THE DARDANELLES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 66, 17 July 1915, Page 6

THE DARDANELLES

THE WOUNDED. ' 1 1 S I . ' ‘United Press Association. London, July 16. Arrangements for treating the Australasian wounded in England are at the present moment in a state of transition. Sit G. H. Beid and Mr Buckley are arranging fpr the Ostahlishtnent of Australian hospitals and convalescent homes, to avoid the present distribution /Ip the War Office hospitals all over the country, and have initiated a new jjplicy whereby all Australians will die taken to a central hospital on arrival for operation, if necessary, and if that is unnecessary to be passed on to auxiliary hospitals. The chief difficulty at the Dardanelles has been The lack of a hospital ship. A contingent of Australian doctors and nurses intended for France has been diverted to Lemnos, where they will establish a hospital, and it is expected that this will greatly relieve the tension.' , .

Major Chappie, a Royal Army Medical Commissioner, and' es*New Zealander, visited the chief hospitals at Cairo and Alexandria, and has returned to England with a hospital ship. He speaks highly of the medical services, work, and skill .of many of England’s best known specialists. Dr. Chappie thinks 'that, despite theconvenient situation, Egypt is ah unsuitable liespita! base, and thp nearness of the crowded slums of Alexandria and Cairo adds greatly fly trouble. The doctors at} Gallipoli do all their work under fire, and the men are rushed with the least possible delay to the hospital ships. During the two days’ voyage to Alexandria and the ten hours’ journey to Cairo they receive little beyond first aid. Dr. Chappie is of opinion that it would be better to bring the men direct to Malta and England, turning the hospital into a leisurely-carrying casualty and clearing hospital, giving the men the necessary surgical treatment immediately, and thus avoiding the present fortyeight hours’ delay. The .ships are splendidly equipped, some having operating theatres and X-ray departments which an English hospital might envy. In summer calm it is as easy to operate on sea as on land. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. London, July IG. A wounded naval man from the Dardanelles relates that lie cherishes a lively regard for the Australians and New Zealanders. “They fear absolutely nothing,’’ lie says. “They would go through anything; they are the fiercest thing God ever made, ami nothing is so sure in this world as that they will go through the Turks before they are done with it.”

The Times Mitylene correspondent says that horrible accounts have been received of the condition of the Turkish wounded. Many are left for days untended, owing to the inadequacy of surgeons and antiseptics. It is stated that the more seriously wounded are despatched on the battlefield to prevent useless suffering. Colonel William Hunter, Lieuten-ant-Colonels George Buchanan, Andrew Balfour and Leonard Durgeon, are going to the Dardanelles as an advisory hoard to the Army Medical Corps iu the event of any epidemics. Sofia. July IG. Passengers and goods traffic on the Constantinople and Adrianople railway was v suspended yesterday, owing to the ' transport of reiiiforecements to Gallipoli,