WITH THE RED CROSS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 18, 5 March 1915, Page 7 (Supplement)

WITH THE RED CROSS.

GRAPHIC STORY BY SIR F. TREVES. EFFICIENT WORK. A very interesting report by Sir Frederick Treves, the well-known surgeon, concerning Red Cross work in the north of France, has been issued in London by the British lied Cros3 Society. It is a valuable narrative, with many picturesque touches. A notable tribute is paid to the admirable work which is being done by the voluntary hospitals. The following is bir Frederick's report:— . The value and efficiency of the British Red Cross work in France can be well gauged by a visit to the stores shed at Boulogne, by a study of the postings of the fleet of motor-ambulances behind the British lines, and by the distribution of the surgeons, nurses, and orderlies who are in the employ of the Joint Committee. The Red Cross stores at Boulogne are contained in a vast building close to the town station. Here are disposed in the most perfect order some hundreds of tons ot Red Cross material of every possible kind, beds and bedding, drugs, instruments, and medical comforts, clothing, tobacco, screens, fire extinguishers, hospital appliances, lamps, knives, spoons, cups, and the infinite variety ot articles wliicn come under the heading of Red Cross supplies This immense store does infinite credit to Mi. Guise and his volunteer assistants. The fleet of motor ambulances provided bv the society represents, m my opinion, the most valuable service ever rendered to the Army Medical Depaitmenfc in the form of voluntary aid. These ambulances are everywhere, lhe majority are worldng at the front in convoys of various sizes, lhej w e perfectly organised and equipped, and are the society has many.other cars which are of great service in despatch work and the conveyance of goods a huge number of these have been ten to^ Ug society by generous owners. Jhed»j£ feur who was kind enough to drive me to Le Touquet was Mr. fenneriy tog ford the famous singer. Another am S of note is the vicar of a quiet country parish in England. The most curious car I rode in was on the approach of the Germans. His 16 These motor drivers are as curious a uati uu working with distinc- ;;„ e sixty miles with a despatch. He v as merelv a bundle of rags, splashed to hear that he was a mucn-respecxea Church of England curate. THE VOLUNTARY HOSPITALS. There are 17 voluntary hospitals in or ,1,0 t Boulogne, of which 10 are reguaom.lftary hospitals, and seventountarv hospitals under military contiol. The> number of beds amounts to housands This number has been needed. The efficiency of the voluntary hospitaldepends upon (1) the suitability of tie Wilding tor hospital purposes (2 the qualifications of the senior medical officer and matron, and (3) he freedom from lav interference. Applying these would venture to give the first place to Se Duchess of Westminster's hospital a Le Touquet. This hospital occupies ?he famous casino of the place, a bu.kirn" singularly well. suited[for hospital pmposes. It contains 270 beds. The medial officer in charge is don Watson, a sound administrator, who as made the most of the expereneehe gained in the South African War. Among the staff are two Britash Red Cross surgeons and eight muses sent out by the society. The immense rooms of the casino piovide excellent wards, well-lit,wel-ven-tilated, and well-warmed The bacarrat room made a splendid ward and is none the worse for the fact that the baccarat tables are still. piled.up at one end of it. The American bar of the casino is the dispensary, while the wellkept linen store occupies the room m which the Tango was taught, a fact made manifest by the fantastic dancing uictures on the wall. I 'An admirable X-ray room has been fashioned out of a garden storehouse while the dark room is a large bathing machine which has been-brought up from the beach to fill this unwonted office The operating theatre occupies the' fencing saloon, and the racks lor foils have been put to other purposes. This theatre is one of the best in the whole district. . The hospital is well found, and has gained a high reputation for grod work. . Of the various voluntary hospitals at Wimereux the best is the Anglo-Ameri-can Hospital, usually known as Lady Hadheld's Hospital. It occupies the Hotel des Bians, in the main street, lne hospital has the advantage of the services of Mr. Lett, from the surgical staff of the London Hospital. \fter dealing with the British Hospital at the Hotel Belle Vue at Winier-,-ux with 10 beds, and the Australian Hospital at the Golf Hotel, Wimereux, with 166 beds, the report goes on :-- The so-called Quaker Hospital I was unable to visit, but received information about it from Dr. Minro. Ihe _hospital is situated on the outskirts ot the town of Ypres, and is frequently exposed to shell fire. It ministers to the sick and wounded refugees from the town and is carrying out a most heroic work. The party, I understand, consists of two surgeons and a number ot orderlies. The nursing is undertaken by refugee nuns from Ypres. The hospital has five ambulances. But for the help of this advance hospital, the people from Ypres would be without medical and surgical aid. „,„..,, In the main ward of the British hospital at Fumes is a little boy in- a bed very much too big for him. He is a refugee from Ypres. In one of the many attacks upon that unfortunate place, iiis foot was smashed by a shell, and, as a result, the limb has had to be amputated. He is doing well. What has happened to his parents is not known. He is probablv alone in the world. In a basket on the floor, by the child's bed, is another refugee from Ypres—a puppy of very indifferent breed. He was probablv thrown by some compassionate soul into a enrt which was flying in baste from the burning town. He is little more than a round woolly ball—woolly bv reason of his extreme youth, ;l nd round as the result of persistent over-rationing. It is a curious picture: the whitewashed refectory full of gravely wounded men, some still groaning with pain, ~me nenring death, with, high upon

the wall, a kindly statue of the Virgin looking down on the scene; and. in the centiv of the room, near the stove, the ridiculous puppy and the one-legged boy.