Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-22
DR.. INQUIRE TO DIRECT
1000 BED HOSPITAL
NEAR FRONT IN FRANCE
Continued From First Pare

terday afternoon for Richmond where
he spent several hours last night dis
cussing with DR.. Geisinger the organi-
cation OF the hospital, DR.. Mcclure
discussed the ma tier at length with the
representative Of Tho Times-Dispatch.
Il received authority from Colonel
kean, of the Red Cross corps, to or
Eanize this unit Thursday" he said.
Il had previously received orders to
report to the surgeon-general in Wash
inEton for duty upon his staff as head
of the surgical division during tho alb
sence Of DR.. Mayo. To-day, however,
! communicated with friends in Rich
mond and authorized them to go ahead
with the organization Of the unit.
Il will take up the work personally
as soon as / return to that city after
my period Of CHty here. I know there
will be patriotic response to our ap-
peal for surgeons and nurses for SER
vice In France. How long 1t will take
to perfect our plans and when we shall
sail are. of course, questions to which
| can give no answer a. this time"
MEDICAL COLLEGE Is
GIVING COOPERATION
Every cooperation will be given Dr.
Mcclure in his undertaking, and all
the assistance possible will be offered
by medical men. Primarily because OF
the fact that the organization is going
to the battle fields as tho representa-
tive of Virginia, and will be sent under
the auspices of the Medical College Of
Virginia, no difficulty is Anticipated in
the organization Of the base hospital.
Chairman Morris, of the college COM
mittee. who for years has taken a
prominent part in public matters, as
we'll as other members of the commit
tee. has heartily Endorsed the under
taking and is exertinG every effort to
have the unit organized rs quickly as
possible.
When the Richmond Chapter of tho
American Red Cross was originally or
ganized. application was made for au-
thority to form a base hospital unit
in this city. At that time. however, the
policy was to permit base hospital units
to be formed only in few larger
cities of the country. Authority was
afterwards given to form a hospital
unit in this city, which is much small
er in personnel than the former organi-
zation. In base hospitals provision is
made for minimum OF 500 beds. and
for personnel of about $50.
1t was under such a policy that Dr.
Bryan organized and became a director
OF hospital unit r." and was ready
TO be called to the field. While in
Washington last week Mr.. Anderson,
general chairman of the Red Cross for
Virginia. learned that the present
policy Of the government was not to
place hospital units in the foreign SER
vice. but only to send base hospital
units abroad, and that II the hospital
units were called at all they would
be sent to local camps.
EXPECT TO he SENT
TO FRANCE SHORTLY
Knowing that this was contrary to
the desire of the members of the hos
pital unit in Richmond and also con-
trary to their understanding at the
time they joined the unit, the chair
man at once insisted that authority be
given to form base hospital in Rich
mond and to merge the hospital unit
with the base hospital. forming the
nucleus around which the larger or
eanization might be formed, and that
he whole unit might be ordered abroad
1t was just at this time that the
question Of relief mission to Rou-
mania came up for consideration. The
department OF military relief was in
need OF surgeon OF the highest class
for assignment TO membership on this