Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 January 1919 — DR. M. D. GWIN WRITES AGAIN [ARTICLE]

DR. M. D. GWIN WRITES AGAIN

The following letter was received by George Long from Dr. M. D. Gwin. Base 109, Vichy, France, Dec. 14, 1918. Dear Folks: ——- Xmas will soon be here and still we have raining and muddy I understand it gets cold in January and February. We have about -10,000 patients in our five hospitals and I dm looking after cases and also in the medical supply offices of 109. I have all the ordering, transferring and>keeping all departments supplied in five different hotels which make up our hospital. For instance mess utensils, beds, blankets, mattresses, stationery, chairs, besides all stuff used for patients, bed clothes, slippers and crutches, pans etc. Also all medicines, dressings, instruments sterilizers, etc., come under me. I have one sergeant in my office, one sergeant in my dispensary, two assistants for dispensary and two in the office. One of the latter is my personal orderly. He tends my room, shines my shoes etc. Thus you see I am the responsible and accountable man in the Base to the government. Of course I am training my help to do all the work and I will check them up. But in getting started I simply had to do or see done everything, besides my own medical and surgical work. So_ you see I have riot gained any in weight. I have heen recommended for promotion but it can’t be acted upon over here yet because they have a ban on all promotions, so< am S. O. S. for awhile. Every boy in the unit wants to work for me it seems. I promote them as they should be for one thing. Some of them would knock the block off a colonel for me if he thought I needed it for anything. Last week I was sick and staid in bed three days.—l had three waiting on me, bringing me mess, etc. Of egurse it is certainly a good business eotrisp for me (ie the extra work) but I am charged up and responsible to the government for scads of stuff. For instance I will look up my record on three or four items for example: “ Blankets army—No. 2351/ _ ' Chairs —No. 373. Operating caps—394. Sheets—3ooß., etc. < So I will be glad do get home. We mess in ouf own quarters, .then each night the Red Cross movies (free) and on Saturday nights a local vaudeville.and movie. The former is really good. • Sometimes a Y. M. C. A. , Jfent, r Thos. F. Ryan’s son Joseph has

been here as driver for our colonel, but is now advanced t> a lieutenant. All told the time passes quickly and I am counting on returning in March or April so watch for my smoke but don’t be disappointed if I am not per Love to all and a happy New Year. - ~ GWIN.