The sun., 1915-05-16
special Cable Despotch TO THu srS

other neutral countries, Holland an 4
switzerland. have just completed at
the invitation Of the French Govern
ment an inspection OF the hospitals
where the victims Of German asphyxi-
ating gases are being cared for. The
inquiry has proved to the impartial
satisfaction OF all six men that the
gases used were absolute poison AMI
that from inhaling sufficient
quantity OF II men died as surely as II
they had drunk water from poisoned
wells.
The invitation was extended as soor
as the official English and French in
vestigators had concluded their exam
ination OF the soldiers who had been
subjected to this gas. Some OF tho
men survive and are still suffering
from the effects Of the gas in various
hospitals. Many, however. are dead.
The attending physicians at the hos
pitfalls visited were instructed to give
the fullest possible Information re-
garding the history of each patient
examined so that the results obtained
by the correspondents were quite
complete and from thoroughly scien-
tific sources.
Died within One Day.
The first hospital visited was an inn
mense modern sanitarlum for tuber-
cular children at Zuydcoote on the
coast few miles north of Dunkirk.
1t is capable OF caring for 1000
patients and has now been trans
formed into a magnificent military
hospital. Out Of seventy-fve victims
of German gas who were sent to this
institution three died and fifteen have
recovered sufficiently to he sent to
more distant sanitariums for CON-
valescents
The correspondents examined
score of the remainder Some OF them
had arrived a few hours after being
poisoned. Prof. Ratheray. one Of tn.
most eminent physicians OF Paris, de-
scribed the cases. IL was he who had
performed the autopsy over those who
had died. The first ones to arrive a,
the hospital had turned violet tlnge.
They died the next day and an au.
topsy showed that they formerly had
They had been cared.
hu; their lungs stlll bore the scars of
III" disease.
Another victim died two days after
his arrival 1t the hospital. He too once
had had tuberculosis and tho immediate
cause Of death was tubercular pneu-
mouia, Yet another subject who had
been in perfect physical health died
from pulmonary congestion caused by
the gas.
t'r"f. Ratheray said that exact figures
are not yet available. He estimates.
however. that among the French troops
alone between 1000 and 3. 800 men were
and OF this number II is no
L.
died eli the field of battle and tina. 8
per cent. died in hospitals
GRs Tastes Like Chlorine.
Experiments were made with various
gases on the men who recovered and all
Of them agreed in SAYING that chlorine
has the same taste az the gas used by
the Germans.
Several Of the victims were inter.
viewed. All of them said that the effec,
of the gas had been terrdble and in
Many men. they said, were
overcome while STOPPING to pick up their
haversacks before fleeing IRON the
poisonous cloud Most of them were un-
able TO rise again. but some were able
TO ssgeer a few yards before succumb-
ing entirely. A few of these were
dragged from the poisoned zone by their
stronger comrades
Those who escaped arrived at the
hospitals eXpectorating blood. They had
collapsed utterly in most cases and FOR
days after were racked by terrible
coughing. IL was curious fact that
N many cases a fever developed four
TO five days later Then pneumonia "A
developed The correspondents were we'll
able to Judge of the lasting effects OF
his gas by viewing the men who had
oeen poisoned eighteen days previously. |
Several officers who were recovering
we're visited AT Malo-les- Bains. Their
evidence, which. because of their supe- |
Tor education, is more reliable, abso- |
utely confirmed the accounts given by |
he soldiers, one of these officers. a |
Lieutenant. who had been n doctor In |
'ivl life. was taking photographs on |
april 20 IN company with a doctor Of
science when he saw cloud approach |
ng II was about 1900 yards away. |
Both men recognized 1t as chlorine.
Gas. Then RayOnets.
Another officer, Captain. said that
lot a man in his division returned from
he trenches which were swept by the
gas. \ Lieutenant said that he saw
;efrNan troops bayonetting men who |
>ad fallen In the first line Of trenches. |
L was this Lieutenant who confirmed |
he reports that gas bombs were used Al |
Boesinghe on April 20. lie distinctly |