Evening star., 1918-05-31
BRITISH DOcTORS70
TELL Of WAR WORK
Arriving Mission Gives High
Praise to American Sur
geons and Nurses.

AN ATLANTIC PORT. May S1.-A
British medical mission representing
the British Medical Society arrived
here today to attend the American
Congress of Medical Societies to be
held in Chicago on June 10. The mem
bers include Sir James Mackenzie. Sir
Arbuthnot Lane and Col. Herbert A.
Bruce. consulting surgeon of the Brit
ish army In France.
The British surgeons will tell tho
congress of their experiences in the
war, of their failures and successes
and OF the medical problems to be met
in dealing with the wounded and the
health of armies.
All three spoke today in highest
praise Of the work OF American sur
geons and nurses at the front.
Col. Bruce. who was formerly at the
University OF Toronto, completed a
visit to the advanced hospitals at the
front before coming here. He saw
there Gen. Sir Arthur Slosgett. direc-
tor general OF the British medical
service, who, he said, asked him ito
he appreciated the wonderful help
which the American doctors and
nurses had rendered to the British
sick and wounded" He was anxious
said Col. Bruce. Ito give recognition
to the gallantry and heroism OF the
American medical officers and nurses
serving at the front. and had recon-
mended them for honors. but regu-
lation OF your government prevented
their being accepted: Nothing that
can doctors and nurses serving with
us.
Serve in Danger Willingly.
your medical men have willingly
taken their places alongside our Of
ficers in positions OF danger and have
as a consequence suffered casualties
In exactly the same proportion as our
own doctors serving under the same
conditions.
During the recent retirement al
though tremendous difnculties were
imposed upon the medical service. the
wounded were all safely removed to
hospitals in the rear and none were
allowed to fall into the hands of the
enemy The nursing and medical per
sonnel also escape. although unfor-
tunately suffering some casualties.
'T have seen many thousands Of your
troops in towns. villages and at the
front in France and they are mag
nificent looking lot of fellows. The
determination in their faces and the
initiative which we know they possess
makes one feel confident that they
will give a good account OF them
selves when called upon and take
their place among the best troops in
France.
.T saw many American soldiers
brigaded with the British at the front.
calling forth the highest praise for
Americas splendid decision to make
Immediate use of troops. insufficiently
trained to fight as a separate army.
by mixing them with seasoned di-
visions"
Praises Hospital Unit.
Col. Bruce said that British hos
pital staff, manned and operated by
the Presbyterian unit in New York
under Maj. William Darrach, as d.
rector, had established a reputation
as "one of the very best in France"
Il am also able to speak from per-
sonal knowledge" he continued. 'of
the splendid work being done by the
hospitals which your government so
generously and promptly sent to our
aid at the request of Mr.. Balfour last
year They consist of the Lakeside
unit. with such famous surgeons as
Maj. George Grille and Maj. Lower:
the Philadelphia unit, with Majs. Hart
and John Gibbons: the Harvard unit,
with Maj. Harvey Cushing: the st.
Louis unit, with Mai. Murphy: the
Chicago unit, with Maj. Beasley.
Il should also mention another Har-
ward unit, sent over to help Britain
at the beginning of the war. with
Lieut.. Col. Hugh Cabot in charge of
surgery"