The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-12-27

As the North Dakota surgical
dressings work is all shipped through
the Red Cross division headquarters
in Minneapolis, there is special in
terest here and elsewhere in the
state, in the following, which is a
copy of letter written to the direc-
Tor OF Woman's Work of the North
ern division. This letter was written
by Miss Erb who was recommended
by this division to go to France and
work in surgical dressings under the
direction of Mrs. Austin, OF Paris. II
reads:
MY Dear Mrs. Fridley:
Less than three weeks in Paris
does not give one an opportunity to
acquire a breadth of knowledge
about the details of the surgical
dressings situation here, but there
are a few things you win be glad
to know.
First of all, If we had been maxi
ing in America a thousand dressings
for every one we did make, we would
not have made too many, and the
need has never been so great as IL is
right now, because our army in
France is rapidly increasing and our
men are getting on to the firing line.
To-day is Thanksgiving, but we
were all asked to work all day, which
we did, because the situation here
and at the front for surgical dress
ings, is most critical we are told by
Mrs. Austin.
Mrs. Nicholson and l have not
yet made any dressings. The h~".
week we helped to put in readiness
for occupancy, a new and very large
work room-and then we were trans
ferred to what is called the Surgical
dressings Clearing House" All of
the American Red Cross cases are
sent to this place, where they are
unpacked, the dressings inspected
and repacked for immediate ship
ment to the front hospitals. a" cases
being repacked with only one kind of
dressing. You will be interested and
pleased to know that the second case
j unpacked was from Minneapolis. In
five days I have unpaCked twelve
cases from there, and many cases
from many other places, and it is the
Joy Of my life to say-and the whole
clearing house force agrees with me
that there are no dressings from any
place that we have found so far that
can i'm any way compare or begin to |
approach the loveliness of the Min |
neapolis boxes and dressings. Tht |
way they are made, wrapped and |
packed is beyond all expression OF !
comparison with anything that comes |
into the clearing house.
I'VE keep a close count of every |
thing coming out Of all the cases |
and make a notation of every mistake |
in count or error in packing, and |
every Minneapolis case bears the
mark excellent"
Miss Mary Louise Rochester of
New York is the director at the
clearing house and she told me the
Minneapolis boxes were always
marked that way and as far as she
knew there had never been an error
recorded on any of them.
II am not exaggerating one thing
I'm my statement about these cases
from Minneapolis. and now the 9TH
or side Of the clearing house, we find
many dressings that have to be sent
to the wOrkrOoms here in Paris TO be
made over (thank goodness for our
instruction at 722 Second avenue
SOUTH and some are so very badly
made that they are impossible and
useless altogether. The Minneapolis
cases stand out as rare jewels among
the great number that go through
the clearing house each day. And l
never knew there could be so much
difference in dressings.
MRS. Austin, whom you know of,
and who has charge of the surgical
dressings here for our whole army
in Francis a perfectly wonderful
and a most charming woman. She
has been faithful since the war be-
gan and it is an inspiration to be un-
der her supervision. We have very
long hours but one sees the great
need here, as we never did or could
see il in America-and the days are
not long enough when one realizes
all there is to be done. We work
from Q q. m. until or $3.50 and six
days. / will not be at all surprised if
we will soon be required or at least
requested to work Sundays as well.
zones whole mental attitude is
changed after one has been in Paris
u few days. When you count three
tary uniform and two women out of
four in crepe II makes one see a diff
ferent side of the war than we have
been able to see at home.
I'VE see and learn much Of great
interest here, but there is no time
to write it and no assurance that it
would ever reach home If we did, ana
anyway the most important thing is
for everyone in America to do more
than they have ever thought Of do
sng before in every department Of
war work. The allies must win.
Very sincerely yours,
"(Signed) MABEL ERB."
Rumors circulated in different parts
OF the Northern division to the ef-
feet that gauze surgical dressings
are no longer needed in France have