The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1918-11-01
THE INFLUENZA PNEUMONIA
EPIDEMIC AT CAMP CUSTER.
BY
Chaplain Charles III. HeatOn

The title of this brief article will
have for all time the power to depict
scene to any one who has visited the
Base hospital at Camp Custer during
the last three weeks. The scene is one
of agony and death. 1t is in a ward
along the sides of which are two rows
of white beds, covered and draped be-
tween white linen. Besides the beds
and down the aisles are the white
gowned surgeons, nurses and atten-
dants. Strange, incoherent, unintell-
igable sounds are heard-the mingled
mutterings of hundred delirious
men. Here one catches the sound of
the Chaplain's voice as he prays over
the form of one whose spirit is fast
departing, and also one hears the
smothered sobs Of a heart-broken
mother, sweetheart or wife. To this
scene l have been constant witness
for the past three weeks.
When the epidemic broke out l was
ordered to report for special duty to
the Adjutant of the Base hospital.
He placed me in charge of the public
Office of the Red Cross building on
night duty, where, with the assistance
of four orderlies, we received, directed
and entertained all the civilian visit
ors who came in response to govern
ment kilograms to see their "boys"
who were reported seriously i'll. These
visitors were given free entertain
ment as long as their loved one re-
mained seriously i'll. Cots and blankets
were Supplied at the Red Cross par
lors, the Y. NJ. c. A. and the K. of c.
rooms. Meals were furnished at the
Mess hall. Thousands came. Hundreds
stayed to see their loved one improve
and went away rejoicing. Some came
to say their last farewell and a few,
alas. arrived too late. The hardest
thing | ever did in my life was to
break the sad news to these relatives
and to know that my words could not
fail to cause hearts to break and to
melt and to flow away like water. |
have seen "Grandma Gibbs" in reality.
There have been as high as six
thousand patients in the hospital at
one time. have been told that there
are ten miles of corridor space in this
hospital. Having never measured it
cannot vouch for this statement, but
| know that at one time every avail
able foot of space was occupied by a
bed. There have been to date six
hundred and thirty-five deaths.
1t is natural of course, that some
criticism should have been made of
those responsible for the handling Of
this epidemic. Let me say that L
have never seen a greater display of
self-sacrifice than has been shown by
the men and women in charge of this
work. Every man from the highest
to the lowest has done everything
that he could do in this emergency.
I have seen the Chief -of-staff around
in the wards at twelve and one o'clock
in the morning ! do not know when
he sleeps. The doctors and nurses
have worked twelve hours a day regu-
lafly and in Some eases many more.
One gradua4o -r"ee N9~ hpd as high
as two hundred patients to lock after.
No patti har auforo1 'or lack of
conscientious eevvice.
The darkest ho.r v.o trust mt
Camp Custer will ever see is now
matter of hr+~.v-. WIilo Ire Love
been casualties and fatalities. she
ability of this portion of the Ameri-
can Army to meet a great crisis
noblv, horCi,a'l- Cd s'-ccessfully has
been fully don~ nstratod