is al the
Imperial and Royal Reserve Hospital No. 8
In Vienna, and the other is at Budapest. One
OF the German units Is at Glsrlolts. IN Ger
man silesia. ana the other Is az Cossl The
hospital al the former place was formerly a
theatre.
There are a2 American surgeons ana 100
American nurses now engaged Ia the service
Of the American Red Croas u the ElIronsan
hospitals. The surgeons who sailed On ne
first ship represent 20 q the American state
Three surgeons sailed this week y io.n tbosa
already ln the neld. - september thrse
units. consisting es 3 surgsona ana a nursss.
were ssnt e setFAA And fo1nd taeir sav ID
Belgrade The olaeF unlla. eonsstin4 = 4
surgeons and s. naFsas ssrs senl IS seg.,s
~ November 81
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