The Washington herald., 1918-10-23
DOCTORS NOW
IN FRONT LINE
British Medical Officer Tells
of Better Aid for
Wounded.

Tremendous changes have taken
place In medical organization In the
British army since the frst days OF
the war. according to Col George
E. Gask. who is here from the front
line trenches attending the congress
of the American College Of Surgeons.
I'VE take the doctors to the front
now. just as near as possible" said
| Col Gask. "At first we tried to move
the patients back fifty or sixty miles
to base hospitals.
This new way of taking the doc
tor to the patient has made a vast
change in the organization. We now
| have mobile units of surgeon,
assistant surgeon. aids, nurses with
equipment, as complete as possible
even to the surgeons table. Wher-
ever the fighting Is heaviest the
surgeons are rushed with their help
ers.
This makes a real problem of
transportation, but most other prob
| lens of the war devolve on trans
| portation. too.
THE medical units play leap frog
over each other. as it were. Last
spring we played leap frog the
wrong way but we are going for
ward rapidly now.
Relieve Gas Gansrene.
THE problem of gas gangrene. the
worst medical problem. is also prac-
tically solved. Many of our men
died at first because OF the blood
poisoning which got big start be-
fore the men could receive medical
help. Now few are lost that way.
IT is most extraordinarily delight
full to stroll home through brilliantly
| lighted streets. In France and Eng
land there are no lights 1t also
! seems strange never to be awakened
| by bombing raids.
TN France al thu front there is
no desire for Alright night. The moon
holds no romance and we long for
rainy nights. for then We can steep
in peace. sure OF not being bombed. {"
Col. Cask was asked by a Washing
ton Herald reporter II there was a
/ noticeable difference in food In this
country and France.
In Rouen, where I was last" said
! he, I'VE were most strictly rationed.
Here the food is Of noticeably ex-
cellent quality. In Rouen there were
absolutely no shops where one could
! buy cakes. candy or even bread and
! butter.
THE influenza epidemic which we
mad TO contend with in France was a
very different affair from yours over
here. Ours was very mild and harm
less in comparison.
Fine Work by Women.
THE women of England have don.
extraordinary work. The war has
fallen hardest upon them. For in
| stance many women have had to give
up their homes, move to small homes
in the country, do all their own work
and take care of the children. raise
their food in their gardens and as
a climax lose their husbands.
The spirit OF the women Is truly
what puts us on our feet, too. For
instance. a dear old lady friend on
whom I called Just before I left for
France at the declaration of war did
not say, Wait for your call to
come or anything of that sort. She
said. OF course, my boy. you must &c
at once 1t is the same all over
England.
| L ne hnsIlSn women have done eN-
traordinary work in France, too, "
said Col Gesk. There are the wo-
men surgeons, and the women nurses
without whom we absolutely could
not have come through
THE F. A. n. Y.'s, or nursing yeo-
men, were formed before the wal
with the idea of riding into the bat,
tie lines and carrying out the wound,
ed but of course modern warfart
disposed of that conception. So the
Fanys run the automobiles.
Il remember on one occasion wher
the Germans had bombed an ammu-
milton depot and the shells wert
shooting everywhere.
"A number of soldiers were close
to the crater Of burning ammunition
The Fanys were ordered to take then
away. They worked under fire and
rescued the men. Seven women re-
ceived the medal of honor for theii
work that night"
As a result Of a revision of the