Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-06

American troops in the camps and
trenches of France were of the highest
type.
Gust street, who spent several months
in France with Surgeon General Cor
gas, is home for a short time and voices
high praise for the American surgeons
OF the American troops.
The conditions surrounding the SOL
diers of this country were in every way
equal and in most cases superior to the
troops of the other Allied nations,
despite the years of experience had by
the authorities of those countries be-
fore the United States entered the war,
he said.
Philadelphia's pre-eminence in the
medical profession was carried with the
American soldiers in France, Colonel
Furbush said this morning. and surgeons
and nurses from this city as we'll as
workers in hospital units, were respon-
sible for some OF the most remarkable
hospital work at the front.
In his work as. am observer Colonel
Furbush accompanied General Gorgas
throughout the battle zone and had
ample opportunity to observe all the
sanitary work accomplished by the san-
tary experts in all the armies Reports
prepared by him under the direction of
General Gorgas We're made the basis
for several important changes in such
work.
During their period of service abroad
the Americans were cared for as well
as possibly could be expected he said In
some places, he explained, conditions
were not exactly as they should have
been. but this was due to the eXigencies
of war and they were remedied as soon
as possible.
Sanitation Followed the Flag"
The work of sanitation followed the
men even into the very first-line
trenches, he said and conditions there,
directly under the constant fire of the
enemy. were made as healthy as possible.
This care of the soldiers was re-
flected in the health records of the Amer
lean armies abroad and was well worth
the effort necessary to install the sys-
tenn" the colonel said. ,1
ReticeEt about the Iart he played in
the war and the innovations in sanitary
conditions for which he was responsible,
the colonel did not allow that reticence
to keep him quiet when asked about the
conduct OF the American soldiers under
fire and under the surgeons knife.
"It was magnificent" he responded
why, those fellows
rdidn't seem to know what the word fear
meant Nothing seemed TO stop them
until they fell badly wounded. Even
then their spirit was not crushed, and
the same incentive that hurried them
forward in the face of German bullets
kept them calm and unmoved as the
surgeon performed the operations on
which their lives depended,
II believe the men received some In
spiration for such conduct from the
French and English, but even these vet
erans schooled for several years in the
horrors of war, had nothing on the
Americans.
"And the surgeons. Those men had
no nerves. Working under the most un-
favorable conditions, with the ever
present possibility of a German shell or
bomb interrupting their work, they went
calmly on. saving the lives of as many
as could be most Optimistically expected.
The nurses too, share these honors
Often they worked for days at a time,
without rest and with little nourish-
ment.
PhiiadeIphians in Thick OF War
And Philadelphia surgeons and
nurses were right In the thick OF II all.
They added further glories to the al
ready famed medical exploits Of the city.
The hospital units from here did excel
lent work"
Returning from France. Colonel Fur
bush and General Gorgas went TO Gem
tral America TO investigate the recent
outbreak of yellow fever in the Canal
Zone and adjacent territory The dis
ease. he said, could be traced directly
to Mexico, where II grows unmolested
because of insanitary conditions pre-
vailing.
Prior to the entry of the United
States into the war Colonel Furbush
was a special attacAe to the American
f. Embassy al Berlin.
| He represented England, France and
other Allied governments in their deal
ings regarding Allied prisoners I'm Ger
man camps. His work as special attache
was 30 meritorious as to command Of
hcial attention at Washington.
In the Standardization War the
colonel volunteered his services as a
surgeon. They were accepted and he
served during that war and for several
years after, part OF the time being spent
as special surgical missionary In The
Philippines.
In his work as medical aide colone
Furbush has visited virtually every pos
session Of the United States.
Colonel Fuvbush WAS born IN New
York peosmhsf , 1854 Hs vas gre1.'