The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-03-02

Fargo having a branch Of the Ma
tional Surgical Dressings committee
! in the Fargo French War Relief as
ISOLATION, the bulletins Of this COM
mittee from abroad are of much in
terest locally. The January bulletin
emphasizes that the most serious
problem at present in the French
hospitals is the famine in bandages.
Mrs. Austin, at the head Of the work
in Paris, writes: I'VE have never had
enough bandages, but for some
reasons we have recently been re-
ceiving almost none at all. When
a hospital asks for bandages a fair
allotment is three bandages for each
bed. When requests come in a
single day from several with, let us
say, $50, 200 and 600 beds respec-
lively. you can see the quantities
needed. We don't receive a quarter
as much as we would like to have.
The looser, and consequently the
more inexpensive the quality of
muslin, the better the bandage. But
they should nevertheless be rolled
hard. We are so fortunate as to
have roller machine now for the
bias bandages, which are afterward
cut on the cutting machine, saving
endless labor, but for the bulk Of
the straight bandages we depend
upon you in America. think 1 have
already written you the other diff
ficulty, the incorporation of binders
to dressings. The dressings are the
foundation of hospital work, and
should be far in excess OF the proper
ton Of binders.
Some Of the committees have ex-
pressed the fear that with the
double work carried on for both
American and Allied hospitals, the
cases Of French models may find
their way to the American depot.
They need not have the slightest un-
easiness. Only let them be sure to
write the address, 11s rue Pierre
Charron on those for the Americans
Realize zone Cause"
Mrs. Austin says further: "There
has been much talk here in Paris
this month, and particularly since
the Allied conference, of the increas-4
ed realization that the cause of the
allies is one-not mine and thine, but
ours. France and England have
shown their appreciation Of this in
their instant dispatch Of troops to |
Italy, and France has again shown
il by opening her doors to Italian
refugees. am glad the rep |
Of the American Red
Cross here and in Italy have been !
equally. generous and broad minded. |
Not only have they done the neces-
sary things to provide for the future |
needs of the American wounded, but |
they have given time and funds to |
the refugees, the devastated regions, |
the children. and last but not least, /
the allied wounded. am glad that
we, Surgical Dressings committee,
have q definite and important place
In this cooperation with our allies
[ am glad It can never be said that
America worked selhshly for her
own, and passed by those who had
already impoverished themselves for 2
her cause. feel that the local COM
are not only helping the
allied wounded, but are saving
Americas good name in this regard.
"Of course you know how closely
he French are cooperating with
he Americans in their preparations
'or next spring. For one thing, they
ire taking American surgeons out on
he autochirs,' as they call the auto
mobile hospitals that travel to the
points that are hard pressed. bring
ng operating equipment, sterilizer,
md extra surgeons and infirmiers. In /
his way the American surgeons can
hid the French and at the same time
ind much valuable experience. We
sent a large consignment Of
DRESSINGS to one Of these autochirs,
An American surgeon came to see us
ind told us that he had gone out
With this very unit and had used