New Britain herald., 1917-02-15
DRESSINGS NEEDED FOR WARS WOUNDED
New Britain Women Working to
 Aid Cause Of Mercy

Under the date of January 27, the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul in the Rue d'Angouleme at Paris write: Since the beginning of the war we have had such heavy burdens that recently we solicited help in the shape of dressings and clothes from the American Relief Clearing House. It's secretary, w. Abbott, has just sent us case bearing the name of the Peter Bent. Brigham hospital, Boston. We wish to express to you our profound gratitude for your generous gift. and to say how touched we are that at such distance you have had a thought for the i'll and the poor of whom we take care. The contents of your case will be particularly useful to us, for in this war time the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul of the Dis pensary Yvonne Marie have much work to carry on and your help is most valuable to them. Beside the dispensary, where more than 100 dressings are made every morning for the soldiers, the refugees, and the sick of the neighborhood, the Sisters have a school of 700 children, an or phanage for 50 young girls, a nursery for 45 babies, a shelter for little chil- dren, a scholars canteen, a work bu- reau, where more than 15O women come three times a week to get work, and in addition to all this visits to the poor have to be made. And to maintain all this we have only con- trlbutlons which people choose to make us. Accept therefore our ut most gratitude for the help which America has given our dear country
 Mrs. Joseph Linden Smith, who spent two months in Paris this fall, writes:
 The Surgical Dressings Committee has it's own depot in Paris, which has just been moved into new quarters in the Rue de la Faisanderie Every one is enthusiastic about our organiza- tion.
 ''I was much impressed by the sys- tenn that Mrs. Austin shows in her running of this depot. She furnishes each hospital and the surgeons in it with the kind of things they ask for without suggesting some substitute. Therefore all the surgeons apply to her committee first for supplies knowing that they will be up to stand ard.
 The sterilization plant is splendidly installed ]
 We go into four or five rooms, the ouvroirs, in each a group of from ten to twenty women working. In one we see two old Belgian ladies over sev- enty, refugees who before the war lived in Brussels and were rich, with many servants and carriages. Now they are very glad to come for the afternoon hours of paid assistants which are one to six, for a franc and half with a cup of tea included. In other room we see a French baronne, also glad of the independence of the work. She is now penniless. We hear no complaint in these ouvoirs, again patient acceptance of the sac rifice La France has demanded of them., These are the best set of refu- gee women workers we have seen, most of them people of refine ment who before the war lived in comfort, and often luxury. Therefore it is pleasure to see Mrs. Austin's committee so efficiently helping them In the pleasant surroundings of this well-equipped establishment
 Mrs. Austin spoke with admiration of the persistent and loyal work of her New England committees, pack age after package arriving from them, always up to standard; quantity and quality equally satisfactory
 Mrs. Bliss American Distributing Service delivers the supplies for this committee with their motor service and MT. Dodge told me it was always pleasure to handle the packages from the Surgical Dressings Commit tee as Mrs. Austin had so many in- genius methods for doing them up to make them serviceable and easily em- ployed when they reached the sur- geon's hand.
 We leave this establishment sure in our own mind that Mrs. Austin thoroughly understands her job and that each package of dressings going out from her committee used by the surgeons is giving some soldier the best chance possible for his wound to heal without infection.''
 The New Britain Branch of the New England Committee will be glad to receive the names of volunteer workers:
 Chairman H. B. Humason
 Treasurer-Mrs. w. c. Hungerford.
 Secretary-Mrs. G. $. Talcott.
 Work room at the home of Mrs. E. H. Cooper, 169 Vine street.