East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-02-22
LOTS OF WORK IN
BASE HOSPITALS
BY FRANK j. TAYLOR


> Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
AN AMERICAN HOSPITAL II
FRANCE. Jan. Is. (By Mail)-Basc
hospitals, far to the rear of big Of
fensives, payed an important part In
the fighting.
The way an offensive looked from
a big base hospital can be pictured
from "a letter fritten by non-com-
missiorcd officer In an American base
during ..le Chateau-Thierry offensive.
Tho writer starts his letter by tell
ing how emergency surgical teams
| from the hospital wera called for SER
vice at the front. dci aiting one by
one. THUS we had an inkling that
something big was afoot" he writes.
We left behind, waited. Perhaps
it was only local fight requiring i'm
mediate surgical work, we thought.
In a few days we should know.
Then came the wounded. The first
train was light. OF the time our
wards were but partially filled, hence
we had no difficulty in receiving the
influx with a calmness that was al
most leisurely.
Before we could breathe, however
came another call from that unseen
center of activity which senuds us our
charges. We were ready to receive
patients, though the number surprised
us a little, but everyone fell to with
a viii and we were ready. All the
wounded were received and aceommo- (
dated in a manner that brought credit /
to the hospital and to the army.
Big job Looms.
eve began to feel ,little important 1
and efficient. Then, almost before
we had time to think, came a third /
order: BE ready TO receive-patients.' I
That instantly wiped away any (
thoughts of elf-congratulation. u
put before us the greatest task yea.
Four teams were organized. with
in charge of each. and no
sooner was one case completed than
the next began. Such surgery too!
some of the professional men l heard
speak of it as beautiful For my ,
part however, 1 cannot describe it
hus. To me it was, rather. marvel i
1us. Never before did / have an un'
lerstanding of the surgeons art. d
1T truly seemed as if each part of :
he human anatomy was set out be-
tore us as plainly as if charted. while
were performed before our D
very eyes. One after another they
so rapidly the surgeons II
ook only time enough between to
scrubsup' Thus lives weer saved as I
+ by magic: men were virtually made
,ver on the operating table. II
when we looked up at the end OF :
he first day we found we had been
working without a break for 10
louprs 1t was at this moment in ,
he morning BY s the surgical de-
,artment was again fully. alive. All T
lay long we worked at our posts. Then
Then at midnight came the order :
Work straight through till morning I
Day and Night All One.
Thus one day succeeded another,
lntr we scarcely knew when it was
lay. when night. In fact, cannot
low recall the days and distinguish
ne from the rest. As l look back
ver them. they all run together t,
ne long continuous day. with no n
freak at all for night. At last. ii
hough, we were rewarded. Order
anne out of chaos, as order must and. L
We had the satisfaction of hearing the Il
hief surgeon say. Well. boys we may o
est little now. Every urgent case
las been attended, y
Now we are DAY ny uaN seeing tie u
fleets Of our work. I see it perhaps "
lore than some of the others, for I "
m all the day long in the midst or
he patients as they slowly wend their r
tay back toward health. What N
evelatiou they are! What demons r
tration of that electrifying spirit of 2
.merica!
There is no complaint. The ones
Tho suffer most grumble least. some
ines it is unbelievable. To them the
'ermans are no supermen. They
ave been near enough to see. At the
anne time there is no braggadocio,
we find simply philosophl-
nj acceptance of realities and deter
1ination to win the war at any cost
( ever anyone entertained lurking
that there might be a
emote possibility of disaster for the
nied cause. one moment with those
oung chargers who went through the
ire aud came hack to MS would con-
ince him of his folly"