The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-30
Memphis Surgeon, Back From
Base Hospital, Declares
Sacrifices EquaIIed Those
on Battlefield.
MANY A P0ILU NOW
HAS AMERICAN BLOOD
Surgery'S Wonderful ACCOmp.
IiShmentS Have Saved Hun
dredS of LiveS-IS Here on
Short FhrIOugh.

American battlefield heroes at Cha
teau Thierry, Berzy-leSec and other
now famous scenes of conflict with the
Hun performed no more valiant serV-
ice for the allied cause than did the
donors squad in the opinion Of
back from Paris, where he had charge
of base hospital No. 81. The squad
operated, not beneath the enemy's can
non, but under the surgeons knife, a
voluntary, patriotic service, that en-
tirely escaped exploitation by the
army Of news Gatherers following in
the wake Of action. As a result, Amer
lean blood today actually flows in the
veins of hundreds of poilus saved from
a hero's grave by the heroic self sac
rtfice of the donors squad" personnel,
The war has been the cause of great
advancement on the part of surgery.
according to Col. Smythe, but, in his
opinion, the progress that stands out
above all in this branch of the medical
service is that made lin the treatment
of wounds and cases requiring trans
fusion of blood.
1t is in the latter instance that DR..
Smythe, one of the most famous sur
geons of the South, pays, high tribute
to tn '''doners' squad" These men,
says Col, Smythe, are really hospital
workers who are in the pink of phys
ical fitness. Whenever it is found nee
essary to save patients life. which is
FREQUENT because of loss of blood on the
battlefield, some means must BE pro-
vided to restore the deficiency. This.
he says, is frequently done through
voluntary offer on the part of some
convalescent patient, but where such a
donor" Is not accessible the hospital
workers donors squad fills in the
breach. H
Always 2eady,
aier be6eficias s or M i,is & ststion 81 in IN lie, i
the volunteers IN the donor squad Of
fer him blood. They do it blindly un-
questioningly, unhesitatingly, consider
ing 1t patriotic duty that they are not
only willing, but glad, to perform
blood to save some poim's life. The
operation is simple. The donor eX-
changes from half pint to a quart
of his blood for thank you" the re-
eipient recovers and there the trans
action terminates. Two weeks time
regain his normal supply before he can
again offer to surrender his blood.
Being an expert in the application of
the Carrel method of treating infected
wounds, DR.. Smythe resorted to it
wherever possible.
THE method entails the treatment
of wounds with Dakin solution and it's
results are remarkable" said Col
in the Rockefeller institute and it's
general acceptance at practically all of
the base hospitals in France and Eng
land has resulted in effecting absolute
recoveries from wounds that previously
were considered fatal, and it does it in
from two days to two weeks time"
A high tribute to the Red Cross work.
ers and nurses was paid by Col
Smythe, who declares they had en-
deared themselves to both soldier and
civilian by their loyalty and devotion
to duty.
Il admire their loyalty and DEVOTION" :"
tributed more to the morale and hap
piness of the soldier than did anything
else. speaking, of course, OF their work
in and about the hospitals Whether
it was cigaret, paper, pencil, Choco-
la te or anything else of similar sort,
the Red Cross was always quick to re-
spond, and those OF us who have had
the honor of their cooperation appre-
ciate their great work more than words
can say"
Upon arriving in France Aug. / Dr.
Smythe and his unit was established
at Juilly, in a rich agricultural section
near Paris, surrounded with historical
base hospital was removed to Paris and
located in the Lycee Montaigne, which
had a capacity Of 1900 beds. The
nurses made their headquarters at the
Hotel Foyot, but took their meals at
the hospital.
LAS for the French soldier, it makes
no difference to him whether he is paid
for his services. His pay Is
very small, but his service is none the
less the best that he has. It's entirely
a matter of pride with him, love, of
country that is touching to see.'
DR.. Smythe declares that water is
a very sighted commodity in Paris.
Everybody drinks light, red wine"
he said. They seem to consider that
water is only for frogs and for bath
ing.
Col. Smythe is in Memphis on a To-
day furlough. He expects to receive
his discharge here inasmuch as he has
no orders as to where to report at the
expiration of his furlough.