Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-08-05
Bangor Commercially

Bangor Commercially
DR.. Edward NJ. Marquis. the Old
Town physician and surgeon. who set
aside his practice and offered his SER
vices to the American Ambulance
corps for the relief Of the wounded in
France during the fighting in the
western theatre of the European war,
has returned home and is full of the
= Impressions that he has received dur
ing his stay from December to June.
One of the greatest impressions
made upon his mind during his work
of caring for the wounded French and
English soldiers brought to the hos
pital maintained by this American or
ganization, was the remarkable, even
marvellous physique of the French
soldier and his extraordinary recon-
structive powers. He says that he
has seen soldiers come into the hospi-
tai with legs and thighs shattered alb
solutely, cases which, not so long ago,
the surgeons would give scarcely a
second thought as to ability to save
the member Bones would be pro-
truding through the flesh and it would
( look altogether hopeless to try and
save the leg. Added to the awfulness
OF the. wound itself, would be the
infected condition of the wound, ly-
ing as the wounded ones must for
days sometimes, before removal to the
hospital and the wound contaminated
by contact with the contents of the
trenches.
AT first, the common custom was to
cut off the leg or arm so mutilated
and hope that careful nursing would
!, restore the injured soldier to some
degree of health. Today this is all
: changed. At first a man here and
there. so badly hurt that an operation
/ seemed impossible. was let alone. To
the amazement of the surgeons these
began shortly. under the skillful nurs-
ing. nourishing foods and careful
bandaging. to improve somewhat and
as the flesh healed, abcesses would
torn in the wound. Careful probing
would discover this was caused by a
loose piece OF the bone and this was
drawn out through the small incision
necessary, the place cleansed of the
foreign matter and the healing pro-
cess continued. After awhile all these
loose pieces would thus be removed,
nature would replace the breaks in
the bone by knitting the cracked por-
: tons together and instead Of help
less cripple, the men go forth whole.
III not altogether as vigorous in the
part originally injured as before the
hurt. DR.. Marquis has brought back
some intensely interesting photo
graphs. by x-ray and ordinary meth
DDS OF photography, Of the original
condition and development Of such an
injury. the last showing him standing
erect on both legs, although support
Ing his weakened frame. by the; use Of
crutch. Eventually he will be a
we'll man. rather than cripple
1t was thus with all, practically,
who came to the hospital from the
front, they showed wonderful powers
OF recuperation and their wounds were
extraordinary in their readiness to
heal. DIR. Marquis explained this by
the fact that, in constant training as
the men have been for almost a year,
Injured to hardship and carrying ev-
erywhere load of about 40 pounds on
their backs. they have developed
physically into fine specimens of man.
hood
Another feature which appealed to
him with great force, was the shatter-
ing Of the reputation which the French
have for lightness. frivolity of
spirit, an effervescence which makes
the national temperature seem rather
on the surface. The excitability Of
the French soldier is thing Of the
past, he declares. Cool calm, never
excited, they come to the hospital to
receive treatment and accept whatever
comes WITHOUT particle Of that ex-
citement of spirit which, we have all
ways been taught, is a characteristic
OF the French people. particularly the
Partisan. Even while in the hospital
they do not talk, but lie silent, speak,
ing only when spoken to- always ready
perhaps to talk and no matter what
their rank, never in the least degree
snobbish. They are invariably pleasant
to look after and show deep appreci-
alton OF everything that is done for
-, them. with an utter absence Of fretful-
ness or faultfinding. They are appre-
. ciative, too. in fact. there is not r day
. goes by that they do not thank you
Tor what you are doing. often many
{ times a day. in thanks which show
they are not mere politeness, g. me-
. chanical expression, but from the
heart. This was a great satisfaction
to all of the surgeons on duty, as it
makes the work of relief so much
pleasanter all around.
The forgetfulness Of self, in the need
OF the nation, is another feature that
struck DR.. Marquis with tremendous
force. There Is absolutely no such
thing apparent. at least throughout all
Paris and so far as he had been able
to venture, where there is not a deep
spirit Of personal readiness to give
everything for the country's need. Not
having sought the war, yet their spirit
was that, the war having been thrust
upon them they were ready to give all.
II needed, that the nation might be
saved disaster. A universal spirit il
abroad throughout France, to do what
Is necessary. as individuals or as a
nation. to have the final victory. I'VE
. didn't want this war;" they say, but
= since the enemy is on our ground We