Daily Kennebec journal., 1917-11-15
AUGUSTA DOCTORS
EXPERIENCES IN HOS
P|TAL AND TRENCH


Following are some very interesting
extracts from a very interesting letter
from a former Augusta physician and
surgeon, who has seen much Of the
worst part of the war-the hospital
service:
War Hospital hartford, Kent,
England.
Oct 25 1917
My first six months, as YOU know.
were spent in France with the Harvard
Unit. at a base hospital however,
when ms service was up | did not sta y
on, for l felt ] had had enough Of that
there was not enough to do After
little rest and reaching London, l. felt
ought to do more. and the war office
took ME on and sent me here, where
there were both British and German
prisoners wounded. This was a year
ago
AS result Of the Somme offensive
we were rushed with work and I then
saw and did what had expected to be-
tore leaving home. The cases were
kery severe and We had to do all sorts
of operating very serious ones,
and ! must say that American work
was looked up to. Their appreciation
repaid me for the energy ! put in, and
especially as / was a little disheart-
ened because they We're not our own
British boys ! was working for, but
huns. However, even prisoners have
TO be cared for, ana medicine makes no
distinction of class or creed.
In December I lad an opportunity of
going under the French Red Cross to
LYONS, as surgeon to an English hos-
pital for the French, and ! cnjoNed
working for them.
They are all so boyiSh and playful,
and so appreciative. and France Ger
tainy needed assistance.
The winter there in the interior was
very severe. and as I had had pneu-
monia the first winter in France, it
took great deal out Of me, so in April
returned to England again, and very
pleased at the change Hospital work
soon gets so monotonous
After months rest at a farm of
some dear friends I had made. | ap-
piled for service at Dartford again.
and secured my old post I had vol
4 'tiltVNl Ch NY St1N lttS 10 ltlp american
Embassy but was told to keep on as I
was, as it was uncertain what the
Government was intending to do.
Since, however | find there is chance
of joining the L. s. Army but rs the
British have given me an honorary
commission, and as I prefer to remain
! in England this winter | am staying
on
| have everything to gain by remain
ing. and IS we get All sorts of cases
and work here. ii is more interestipC o
than having to do minor work else
where 1t is now two wears that ] have
done Var surgery and I have done.
seen and learned Il great deal During.
these two years have travelled about
considerably. and have Travelled from
north to south in f'rance-from Calais
to The Riviera, and the italian bound
ar%-- Monte CHrlo. Nice. Cannes, and
have been in Paris twice the last time
beln" EaSter SNndaN, where I ran into
DR.. ladoucelr Of Augusta. who joined
a French Canadian init Belgium
and France have suffered the most in
this var. and England is only Just be
ginning to feel ii. and realize it,
There is no doubt that the submarine
, warfare is handicapping the country.
! but the greatest evil has been and still
is. that the people will not economize
| Certain things are difficult to obtain.
bacon. sugar tea. etc. though some
claim that there is enough of these to
carry OF with but that profiteer ng had
made the shortage. Enpland's policy
has been very weak--so weak for such
a crisis almost soon, 4
ed. The questions o. conscientious OBJ
lectot pacitiSt s-the irish question
and the extensive German propaganda.
and intrigue. have all helped il pro-
longing the struggle. Americas finn
ness and decision is bracing up the
country and with good results. Amer
lea did not realize what the war meant
and even now though she is in the
may, ! fear. does not appreciate its
, hcIllbleneSS- and especially the terri :
/ bic acts, crimes and atrocities of the
Huns. At this hospital we have had
! and now have several L. s. A Medi :
| cal Reserve officers and it is easy to
see from them that America has as
yet not realized what the war is-she
| is too far away from it. and at such a
distance it is difficult for people in ease
and comfort to see any other view
point but their own, or to realize that
| they are in danger. Once having real
lied the state of affairs, l could not
think of returning, and am very
pleased that / remained, now that
America has entered the fray. Wilson
and Americans are looked to by all
here, to help put an end to the world
disaster. and the words heard on all
sides are Wait till America sends
over her vast armies, aeropanes and
supplies, and especially her brains -
For year and half the few A,neri-
cans serving here had to tolerate all
manners of abuse because america
did not come in, but wakes fat from
war contracts" The Lusitania affair.
the Sussex, the loss of American lives
and Wilson'S notes were especially
thrown at us. Now, however. light
has been thrown on the reasons why
she did not come i'll then. and why she
lis in now, and the part America is
playing has turned the criticism into
praise.
The prices here are sky high-shoes
and boots are at $500 for the minimum
apd there are terrific taxes for amuse- =
ments, tobacco and spirits, railroad
fares are 90 per cent higher than in
peace time. eggs are about 10 cents