The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-18

'ho VII W. US
and increase the
ratio ~ medical
officers TO seven Edward A Moree
per 1000 men.
This was still considerably under
the European standard. but Congress
deemed II almost extravagant. Hence
even the seven officers per thou
sand, AS against the ten per thou
sand abroad. were never obtained. In
deed, the proportion was actually AL
lowed To dwindle until now, with the
spanish war and its suffering com
fortably forgotten. II has reached APP
proximately 4s per thousand men.
For an army Of 100000 men. such
ne the United States is now 20 have
under the Hay bill. this would mean
n medical corps Of at least loo
men. At present the corps consists
~ just one Surceon-General and +ii
men. together with a reserve corps oi
ahout 100 civilians. Even on the
basis Of seven officers per thousand
II should he remembered that the med
cal corps would only he capable Of TAX
ing care of the wounds of those in the
regular service. There is no provision
- W 'tlAlE " All'Nf 4lllllI' ~
following a great expansion OF the
ranks with volunteers.
one need only grasp these facts o.
realize something Of the problem the
Red Cross must face in case Of war
For IL is the Red Cross. and only the
Red Cross. which can Supplement- the
Efforts Of the Government. ON Il
would devolye The whole care of the
wounded back of the firing limo. the
operation Of the great base hoSp.talS.
the administration Of relief in stricken
territory and h care and identifca-
tion for anXious relatives of prisoners
and the dead.
As n part Of the solution Of this
problem the Red Cross is now seek
ing to raise its membership from
1000 to 1000, 900. II gets no finan-
clal support from the Government.
and II II Is 10 make any measure %.
preparation, II must increase its n
come materially. Even with a million
members. the American Red Cross
VIII not rank with the societies
abroad. Japan. the poorest nation
has a membership of so0. 1000, while
Russia has l,4o0.Oo0 and Germany
! 200 600.
Ry far the hlggcs, part Of tho
problem Of course is the Increase ir
the actual physical equipment Of tho
i'ed cross. III II Is 10 be ready for any
emergency. whether Of war or a.,
peace, II must have hospitals. hcds
supplies and an adequate personnel
II must have supplementary medica
and nursing staffs. These mus, n.
trained. since in time of war there il
no opportunity for that. Otherwis.
there is much needless suffering. n!
IN M Spanish-American war.
To prevent the recurrence Of an,
such crisis, the Red cross is ~orraniz
ing thirty base hospitals throuchou
the country. These are 10 have 40
beds each. are r. he fully eouinnod
their stafs gathered and are To n
ready FOR instant service. -Four hav,
ALREADY been organized in New York
connected with the Preshvterio,
Helievue, New York and Mount Slrn
hospitals Others are being re
cfui'"d in Philadelphia. Raltimor,
Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and o,he
'ltl"s' In connection with each ,
tines" classes in first aid worL a.,
being conducted. in order 10 ,rai
women for The non-professional nioco
that must be filled.
10 nrinR home the lesson NJ NIB
Nn'e'iea would face In case Of war
.an 90 no better than quote from
letter from Count Traum, head of N
Austrian Red Cross, as to Austria,s q,
per,ences at the beginning OF the 90,
Met The situation In America won,
ne similar, except hat We perha,
would not be quite as well prepared ,
were the Austrians. They nj least M
a membership OF 100000 in the y,
Cross, while in the United States :,
DAY We have just passed the 100 q,
mark.
The Austrian Red Cross" dcclar.
Count Traum. "had no base osri,
only n handful of physicians, nr
nardlv any professional nurses. IooI
ing upon the Red Cross as somethir
OF the brotherhood of me
rather h "a a practical organization
zeal with actual war conditions. q,
society had only n small number
members, and consequently a limitf
income.
"An Of a sudden We faced n condItic
: none Of MS dared to think likely
o confront us in our W day. OycrnirI
our work assumed proportions we Ma
never dreamed of. Wounded sold o,
u came crowding back from tne IRON
y The military hospitals were filed a
most before we knew IT and thousan,
OF "'hcr w"unded men had IN he TAX,
care OF. So we improvised hospira
IN cities. using for this purpose pub
buildings, school houses. barracks a,
J. private homes, These were all of cnur,
re put nj u disposal free of cost. v
furnished them and organized the me,
d Teal STATS. q may get an idea
d the magnitude of our task from Il
n fact thai NJ times We had as many ,
Is 5000 beds In these improvised r,
- Cross hospitals, Lack of preparntic
n foresight took its awfu toll
suffering, infection and ~prevcn,ah
death,