New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-25
u, ARTHUR :. DRAPEk'
ARTICLE ".

almost splt tneir slnef VIZ" '""s"''
Al the Jokes Of the performers. They
had come to Ne IN tho morning. a mass
OF mud and blood. their clothes tat
tered and torn. You must sec one oil
these fellows 70 appreciate the miracle
YOU can work with hot water, some
bsndages and clean clothes. A good
bath. clean fresh clothes and handages.
hot meal, cigarette make new men
Of them"
But this was a convalcscent and IN
spoction camp. and to get an idea OF inc
British medical arrangements IN
France you must 60 much nearer the
front. right up under the shadow OF the
firing line. where are the advance
dressing stations. Here brave red cross
stretcher bearers pick up the wounded
and hurry them back 20 q dugout. where
tircless surgeon makes hurried OK
animation and hasty dressing.
A couple OF miles or 50 behind the
firing line IS temporary or feld hos
pital. where the wounded Tommy re-
c.ive, further and more searching
attention. lie ma" stay here over
night IL IL IL a light day. But when
The casualties are running high or
when he needs an operation which can
he done better elsewhere he ~ rushed
miles back to one OF the base hospitals.
Concrete Floors Built
though the field hospitals must he
mobile. the sloVness of trench warfare
mas given the medical staff an oppor-
tunity to construct huts with cement
floors almost within range OF the en-
emy's guns. The operating room is as
clean and fresh as white paint and soar
ard water can make it; the wards are
light and airy. and the patients get
Just tn. right kind Of nourshmeni.
In these field hospitals are many VINO
are temporarily incapacitated by minor
/ ills stomach trouble. neuralgia. tooth-
ache. earache. blistered feet. and so on.
/ They need merely little attention and
rest and are ready 10 return 20 their
places in the trenches.
Il is the proud boast Of the Roya
Army Medical Corps that the percent
/ sge of sickness in the British army IN
. France is lower than that OF many
cities. but where the force runs into
millions the number OF cases OF minor
complaints Is large.
Wien Tommy gets 20 the base hos
, initial he is we'll on his way 20 "Bhgnty,
! though some Of the poor chaps never
! complete the trip across the Channel.
We visited a hospital by the sea
where there were hundreds OF woundeC
7 Tomrnies and several wards hlled with
wounded Germans who had Deen
brought down from the Somme battle
. field. In one ward we're men suffering
from head wounds; in another Wltn
shattered legs and arms; IN tnirI
stomach wounds the most terrible %
ali casualties. Shrapnel does the
greatest damage and produces the mos.
irightful wounds.
X-Ray Chief LifesaVer
After the war books will be written
IN .reak wounds and the marvels Of
war surgery; the magic OF the human
artery. which always repels the DuIiet'
though that same bullet can penetrate
steel. but il any one thing mas done
more TO save life in this war 1t Is the
N-ray.
.If Americans want to do some thing
more for humanity, SAID the co4ohel
IN charge Of the hospital. nave them
send ms a dozen Of their best surgeons.
We need all the operators we can GET
and then we won't have enough.
We entered ward filled with Ger
man soldiers. Propped up in bed WAS
an officer.
How are you today" asked the
colonel. ,.,
"Allos recht." he smihngly replied.
THE moor fellow came to us with a
rriobtful leg. almost blown of At the
,ncc. and we have been trying hard 10
save II. He has chance. but 1t Will
be close shave. No. we dom nave
any special trouble with the boche.
Sometimes they have trouble among
Them selves when a Prussian officer gets
IN the same ward with privstes
The brieht-faced English nurse
TUCKED in the bedclothes Of the wound
cd German CAPTAIN with the same klnd
are and attention she would show 70
one Of her own countrymen. In the
bosnitsl il makes no difference whether
short time ago the patient WAS friend
or fo. Surgeons and nurses fight but
ifhe common enemies-p pain and death
Germans Enjoy Comforts
Some Of the Germans were reading
hooks others talking. but all had eyes
onlv for the colonel and his visitors.
"Thers is a chap who speaks Eng
lliSb." said the colonel. pointing 10
cot IN which lsv a fair-haired fellow
IN his early twenties. ! asked nm
msnv questions and ne replied frankly
,up 10 a point Pieced together has
story ran something like TINS;
IL came from Hamburg. where,
worked in steamship once Foi
fourteen months ] had been IN me
trenches. most OF the time at lpres'
was helping defend Courcelette on my
Somme when a piece OF shrapnel M
80 rrd.r the left eve. ! am blind N
,ba, eve. but the doctor thinks he car
go The other. though the shrspnel Il
working across my face. me Cana
diana are great fighters; wonderful n
attack. Yes, | had enough 10 eat II
the trenches, but shings are bad a
homo. NV old mother has a hard time
hone IN. war will end soon so J csf
. Get bach 10 her DO think Germany
IS beaten H..
A puzzled look came over his rae
and he seemed 20 be trying 10 form
, sentence. but finally he smiled an
sbook his head. Whether he meant ~
6id not know or did not think NJ
rountry was finished. it was impossini'
r 10 Tell. for he would not pursue ina
, line Of conversation.
found smother young fellow, Wn'
was suffering from rheumatism. III
hsd worked i'm London. He vas slmos
nunv. an oversrown boy. HIS enc
ror,niaint WAS that flood not plenty
IN ne trenches. lie was glad he wa
prisoner and showed II. Stre'cne'
8 out At full length in a cot near By wa
. n blond Prussisn who strsfcd- the 90.
With every glance. The Prussia
could not understand what he was say
. L - a.