The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-02
WAR may NOT BE
over IN 5 YEARS
/ DR.. SPEED THINKS
Surgeon Tells TOpekans Ger
: mans Are Not Whipped Yet.
Z. S. viii Have to Send Big
e Army to Help France.
EVERY man NOW IN ARMY
Hospitals somewhere in
& France" Described Here.
Shell Shocks Make Many Men
a Helpless as Babies.
|. s. Will Have to Send Big
Army to Help France.
EVERY MAN NOW IN ARMY
Hospitals Somewhere il
Z France" Described Here.

: France hasn't an available man who
isn't fighting under the tri-color now
and if America enters the worlds war
she will be called upon to send an eN-
peditionary force to France Germany
isn't whipped by a long shot and the
war will continue from three to tlVe
years longer.
That was news brought to Topeka
TODAY from somewhere in France, by
DIR. kellogg speed, associate professor
of surgery at Northwestern UNIVERSITY
chicago. DR.. Speed described war
cranes i'm London, Paris and tlelo
ho,nitai somewhere in France where
he served as an English army surgeon
for months. He returned 10 AineI Ii'.
in the winter. DR.. Speed spoke titis
ICON To Topeka business men at the
~So,,ta, ~ Commerce. He will speak
again to members of the Sha"nee
County Medical association at the
Chamber of Commerce: s..4
mr. Speed described London flrst,
London not recognizable TO business
,,1en who visited the world metropolis
~ ,i,oes of peace. He told of a city
destitute of lights after nlgntraIl' u
antomobiles travelling the streets at
niaht with all lamps snaueu' u
streets deserted at nights py eNet -
excepting pollceI1eH anu - az
snirfts after the sun recedes IN the
west. 80 ,,,os+ ;,
"Yet. what impressed one most,
satd the sneaker, was the large num-
her of men in civilian clothes true,
there are thousands ana thousands "
S,aiLinr the street Yet, you see
thousands of men in civilian clotnes
and know that Great Britain IS uolus
everything in her power to hasten tue
recruiting of men for service acroSS
the channel
Describes Channel Trip.
The speaker described an interesting
+rin across the English channel. Every
messenger was obliged to put on life
preserver for safety against a German
torpedo. Each vessel that crosses the
channel is accompanied by two Tor
pedo boat destroyers.
Next he gave the business men an
insight into Americas unpreparedness
and the monstrous task that confronts
her in organizing a preparedness TO
compare with that of France. The
base hospital in which he served was
situated a few hundred feet from the
main railway connecting Paris with
the front. He was stationed at the
hospital while the battle of the Somme
was in progress. Trains filled with
wounded. with munitions, with provi-
sions. with fresh troops and every
passed the hospital at regular three
minute intervals.
England has a comparatively small
army in the trenches. an army which
guards little more than a hundred
miles of the front. Yet, to supply
that army she has built and equipped
more than 160 hospital trains. Amer
lea has one such train. These trains
are equipped with operating rooms,
beds. a full corps of nurses and sur
geons.
THAT shows in a degree the extent
of our unpreparedness." said DR..
Speed.
The base hospital where DIR. Speed
was stationed was thirty-five miles
from the Somme front. Wounded men
by the hundreds arrived daily mostly
at night. DR.. Speed operated for thir-
ty-three consecutive hours while the
battle was at it's height. About four
hours of that time was spent away
from active operations, or prepara-
tions for operations.
We patched them up as best we
could and then sent them away to
England" he said.
Shell Shocks Numerous.
Shell shock, nothing but nerves,
causes 10 per cent of the casualties,
according to DR.. Speed. Strong men
become as helpless as babies from
fear ocasioned by the cracking of
shells and falling of comrades by their
side day in and day out. They often
become unable to hear, to see or use