WAR NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 May 1916, Page 5

WAR NOTES.

SURGERY IN WAR. , The human Bide of the story has no) yet been written! tout in the pages of "Surgery in War," by Major Alfred Hull, you may, if you have the eye, discover the whole secret of Jthe great work. The book is a practical manual for doctors, but it is also a ctap-' ter of history. "We are hero shown," as Sir Alfred Keogh, the Director-Lit-eral of Army Medical Services, says, in his preface, "the distinguishing surgical features of the war, the evolution of the best methods of dealing with the septic process.' invariably present, the improvement ia 140 nobilising apparatus foi gunshot -s, and many other interesting i •. •*; in surgical tieh* nique. But \.. .. vn much more' than this. We learn, :ur example, how the whole field of knowledge has been placed! under contribution to make the lot of the wounded man an easier one. the moment when he falls ho becomes the object of most devoted care. Ht fa protected against shock by the ingetttous methods of anoci-association or aejrveblocking suggested by <Crile, he is protected against microbes by injection* of tetanus anti-serum, and by the beautiful methods introduced by Sir AlsjroUi Wright. A host of antiseptics hftra been tested for his special benefit. When he comes to the surgeon there are (ttbtlft.i devices whereby the removal of buffets from his wounds may be facilitated} sol that, in fact, the operator may see rtha bullet even while lie is cutting it (iut. The same care follows him all the irayi back to health. Never was a; serried more effective. In the MediterraMUk area alone, and in addition to the ordilH ary divisional equipment, upwards of 20,000 beds were supplied and supported, 20 sanitary sections labored for tie life* ty of troops, and there were Ave baseu4 six advanced depots for medical stonti In addition R.A.M.C. reinforcements, for the expansion of existing hospital*-and for improvised hospital (fcipl it*® amounted to 8758 men And that js ft lesser theatre of war. q

RUSSIA AND THE WAR. " GALLIPOLI NOT A FAILURE^ A South Australian member of'th# Army Medical Corps, just returned,; Jim furnished a report of n speech delivered at (Portland, Devonshire, to Australian soldiers, by M. Aladin, official jejirfWntative fromPetrograd. In the of bis remarks, M. Aladin said: "As an official representative of your Russian Ally, I desire to express, on my country's behalf, the great pleasure ft gives me to address some of the AMaca from Gallipoli. I have to tell you that your splendid deeds there have been heralded throughout the length and breadth of our vast European and Asiatic Empire. Further, and raoro importaat, I have my Government's and people's, permission to tell you that what you jwva done is fully appreciated; that the Dardanelles operations were not the. failure they are popularly supposed to hava been. True, the land forces were ■ultimately withdrawn, but we Russian people, have consolation in the fact that the daring invasion of Gallipoli was a timely one. By their splendid datfh the Anzacs upset big German plans in tho Caucasus, which until tiien had been working well, and which were keeping ua hard pressed in that region. You Australasians confounded loud-voiced Turkey, and became an important driving wheel which relieved the strain on] our front. You saved us from di^aater.

"Russia is in perfect accord with the warm sentiments of tho British Empire and its Allies. We are determined to prosecute this war to the bitter epd—to close our eyes to any for peace until the rights of the opprnged have been fully restored, and until Fnu« sian world-wide and despotic ambition has been irrevocably crushed. I said Russia would wi\ive aside all overtures foi peace, and I said it advisedly. I tell you tliat Germany lias made big .offers to Russia, but they have been reciived with deaf ears and indignation. Rtissia will not be bribed in insisting uponithis determined attitude. In common tfith the rest of our Allies, Russia ia enoour-. aged by the self-sacrificing determination o? her great British Ally, as emphasised by the organised support she is receiving from her overseas Empire. Chief of this vast Empire is, in Russian opinion, Australasia." " j BELGIAN TROOPS VINDICATED. An enquiry was opened recently on the action of the Antwerp garrison forces, consisting of 35,000 men and TOO officers, who, on the day following the evacuation of Antwerp by the field army, to escape being taken prisoners by the enemy, took refuge 011 Dutch territory. The enquiry has resulted in a complete rehabilitation of these troops, Who had done their duty up to the very last moment, and who, to prevent being surrounded, passed over the Dutch frontier. Following on the enquiry. Baron dc tiroqveville issued an order of the day stating that he was perfectly satisfied that the Belgian troops would not have allowed themselves to be interned'if they could have done otherwise, and. that criticism of their action was" neither called for nor permissible.