WORK OF UNIVERSITY MEDICAL UNITS DESCRIBED

E. C. Cutler '09 has written in the Graduates' Magazine of the valuable service rendered by University graduates in hospital service in France, England and Servia. The work of the main unit at Paris is carefully described in detail in the article, parts of which are given here:

Ever since the commencement of the great European war graduates of Harvard have been connected with the State Hospital, or War Departments of the various nations involved. More particularly, and in greater numbers, have they seen such service in France. My personal experience in Europe covers only the months of April, May, and June, 1915, but the stimulus received was perhaps sufficient to carry well back over the entire course of the catastrophe. Once the game was on, the American Embassy in Paris became one of the busiest places in Europe, on it having devolved the care of those citizens of all the nations fighting against the French, still resident in, or travelling through, France. Many Harvard men were among those at once pressed into the corps of workers in the Embassy: Robert Bacon, '80, Robert W. Bliss '00, 1st Sec. of the Embassy, and W. O'D. Iselin '05, were active workers from the very beginning. Since those days there have been many changes. Major Morton Henry '92, Edward Pickman '08, and other Harvard men have at different times helped in the Embassy.

It seems complex, but we often got patients in the hospital in Paris within 12 to 14 hours after they have been hit, even when coming from Arras or the line farther north toward Ypres. On arrival in the hospital patients are at once seen by the receiving officer, who, in our service, was one of the residents, and by him sent either to the ward direct, to have a bath first, or to the operating-room, as each single case demanded. The largest number of admissions to the University Service in any 24 hour period was 33 cases. In the three months 295 new cases were allotted to us--an average of over 3 cases a day. In all 441 cases were at one time or another under our observation and care. Of the 383 cases on which we have full records 318 received actual wounds by missiles--as follows: Rifle ball,  128 Shrapnel ball,  31 Shell fragment,  133 Shell fragment and rifle ball,  5 Shell fragment and shrapnel,  1 Doubtful,  5 Bomb fragments,  9 Hand-grenade,  3 Barbed wire,  1 Mine explosion,  1 Revolver ball,  1 Total,  318

Of the 65 cases in which no actual wounds were produced by missiles, a large number were due to falls, chiefly from horses or into trenches, and to men being thrown down by a mine or large shell or bomb explosion near by. Also there were a few simple surgical conditions, as appendicitis and hernia, demanding surgical treatment. Many of the cases presented more than one wound, there being 670 instances of medical or surgical conditions in 383 cases.

Harvard Represented in Many Centres.

But there were and are Harvard men scattered in hospital work not only elsewhere in France, but in England and even Serbia. With Prof. Strong in Serbia went Dr. George Shattuck '01, Dr. F. B. Grinnell '09, and Dr. Sellards, instructor in Tropical Medicine in the Harvard Medical School.

In a small hospital at Fort Mahon, France, were Dr. George Pierce '94, and Dr. Charles S. Butler '93; at the Chateau Passy Hospital, near Sens, were Dr. Percy Turnure '94, and Dr. I. C. Walker, Assistant in Medicine, H.M.S. In the hospital at Juilly, an institution allied to the American Hospital, Paris, and supported by Mrs. H. P. Whitney, of New York, were at different times Dr. Jason Mixter '06, and Dr. George E. Brewer '85. Richard Norton '92, headed the American Volunteer Corps working for the St. John's Ambulance Association (British), with headquarters near Howard Beal, M. '98, heads the Red Amiens. At Paignton, England, Dr. Cross Unit, in which is also Dr. H. H. Howard, M. '12.

To sail shortly to join these units are Dr. C. C. Simmons '99, and Dr. Edward P. Richardson '02. The undertaking is very large, and the preparations involved a great amount of work and energy. But that Boston should send such a large contingent of our ablest surgeons, and that they are all Harvard graduates, or have been at some time connected with the University, is a source of much satisfaction. We, who have just returned, wish them the best of luck!

Thus it is seen that really great numbers of Harvard men are actually in Europe, and closely associated with the relief of the suffering and destruction that is the inevitable price of war. Besides such as I have named there are the two Harvard units. Beyond those in hospital work there are, of course, the Harvard men in the Ambulance service, those actually engaged in the war, and those in the diplomatic services. The number is creditable and the work such as we know it, has, we hope, been of some aid and support, along the best lines of endeavor. The effort is certainly praiseworthy. But before closing let me say that there is much yet to be done, that the opportunity for helping is limitless, and that, to those who have gone over, the reward has been found immeasurable.

Of the 65 cases in which no actual wounds were produced by missiles, a large number were due to falls, chiefly from horses or into trenches, and to men being thrown down by a mine or large shell or bomb explosion near by. Also there were a few simple surgical conditions, as appendicitis and hernia, demanding surgical treatment. Many of the cases presented more than one wound, there being 670 instances of medical or surgical conditions in 383 cases.

Harvard Represented in Many Centres.

But there were and are Harvard men scattered in hospital work not only elsewhere in France, but in England and even Serbia. With Prof. Strong in Serbia went Dr. George Shattuck '01, Dr. F. B. Grinnell '09, and Dr. Sellards, instructor in Tropical Medicine in the Harvard Medical School.

In a small hospital at Fort Mahon, France, were Dr. George Pierce '94, and Dr. Charles S. Butler '93; at the Chateau Passy Hospital, near Sens, were Dr. Percy Turnure '94, and Dr. I. C. Walker, Assistant in Medicine, H.M.S. In the hospital at Juilly, an institution allied to the American Hospital, Paris, and supported by Mrs. H. P. Whitney, of New York, were at different times Dr. Jason Mixter '06, and Dr. George E. Brewer '85. Richard Norton '92, headed the American Volunteer Corps working for the St. John's Ambulance Association (British), with headquarters near Howard Beal, M. '98, heads the Red Amiens. At Paignton, England, Dr. Cross Unit, in which is also Dr. H. H. Howard, M. '12.

To sail shortly to join these units are Dr. C. C. Simmons '99, and Dr. Edward P. Richardson '02. The undertaking is very large, and the preparations involved a great amount of work and energy. But that Boston should send such a large contingent of our ablest surgeons, and that they are all Harvard graduates, or have been at some time connected with the University, is a source of much satisfaction. We, who have just returned, wish them the best of luck!

Thus it is seen that really great numbers of Harvard men are actually in Europe, and closely associated with the relief of the suffering and destruction that is the inevitable price of war. Besides such as I have named there are the two Harvard units. Beyond those in hospital work there are, of course, the Harvard men in the Ambulance service, those actually engaged in the war, and those in the diplomatic services. The number is creditable and the work such as we know it, has, we hope, been of some aid and support, along the best lines of endeavor. The effort is certainly praiseworthy. But before closing let me say that there is much yet to be done, that the opportunity for helping is limitless, and that, to those who have gone over, the reward has been found immeasurable.