Evening star., 1916-01-04
DIR. PHILLIP NEWTON.

DIR. PHILLIP NEWTON.
Fewer cases of insanity are being
received in the asylums and hospitals
of Russia today than before the war,
notwithstanding the brainracking ex-
periences which hundreds of thousands
of people of that country have gone
through during the past year. This in
dicates to my mind that prohibition
has been a great thing for Russia"
This statement was made to a Star
reporter yesterday by DIR. Philip New
ton, formerly hospital physician of
this city, now a brigadier general in
the medical branch of the Russian
army. DIR. Newton arrived in this
country Saturday aboard the White
Star liner Baltic, after having served
for fifteen months in Russia-frst as
a surgeon of the American Red Cross
and since October, 1915, in the Russian
army Dr. Newton plans to spend sew
eral weeks in this city and return to
Russia in time to go to the front with
his division some time in February.
Better Citizens and Soldiers.
The prohibition of the sale of vodka
and other intoxicants has made a better
citizen and soldier of the Russian, said
Dr. Newton, judging from the insanity
statistics. He said there has been less
insanity among the Russian soldiers as
the result of the hardships and har-
rowing experiences of war than among
the other armies. In the English and
French armies the number of soldiers
driven insane by the war is high. and
the same condition prevails in the Ger
man army. DIR. Newton has learned
"The Russian makes a fine soldier,
said DIR. Newton. He may not be as
smart as the English and French. but
he can do harder work and Withstand
ideal hospital patients. The manner in
which they endure the most painful in
juries is wonderful.
DIR. Newton went to Russia in Sep
tember 1914, as a Red Cross surgeon.
When the Red Cross withdrew it's sur
geons from the country he offered his
services to the Russian government.
In addition to being commissioned with
rank equivalent to brigad1er gen.
eralship in this country, he was deco
rated with the order of st. Anne, q
decoration given for unusual service.
Married Petrograd Princess.
While in charge of a Red Cross hos
pital in Kiev, DIR. Newton fell in love
with Princess Schahofskaya of Petro-
grad, who had volunteered as a nurse.
They were married last January. The
young noblewoman died three months
after her marriage.
Prior to coming back to this country
DR.. Newton was in charge of large
hospital at Petrograd. His division,
the I'd Division of the 6th Army, which
was almost wiped out during the re-
treat from Warsaw, has been with
drawn from the front in order to I'LL its
depleted ranks. Recruits now are beinb
taken in and trained in readiness to
start for the front in February. The
withdrawal from the scene Of activities
gave DR.. Newton chance to make a
hurried trip to this country.
Conditions in Petrograd are only
slightly changed from what they were
before the outbreak of hostilities, ac-
| cord.ng to DIR. Newton The prices for
food are higher, but the advances have
not been excessive. What shortage ex-
lists has been caused by the difficulty to
get food shipped to the city. every
train being devoted almost exclusively
to munitions of war.
Hardships of the Refugees.
DIR. Newton told of the hardships ex-
perienced by the thousands of refugees
from sections either captured or threat
ened by the Germans
"On one occasion" he said, 'I rode for
two entire days along roadways filled
with these unfortunate people-men
too old for military service, cripples,
women and children. I suppose 1 must
have passed 100000 of them. Most Of
them were on the verge of starvation.
Hundreds died by the roadside. The
roads were about six inches deep with
mud. for 1t was in the midst of the
did what it could to relieve suffering,
but little could be done because of the
| enormousness of the task
DR.. Newton experienced great diff
Guilty in getting from Petrograd to
Liverpool, where he boarded the Baltic.
The route which he was forced to take
carried him into the arctic circle,
through Sweden and Norway.
when the steamer l was on reached
| the mouth of the River Tyne we were
all ordered below. and every port light
was closed" he said 1T was broad
daylight, and at first could not under
| stand the purpose of this procedure. 1
understood. however, when l learned
that the River Tyne is hanked on either
side by some of England's' greatest
shipbuilding yards, from South Shields,
at rs mouth. to Newcastle-a distance
of about twelve miles The portfolios
were curtained so as to prevent the
passengers aboard the steamer from
obtaining view of war vessels of all
types being built in these yards.
shipyards Are All Busy.
Il managed to peep through one of
the openings, however. to see what
was going on. l saw scores of ves-
sells under construction; submarines,
cruisers. battleships; in fact. every
kind Of naval craft. Both sides OF the
| river were lined with these yards. 1t
| is quite evident that England means
| business"