New Britain herald., 1917-09-14
RED CROSS ENTERS
 NEW RELIEF FIELD
Surgical Dressings to Be Made in
 Court Street Home

An interesting announcement 1rO1n l the Red Cross rooms this week is the
 opening of a department for the mal1 ing of surgical dressings.
 Two rooms on the second floor of the headquarters building on Court street have been opened for this pur- pose. The rooms have been reno- vated, splendidly equipped for the work. and lighting fixtures have been Light company.
 of Mrs. Walter Hart who has made a special study of surgical dressings and who Is thoroughly qualified to direct the work. Classes will be organized under the instruction of a qualified teacher and the course will consist of eight lessons.
 It is the wish of those in charge to start the work with class of twenty women, who will, after taking the course of lessons, become the in- structors of future classes If more than twenty women are interested sufficiently to enlist in this field at once two classes will be started
 The need for surgical supplies at every dressing station, and every field and base hospital is very great, and with every blow struck upon the bat tlf1elds the need grows greater. It is hoped therefore that 8 large number of women in New Britain will take up this branch of Red Cross work and help in the work of mercy. Any woman who is interested in the mak- ing of surgical dressings is invited to register for the classes now form ing. Applications can be made at the Red Cross rooms or by calling Mrs. Walter Hart, telephone 161O.
 It will be welcome news for those who have been waiting for wool for knitting, to know that one large con- signment has been received and that another is expected very soon. There is a constant call for these warm knitted garments now that the chill of winter is in the air. New Haven chapter Is the distributing point from which these garments are given out in the district and every chapter is send ing its knitted supplies there.
 Every day this week a large box of knitted goods has been shipped from the New Britain headquarters to New Haven. Assurance has been given that every soldier will be sup piled with warm garments before leaving port. No one will be over looked and if kept at training camps they will also be supplied. These warm garments are not part of the regular army equipment but must be supplied by the Red Cross workers. Every woman who can knit should feel it her duty therefore, to make at least one garment.
 large quantity of material to be made up into pajamas and other hos- pital garments has also been received at the Red Cross rooms. Necessary and indispensable as are surgical sup plies and knitted garments there can never be too many pajamas, too many 1 hospital shirts, nor too many conval- escent robes. The wounded soldiers are brought into the hospitals prac- tically destitute of all the comforts and necessities of life and the Red Cross fits them out anew. Sewers are always needed, plenty of them, to make up materials with comfortable garments.
 Since last weeks appeal for the Duryea War Relief many persons have responded with contributions of needed supplies. Further appeals from this source have been received at the local headquarters especially for coffee, canned beans, and sugar. Any one interested may send such supplies to the Red Cross rooms for packing and shipping.
 The two rest rooms on the second floor of the Red Cross house have now been opened to accommodate more sewers. If there are small groups in the city who wish to sew on special days these rooms will be available for them, and special days will be reserved for them if they will telephone headquarters in time. Two days are already taken by such groups.
 It is hoped that the coming week will see greater efforts on the part of New Britain women to help in every branch of Red Cross work.