Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-08-19
Spirit Of Home
in Hospitals For
Wounded Ya1ks

correspondence ASSOSidteu FTeSS.I
\ Paris, July 16.-The fierce fighting
of American troops around Cantigny,
Chateau-Thierry and other centers Of
the big enemy offensive has brought
1n it's train i sudden transformation
and development in the great Amerl-
can military hospital at Neuilly in the
Paris suburbs and others like 1t in
the suburbs Of Auteuil, Joinville and
other points, which are row in truth
American Institutions not only in
name, foundation, staff and equip
Ement, but in that grimmest element OF
American wounded borne back from
the fighting front.
The Americanism Of these hospitals
has proved u timely blessing to the
young American heroes who got out
alive from the furnace az fire, giving
them American surroundings, Amer
lean surgeons and nurses, their. own
language in which to hear and express
their cares. American food, and some
thing of that spirit of home which
people of the same blood carry across
the sea.
The big Neuilly establishment has
been taxed to it's utmost to meet this
sudden influx from the great offensive.
Its capacity was suddenly swollen
from 500 to LOO or 1900. with con-
siderable part of the arrivals Amer
leans. Five hundred cases arrived in
single day of the June lighting. Most
of them were original cases, direct
from the field and not We. operated on.
They had come in amb4 lances. two
days on the road, for there are no
railroads linking the remote storm
centers where the enemy strikes his
surprise blows. But great as the
emergency was, 1t was successfully
met, and in the first call made upon
it to care for American wounded the
big American institution added an
other page to it's record OF devoted
service.
At 10 o'clock this morning Nthe .di-
recting surgeon started on his daily
inspection of the cases under his care
and going with him ono had the OPP
portunity of seeing the magnitude OF
this work, the smoothness With which
it was proceeding; with here and there
a glimpse of The American wounded
marines, artiilerymen, infantry and ma
chine-gun men. The war surgeons with
their stats of nurses had cared for
the cases thru the night and day, and
now the chief surgeon of the section
was making his tour to see how each
case had progressed and to direct the
further course Of treatment.
Ahead stretched the long corridor
with cots filed with wounded lining
one side. while the wards opened from
the other side. The corridor was
bathed with sunshine from the long
row Of windows and many of the Men
had their windows open taking a sun
bath. Ope Of them had the Idea that
the sunshine would be a healing balm
for his wound and the ugly opening
in the left arm was laid out so as to
get the full slant Of the sun. There
was little or no odor of anesthetics or
drugs, such, as one Is apt to associate
with hospitals. Everything was scrup-
ulously clean, floors. windows, bed
linen; women were at work making
every nook and corner immaculate;
cases of bright flowers were on all the
nurses tables to give an air
of cheer, and the whole place had the
stamp OF comfort.
These corridors have had to be used
as wards during the heavy influx of
wounded from the big fights OF, early
June, when every available corner OF
the building vas suddenly called into
use, doubling and trehlang It's beds
within two days. Gradually. however,
the French casey are soinS to French
hospitals. and all the American cases
will soon he installed In the regular
wards. ss.a9ss
entering one Of the wards with
American cases, the wounded men
were sitting up removing their band
ages in order that the directing sur
geon might note the progress. Some
of them were far enough on the road
to recovery to be up and dressed,
and with soldierly instinct they stood
rigidly at attention as the chief sur
geon entered. But every man Of them.
in bed or standing at attention. vas
smiling and apparently happy. These
smiling faces gave/no evidence Of pain
and of 500 .ass visited this morning
only two com pladned Of pain. When
inquiry was made Of the head nurse as
to this absence of pain among hum
dreds Of men with compound fractures
and ugly gaping wounds from shrap-
hel and she'll. she said there was COM