Evening journal., 1916-03-29
Rr WILLIAM G. SHEPHERD.
United Press Stan correspondent,

United Press Stan Correspondent
SALONICA. Greece Feb. 26. - (By
MaiD-A hospital is like heaven TO a
sick or wounded soldier.
II man has any strength left when
he tumbles in between the white
sheets for the first time he heaves a
sigh OF relief and content. was on
my back for three weeks. in the
Fourth Canadian Hospital at Solonica
and | got to watching the newcomers,
waiting for this sigh Of contentment,
and for the smile which crossed even
the pain-strained faces as the soldiers
or officers relaxed from the tension of
their sufferings and surrendered
themselves to the ministrations and
care of the nurses.
No wounded came in while I was
there, There. was no terrible rush
such as sometimes happens during a
battle when torn and bleeding men
pour in like flood. night and day
and test the nerves and strength of
the doctors. surgeons and nurses al
most to the breaking point I suppose
such men sigh too. II they have the
strength, when they find that they
have exchanged their bed of blooded
mud on the battlefield for the white
sheets and soft cots. and the gentle
care Of the nurses in some tent hos
pital.
Most of the men who came I'm while
] was there were sick OF grip OF
pneumonia. Some Of them were Eng
lishmen who. i'm spite of some chronic
ailment OF long standing had vOlun.
teered and tried to stand the rough
ness OF field life only 10 have their
old ailments exaggerated Most OF
them had tried to fight of the Illness
and hadn't surrendered until either an
intense fever or pain had overcome
them.
Get to the hospital with your
boots on" seemed to be their motto
Though they came in ambulances
they rarely came on stretchers
There's always something pitiful and
gruesome about a huddled form on q
stretcher. and you don't want to be
that form yourself. II you can help II
The next step with newcomer was
to sit on the edge of the cot. which
had been assigned him. If he was
very i'll, he might at least stretch oui
on the blanket.
Don't surrender" seemed TO be The
idea get to the hospital with your
boots on and keep them on as Ions
as you can"
But. shortly, a white clad and very
business-like nmrse would take mat
ters in hand. and. as it were. throw uT
the sponge for the conquered hero
She would come in with pajamas. o
soft canton flannel, made by the kinC
hands OF Canadian women. and a pail
of bed socks. Of the same material
"On with your clothes she would
say. "Get into these and go right tC
bed"
But" the officer would begin tC
protest.
Unto bed" the nurse would order
firmly. And the man whose job i
was TO order around a thousand men
even to the point OF death, II need be
would meekly submit.
Within ten minutes a pajamae'
figure would crawl in between tn
warm blankets and then would com
the sigh Rest and comfort and car
at last. after the mud and wet, coli
and dirt. beds OF straw and sleepin'
bags.
A British army hospital isn't sup
posed to be a place for sentiment. an.
more than a British Quartermaster'
department or an automobile rcpai
station. Its purpose is to repair sol
diers and make them useful again. Il
for the firing line. theoretically, al
army hospital is a place to which yol
send broken down men to have then
fixed up in. much the same way tina
an officer sends his horse to the com
pany farrier TO have it shod. That is
il works that way, theoretically. Blu
human nature overcomes theory, nov
and again. don't believe there wal
n single nurse OF the seventy-ive II
that hospital who had not taken car'
of at least one German soldier Sew