The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-06-15
BY MARY pEWHURsT.
Am the NeW York Trlbune.l J


New York.-Long before the fighting
men Of the United States reach the
lbattletields of Europe, the letters U. s.
M. Il. c. will be known to wounded
soldiers In many little town In
france. In base hospitals, close be-
hind the armies, will be found doc
tors, nurses and orderlies fresh from
America, advance guards of the first
lexpeditionary forces which this coun-
try ever sent abroad.
Already two base hospital units are
on the other side, five others are to
follow within u few weeks, and all
through the summer, along with muni-
tions and food, ships from America
will carry men and women of the Unit
ed States Medical Reserve corps.
Twenty-Six Units Organized.
, During the last two years the army
has foreseen the present emergency
.Iand prepared for 1t. Under the direc-
ltion of Col. Jefferson r. Kean, medical
}director of the American Red Cross,
t26 base hospital units have been or
Iganized In connection with medical
lcenters all over the country. Begin
hlng with the Massachusetts, General
hospital on the Eastern seaboard, and
Jextending to San Francisco on the
Western, different hospitals have vol
Nnteered staff and equipment for war
Jservice. Colonel Kean co-ordinated
leach hospitals doctors, nurses, instru-
ments and physical properties into
funitS, registered them under the Red
Gross and arranged for their immedi-
ate transfer into the Medical Reserve
corps at the outbreak of war. This
unit has been notified to hold itself in
readiness for foreign duty, to replace
British organizations in France, which
will move on to other positions. They
lare Americas response to the situation
icreated by the torpedOing Of hospital
ships. Henceforth hospitals must be
taken to the wounded, since sick and
helpless men are no longer exempt
from frightfulness.
Besides 20 nurses and % doctors,
leach unit includes an administrative
personnel of about $50 civilians. A
base hospitals equipment provides for
800 beds, which allows about three
nurses and a doctor to each 20 |
wounded. These physicians and nurses
are only the firSt-aid givers, the ex-
perts, who, with their patients, must
be fed, laundered, transported, in
dexed and amused, and 1t taxes all of
the $50 willing workers to see to 1t.
First to Mobilize.
With every unit goes a quartermas-
ter from the regular army, in COM
mand of the administrative forces. All
civilians are enlisted under him as
privates, at SIS a month, and later ap-
pointed to special duties according to
whether they are cooks or laboratory
experts. At the outset the college man
with a string of letters after his name
goes in oD Il par with the husky Irish
man who can drive u mule, and Of the
two the Irishman gets the warmer
welcome.
The first unit from New York to get
its mobilization orders was the one
organized by the Presbyterian hospital.
It has been in existence over a year
and prides itself on its equipment,
bought and slowed away against just
such a call. Last year orders came for
a practice mobilization in Philadelphia,
but the hospital trustees demurred at
giving its doctors and nurses leave Of
absence, so the equipment was sent
without them. 1t took IS freight cars
to carry it. Out in Cleveland directors