Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 240, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1917 — DOCTORS EAGER TO LEARN FROM ALLY [ARTICLE]

DOCTORS EAGER TO LEARN FROM ALLY

American Surgeon Calls Tale of Serious Differences a German Canard. UTMOST CORDIALITY EXISTS 1 ' Excellent Work Being Done by American Units Hasßeen Subject of Complimentary Remarks by British Surgeons, T British Headquarters in France and Belgium. German agents recently have been spreading broadcast on the continent the report that serious differences have arisen between the British army medical service and 4he American surgeons and physicians who have been working with the British forces in France. Special publicity has been given the story by its,sponsors in Belgium and France. The correspondent of the Associated Press accredited to British general headquarters has made a careful investigation of the facts, visiting not only base hospitals which have been taken over by American medical units, but casualty clearing stations in which American surgical teams are working. The utmost cordiality has and does exist between the British medical service and the Americans who are working with them. The assertion that there has been any quarrel between the bodies is without foundation. As one eminent American has put it: “The story is a gross canard. The reasons for circulating it are obvious. The Germans are trying to create among Belgian and French civilians a contempt for America and Great Britain and consequently a hostility toward these two nations.” Americans Are Part of Machine. The six medical units which were sent over from the United States to take charge of six British base hospitals have become a part of the smoothly running organization that the British have developed. The Americans feel that they are fortunate in their position. They realize that they have much to learn about war hospitals and they are having the opportunity of learning rapidly from men who have had more than three years’ experience. The British, on the other hand, recognize fully the sacrifices that have been made by the Americans, many of them eminent surgeons with big practices at home, to come to France to do their bit In caring for the wounded. The, excellent work being done by the American units has frequently been the subject of the most complimentary remarks by all ranks of the British medical organization. The service which the workers from the United States have performed is viewed as one of the bright spots in a war which is causing so much misery. When the Germans began their ruthless sinking of hospital ships and it became apparent that it would be unsafe to try to transport wounded British soldiers and German prisoners to England, there was a hurry-up call for the establishment of more base hospitals in France. America was asked for assistance and the six units were rushed across to Europe, without stopping to bring their full equipment. They immediately took over large base hospitals, and although they were handicapped for a time because of lack of supplies, their institutions soon ranked among the best, for while the units were inexperienced in war work, they were highly trained in hospital service. - Hospitals Care for Germans. Roughly speaking, the six base hospitals conducted by the Americans have beds for about 1,500 patients each, and there are many times when they are filled to overflowing, for base hospitals must care not only for their own wounded but for Germans as well. The six base hospitals have, in addition to their other work, furnished about ten surgical tennis for service in casualty clearing near the firing line. These teams usually consist of a surgeon, an assistant, a nurse and an orderly. American surgeons whose names are famous internationally art* laboring beside youthful medical officers who have sat upder them’in the classroom at home. Doctor Crile of Cleveland, Doctor Cushing of Harvard, Doctor Brewer of New York, Doctor Harte of Philadelphia, Doctor Murphy of St. Louis and Doctor Frederick Besley of Chicago—they call them majors over here —all have been or are at present working night and day in casualty clearing stations, which have been caring for the wounded from the last great offensive. These surgical teams have had one characteristic experience. Their work is hampered and their lives are endangered by German airmen, who persist in hurling high etplosives down among them. In one of the latest raids the German aviators killed or rewounded many of their own men who were prisoners being cared for in one of these hospitals.