New-York tribune., 1918-04-28
American Women Doctors Work
Close Behind Firing Lines

American women physicians are
working side by side with famous
French surgeons in hastily equipped
hospitals, close behind the firing lines
in Picardy, according to letters re-
ceived yesterday by the National
American Woman Suffrage Association.
The women physicians. headed by Dr.
Anna Von sholly and Dr. Caroline Fin
ley, went abroad for ,he purpose Of
establishing hospitals for the ne
elected women and children Of France.
nit tho great German offensive began
Just about the time of their arrival
N Paris, and they were set to work in
military hospitals.
This lettar from Dr. Won Sholly gives
z picture OF The women physicians life
III the great evacuation hospital:
Since our last letter, many things
have happened. We are now an
evacuation hospital, and are up to
our ears in work. The hospital was
not prepared 1t first, and for three
nights we practically had no sleep.
The wounded came in by hundreds.
Some Of the sights are pitiful be-
yond words. Mangled men come in
with the trench mud on their boots.
some OF them never having been seen
by doctor. They have bandages
Others have waited days with no at
tention: Intil to-day ambuances
have driven up in constant line.
otretcher bearers carry wounded into
the barracks and the chateau, where
their clothes are pulled off or cut off,
according to the gravity of their
Wounds. The smaller wounds are dressed
and the men sent on the next day
@ith wounds, which in New York would
are kept here and operated on. After
operation hey are evacuated like the
others at The frst possible moment.
"Avions are dying overhead con-
stantly, and At times an alert of a
bomb-throwlng Boche plane tells us of
extra danger. The Bomb Of cannon is
heard, especially in the early morning
and evening. We can even see the
fash Of the explosions.
The "medicin Chef to-day tells us
he wants US permanently here. The
danes Amerlcaines' are in great de-
rnaMd, everybody wants to assist. We
are to stay here if we keep busy. All
the hospitals to the north of us have
been evacuated If the front is pushed
forward we go forward The 'medicn
chef promises us better and more in
terestin9 work as time goes on and
we make good We are really having
an exceptional opportunity, as we get
the men straight from the front. We
have done great service here, in the
time Of greatest need.
Oyercomcs Male Prejudice
In apite OF the cordiality Of the
French government it is evident from
the following letter of Dr.. Finley that
American women physicians had to
face some Of the old obstacles in the
way Of masculine prejudice at first
"To begin, the medical commandant
Of the district told me at first, quite
plainly, that the War Department took
an especial interest in US but that
they did not know of our work We
have not been given the actual surgery
20 do and this is, | consider, as do
also Or. Edward, DR.. Sholly and DR..
Formal. quite right. The surgeons
have been doing military surgery for
nearly five years. We are quite new
TO il and it Will take come time for
us TO get the requisite experience so
we have been given other medical
work than the operating with the un-
that If we remain with
the military hospital that will come
later The work first given us was lit
tie more than nurses work but coon
they found we could do god work and
have now formed an 'equipc' Of us
which han entire charge OF the pa
tienfs Up 10 their operations
The surgeons commanding the dis