South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-24
NURSE TELLS Of
WORK IN F RANCE
Miss Katherine White, Eight
Months in France, Speaks
at ST. James Church. \

Ihat the American men, WoundeQ
on the battleields of France. are
heroes beyond the powers Of de-
scription, and that our duty toward
these men does not end simply be-
cause actual fighting has ceased. but
extends through 10 the completion
Of the work which is being done, TO
reclaim them. was the declaration OF
Miss Katherine White. daughter OF
Bishop and Mrs. John Hazen White
in her address before a large con-
gregation in the oratory OF St
James Episcopal church Sunday
evening. Miss White has just re-
turned from eight months of service
in France with the United States
army nursing corps. and the re-
counting of her experiences and i'm
pressions proved most interesting
Last nights meeting was under the
auspices of the Young Peoples So
ciety OF the parish.
Miss White gave a detailed account
of the manner in which her convoy
was guarded from submarine at
lacks on the voyage over. telling
how the horizon was divided into
sections and three men. one on each
deck Of the transport, the Man
churia, assigned to each portion. On
landing in France the nurses were
assigned to their posts. Miss White
being sent to Bordeaux, where she
remained throughout her time in
France at base hospital ia. This
hospital was taxed to its capacity
during the great Argonne drive in
October, said the speaker, in giving
a review of the work Of her unit. AS
many as three conveys were re-
ceived at the base in one day. and
the staff of nurses was kept working
constantly caring for the steady flow
OF wounded. Miss White said that
the army regulations require a hos
pital staff Of 100 nurses and 200
corps men for every 1000 to 1900
men, but that during the heavy
fighting base hospital ia. with its
staff of SO nurses received between
1000 and 5000 men. representing
all types of cases although 1t had
been officially designated as an or
thopedic base.
Tells Of System Used.
A regulation field card was dis
played by Miss White. who explain
ed the use of the article. Each
wounded man is given one of these
cards at the first dressing station at
which he received treatment, and
complete record is kept thereon of
his name. rank. unit. division. etc.
together with a statement of the
nature and seriousness of his wounds
the card is consulted and supple
mented by each physician under
whose care the patient comes as he
is evacuated from one hospital TO
another nearer the base. Thus all
danger of loss of Identification or
confusion of treatment is avoided
The returned nurse gave several in
stances as descriptive Of the vari-
Gus cases encountered during her
nursing experience oversees, and
told of the extraordinary courage
with which men, literally shot to
pieces. met the apin and hopeless
ness of their condition.
A French bread ticket, such as is
/
all of its populace. both soldier and
civilian, was exhibited by Miss White
as another war curiosity, and in the
course of her remarks she told many
interesting and humorous expert
ences encountered in connection
with her stay in France.
Bring Home Wounded Rapidly.
The one idea OF all officers and
government heads. according to Miss
White, is to bring the wounded and
disabled men back to this country
as fast as possible. in order that the
work of reconstruction, which is as
essential a was the successful con-
duct of the war, may be commenced
Immediately. The crippled Ameri-
can soldier does not want sympathy
she said, and he does not return to
America with the spirit of hero.
but with thankfulness that he has
been privileged to sacrifice for his
country, and with hope that he may
learn some branch of work to fit
him for a place Of usefulness in So
ciety. The war is over but a great
work is vet TO be done in rebuilding
and establishing these men. said the
speaker. and until this end is ac-
complished the people of America
have not really done their bit. To
forget now in the face OF all that the
national heroes have done would be
leaving the most important duty Of
those who stay at home" incom-
plete. and il is against this danger
that we must guard constantly, de-
clared Miss White in conclusion.
Miss White is in the city for few
days furlough prior TO her depart
ure for Camp Grant. H.. where she
will engage in reconstruction work
at the base hospital there. Her sis
ter. Miss Charlotte White, who was
in the army nuring corp at the Wal
ter Reed hospital in Washington.
D. G. during the war period, is now
at the base hospital at Fort Sheri-
dan, I'll.