The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-12-13
II. s. RED CROSS
SAVING BABIES
WONDERFUL RESCUE WORK ON
THE FRENCH FRONT.
HOSPITAL NEAR BATTLE LINES
Children Taken From Cellars and
Caves With All Manner Of Dis
ease and Brought Back To
Happy Health.

CNoTE.- The following, the first OF
q series of three articles written by
w. S. Forrest, manager of the Paris
Office Of the United Press, tells Of the
wonderful work of the Red Cross at
foul, France, where hundreds of
French children, rescued after living
three years under German shell fire,
4 are being cared for. The series are
the first to be published in the United
States telling of this work.
Toul, France, Nov. 10. (By Mail)
-Salyaging the shattered nerves and
little bodies of French children res
cued literally from the mouths of en-
envy cannon was part OF the NAM
moth Red Cross work in France, wit
messed by the United Press here to-
day. 4a.
If American mothers could see how
their hard American dollars are be-
ing spent among the war battered
children of France they would doubly
subscribe at the very next opportun-
ity. This is the first account writ
ten and sent to America of how these
American dollars are pulling French
babies out Of living hell and filling
their impressionistic little minds with
something better TO think about than
constant fear, pinching hunger and
'sa life among yermin and filth.
Taken From Caves.
More than 500 of these French ba-
bies are today safely out of reach of
the German shells which for three
years have been ploughing and pull
verizing the villages and towns
where they lived. Their ages run
from two to ten years. The greatest
number are yet toddlers who have
known nothing during their lives but
living in the cellars and caves where
there was some degree of safety from
the shells the enemy maliciously
threw into their vicinity.
When the Germans began to throw
gas shells into these villages, the
French authorities realized that the
children of tender age must be moved
TO safety So those too young to
adjust gas masks to their faces were
sent to the rear near Toul where
buildings were prepared for their re-
ception.
Noted Talent Responds.
Here the American Red Cross Of
fered its aid. A cablegram was sent
from Paris to Minneapolis where it
found DR.. julius Parker Sedgwiek,
the best known specialist on chill
dren's diseases in the North West.
DR.. Sedgwick agreed to give up his
work and come to France to care for
French children. His acceptance
preceded only by few hours long
distance telephone conversation with
DR.. ]. /. Durand at Seattle, also a
leading children's specialist. He
agreed in few hours to give up his
extensive practice and leave for
France. Also from Minneapolis
came Dr. N. o. Pearce, associated
with DR.. Sedgwick AS the trio
Travelled toward France they were
Joined at Chicago by DR.. Alice Brown
of Winnetka. Accompanying them
came experienced nurses among
whom were Mrs. DeIebeque, of Win
netka and Miss Bessie Spanner, East
Goth Street, Cleveland
=. Nursing the Little Tots.
Headed by DR.. Sedgwick, these |
American doctors and nurses are
fathering and mothering the French |
babies here today and will continue |
TO do so throughout the war.
No type of child disease bred in |
these dark, unsanitary, .yermin-ridden |
shell-torn, bathless caves few miles
AWAY from the present camp under
the German shells and gas has yet
been too much for the American doc
tors and nurses. Every child so far
brought to the camp is alive today
and happy, thanks to mothers il
America For it is only dollars sub
,scribed by American mothers them
selves that are being spent on the
baby war victims. Dollars from cor
poration men and other masculine
sources are being spent for other
things.
~ Fear German Bombs.
The only worry of the French
mothers still back in the caves un-
dergoing the German shells and the
gas. is that German aeroplane
might come along and bomb the baby
hospital, DR.. Sedgwick told the Unit
ed Press today. Otherwise they are
content to take their lot until the end
Of the war, Their babies are safe.
SO. far the big Red Crosses painted
on the roof aaf the baby home have
given it immunity from the enemy
4birdman, many of whom pass over it
daily. It's the only good word tol
be said for the Germans in this part
OF the Vosges.
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