The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-03
MI||SOUtA nurse
IN WAR HOSPITAL.
Gertrude Sloan Assigned to
Clinic Work in
France.
WRITES EXPERIENCES
Sees Men "Gassed' or Left
Blind and Crippled by
Wounds.
WRITES EXPERIENCES

aTuue SIOdn N NdSSOufd, VINO went TO
France with the first contingent OF
American army nurses. has come into
contact with the horrors Of war as
they Appear in the hospitals back OF
the trenches.
In a letter Just received by her sis
ter. Mrs. Tslar B. Thompsonsof Mis-
soula. Miss Sloan tells something of
what she has seen in the clinics she
and her comrades have been sent to
in Paris. "Gassed" soldiers. their skins
discolored and their lungs frightfullv
injured by poisonous fumes: blind and
crippled poilus from the French lines:
men beginning life anew after having
lost eyes or legs or arms for their
country--these are some of the things
the army nurses have become familiar
with since their arrival in Paris.
Poilus Love Old Glory.
As Americans the nurses are re-
ceived enthusiastically everywhere.
The poilus love the Americans and
their flag" Miss Sloan writes. after
telling how tears came to her eyes
when she saw Old Glory flying at the
entrance of an endowed ward in a big
war hospital.
Miss Sloan has been in France since
November %. She and her comrades
are attached to General Pershing's
forces and are now preparing for the
grim duty which will fall upon them
when the Yankees get into action. Ex-
eerpts from her letter follow:
Assigned to Clinic Work
AS you will see by the letter head.
| am In Paris. and have been here n
month now. For four days after
reaching here we were not assigned to
any duty. but after that put on de-
tached service and go TO the different
hospitals for clinic work. Did you
read in 4. number of the Geographic
last spring the description Of the
American Ambulance ut Neunly2 r
have spent some days out there. 1t
is very large and full OF French
wounded. only SO Americans can be
there AT a time. There are some beau
tifnl large wards and needless to say.
when walk in to the New York ward
OF so beds. and at the end opposite
the door saw Old Glory ! didn't cry
only the tears rolled down my cheeks,
and my heart was in my mouth.
think. The polus love the Americans
and 1ur flag. / saw a beautiful little
ward of seven beds with this inscrip-
ton on the door, Montana ward. Sup
ported by w. A. Clark. Jr." This is n
Very attractive little place. has many
windows in it. and everything for the
comfort OF the patients.
To Forget Misery.
"A great many of the patients do
bead work. necklaces, purses, etc, to
help them forget their misery and also
to make a little money. They either
sell the articles to visitors at the
Ambulance or send them to PARIS
where they are put on sale at the b.
zaar. Can you imagine n boy nine
teen years of age, left arm and eye
gone, both legs gone, being happy? He
is a DEAR SO happy and so sweet to
: his dear little mother, who comes so
faithfully to see him. | look at the
mothers visiting their sons here some
blind men, some not only blind but
!. without arms and legs, and | wonder
how they can stand it, Then there is
DR.. Blake's hospital which is quite &
modern institution. Also Pasteur's,
where there is a South American by
the name of Chutro, who is wonder
on bone surgery, and the Carrel -Dakin
treatment. This man averages 10 oper-
atoms n day and does every one of his
Dakin dressings himself.
Treatment for Burns.
Then the most Interesting of all
is the treatment for burns, either ex-
plosive or gas. 1t is called Amberin
treatment. and is most wonderful In
from three to four weeks the most Sc
we're cases are healed and without the
scarf tissue we ordinarily have. In
gas cases the discolorations of the skin
are remarkable. The patients are
about the color of a Chinaman, and II
affects the lungs So badly it is very
difficult to breathe and very hard for
the patient To talk.
Grateful for Papers.
I Mary has just run ia with some
Eutte Miners. three cans of deYiled
ham. and an invitation for me to go TO
n Christmas celebration at the Phare
for the Blind. | have also received
Two numbers. November - and %. of
The Missouiian. which We're very well
come. They are certainly appreciated
and whoever sent them deserves n spe-
ciai star I'm their crown. have not
received any OF the packages YOU have
sent me. but suppose ! will in the
course Of time. Your last letter was
November %.
Cold Intense in Paris.
Well this in the Saturday after
!. Christmas, and | have waited to write
you. hoping that l would receive my
package. but haven't yet. | went to
the Phare .for the Blind. which was
once the Papal palace. The pensioners
gave the entertainment. which was
simply fine. The voices of two men
Gao GroDolaie6 Eyelids