The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-02-09

his contract translated, he found that he
was to receive 400 roubles monthly.
His first taste of battle was on the
Grodno front. On the retreat of the
Russian army last summer Hurd mar.
rowly escaped an involuntary transfer of
his activities to the German side. After
20 hours of hard work he was ordered
to retire by night to Orani. At 3 o'clock
in the morning he had reached an estate
six miles from that point and there he
decided to rest until daylight. When
preparing to resume his Journey the fol-
lowing morning he found the stable was
full of Russian cavalry horses, some of
them wounded A Russian soldier in
formed him that 0rani had been captured
by the Germans early in the morning
and that they were approaching less than
two miles away. He made hurried exit
southwark through sand dunes where Ma
poleon lost his transports on the retreat
southwark from Moscow Until 4 o'clock
in the afternoon, when he reached new
Russian position he was between the
hostile lines uncertain as to the location
OF either army.
At another time the German cavalry
broke through the Russian lines before
Hurd was aware of the fact and had cut
his field telephone. They passed his OPP.
Grating base, evidently believing his cap
ture assured on their return. But the
American doctor harnessed his horses and
with his operating force made break
for the retiring Russian army. The Ger
mans turned battery on him and with
shells bursting around him he gallcped
his teams over the crest of hill and
eventually made his way to safety.
DIR. Hurd works customarily about
mile back OF the trenches in line with
the light artillery and in front of and
under the heavy batteries.
81 believe the Russian soldier to be the |
best in the world" he said. on recent |
visit to Petrograd, his third brief absence |
rom the trenches in more than year.
The Russian is a fatalst, is absolutely |
earless, willing to attack under any con /
litions, and is an expert with the bay |
met, bis favorite weapon. | am con
'inced that the Germans lost 90 men to
,ur one ON the retreat last summer.
"A new form OF trench bomb, filled |
With an acid that acts like -vitriol is the |
asst element we have had to contend i
With. The effect is fatal If the fumes
re inhaled and the least effect is to pro-
luce total and permanent blindness.
'hese bombs are fired at close range and
xplode on contact. From one to seven
len are affected where the explosion oe-
urs among men unprotected by respira-
ors. Often the men have not time to
dust their respirators in time to escape 4
"A remarkable thing that / have OBJ b
eryed is the number of cases of frozen
Get among German prisoners, while ]
ave vet to treat the first Russian for
hat trouble. The reason is that the {,
ermans wear close fitting boots, while (
he Russian boot is large and in place of {
ocks he winds his feet in yards Of wool
n cloths. The boots are water tight. /
ne seldom finds a Russian soldier with {
ct feet. Another thing the Russian S
'enches are deep enough and wide /
lough that the men may stand and |
ove about. 'Treneh-foot' due to cramped v
Dsitions and impaired circulation. is un- $
nown among our soldiers. t
II insist upon rigid discipline in my ID
RPS of assistants, and through n sys- o
IN of packing and handling which | il
ave devised, | can break camp and be a
! the move within 20 minutes, or ] can
nlimbcr and begin an operation within 3,
minutes upon arrival" Il
The only other American surgeon at I
lie Russian front il Malcolm Grow, re- z
ntly made surgeon of the 2lst living +,
lumn with another Siberian corps Il