HOSPITAL THOUGHTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2695, 15 February 1916, Page 5

HOSPITAL THOUGHTS

—5 : . "OF A WOUNDED WELLINGTONIAN. Writing to .Mr. W. T. Grundy, from the 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, Private Alfred East, formerly an assistant master at the Clyde Quay School, states that ho was much interested, in the programme of the combined schools' concert. 1 "How nobly," writes tho wounded Aan, "are those who are 'condemned to stay at home,' responding to" the many calls made upon them. In England hero everyone I have met cannot say enough of their kindred from over the sea. lleatly I think that those who cannot go away hare greater trials than those who are in the thick of it. We have that companionship which quits rises above any trials anil dangers. I liis thought has impressed itself upon me even more sincc leaving tho Peninsula. ... I expected to be on leave by Christmas, but on Friday last (the letter was written on December 14) I was sent back from a convalescent home at Flixton to this one. Tho wound in the head kept discharging, and the doctor thought that as my left leg had not recovered from its numbness, perhaps 6ome splintered fragment of the skull was pressing down on the brain. I .have been under the X-rays, and the plate shows that there "are still some 'foreign bodies' in the skull. I am thankful to say that.there is not clearly a depression of the skull on iho brain, so that trephining is not at present necessary. I feel I have been in the hospital long enough, and trout'l >, rather be back where I can bo of use. I'm afraid I would not ,l>e able to do stretcher bearing agaiu, but could dress wounds in the stations. I'in free al-

together now from the honda-jlws, which. I think, goes to show that men- , tally lam normal. Whilst at Flixion I visited several schools. Tho school children ware very much interested to hear of their brothers and sisters in far off New Zealand. Some of rha

questions they asked wove very ii musing. I looked into tlio teachers' schemes of work, which are essentially on the sum? lilies as oursi Teachers are vuy scarce here, as are all .nale workers It is pitiful to see the old women in the fields gathering potatoes and turnips after the hoeing inaciuie has been at work. We have had several fulls of snow lately. "In closing, I would !ike to relieve my mind a little. 1 fesl it is ohl;^ fanto the other boys to stir that 1 have done nothing out of the ordinary run of life on the Penins.m. I hnvo not received any word officially abous It-'iig mentioned in dispatches. If it were so, so much the more would I feel un worthy of it, for thc-e are so i:>any willing sacrifices Miaili.' Uiat are. rover acknowledged. It is ill in the sraniv, and in our line (Red Cross -work), it scfltns ridiculous to single out a.nyor.c for especial praise.. It has been a lesson to me to me<it snc'i fcihivs vho nrc plain, blunt men, anil flic', as wo'ild willingly do and fc.' their fellows This has foen ilie chief jurt Df my foreign education so far—to know men. It is better'".M an til! collogo fcrnininir."