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Title: The American Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. IV, No. 3, July 1909)
Author: American National Red Cross
Language: English
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The American Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. IV, No. 3)
VOL. IV. JULY, 1909. No. 3.
AMERICAN
RED CROSS
BULLETIN
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
WASHINGTON D C
Yearly Subscription, 50 cents. Single Copy, 15 cents.
(Issued Quarterly.)
[Illustration]
ABOVE ALL OTHERS
TWO U.S. PATENTS JUNE 5, 1900
The “PERFECTION” BED AND DOUCHE PAN
IT IS SANITARY
IT IS COMFORTABLE
IT IS EASY TO EMPTY
RECOMMENDED BY PHYSICIANS & TRAINED NURSES EVERYWHERE
The “Perfection” is anatomically correct in shape and does not hurt the
patient.
It can be quickly emptied and thoroughly cleansed, and saves time and
disagreeable work for the nurse.
It has a large capacity, holding fully 2 quarts.
=RETAIL PRICES=
No. 1, PORCELAIN, Standard Size, $2.50
No. 2, Small ” 2.25
No. 3, GREY ENAMELED, Standard ” 4.00
No. 4, WHITE ” ” ” 4.50
No. 5, GREY ” Small ” 3.50
No. 6, WHITE ” ” ” 4.25
_SOLD BY ALL LEADING DEALERS_
Sent upon receipt of price, express prepaid east of the Mississippi
HOSPITALS SUPPLIED AT WHOLESALE PRICES
ADOPTED BY MORE THAN 1000 HOSPITALS AS THE STANDARD PAN
=MEINECKE & COMPANY · NEW YORK.=
THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
Officers
_President_,
HON. WILLIAM H. TAFT.
_Vice-President_,
ROBERT W. de FOREST.
_Treasurer_,
HON. CHAS. D. NORTON.
_Counselor_,
HON. LLOYD W. BOWERS.
_Secretary_,
CHARLES L. MAGEE.
_Chairman of Central Committee_,
MAJOR-GENERAL GEO. W. DAVIS, U. S. A. (Ret.)
_National Director_,
ERNEST P. BICKNELL.
Board of Consultation
BRIGADIER-GENERAL GEORGE H. TORNEY,
Surgeon-General, U. S. Army.
REAR ADMIRAL PRESLEY M. RIXEY,
Surgeon-General, U. S. Navy.
SURGEON-GENERAL WALTER WYMAN,
U. S. Public Health and Marine Hospital Service.
Central Committee 1908-1909
Major-General GEORGE W. DAVIS, U. S. A. (ret.), _Chairman_.
Brigadier-General GEORGE H. TORNEY, Surgeon-General, U. S.
Army, War Department, Washington, D. C.
Hon. HUNTINGTON WILSON, Assistant Secretary of State,
Department of State, Washington, D. C.
Hon. CHARLES D. NORTON, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, U.
S. Treasury Dept., Washington, D. C.
Medical Director JOHN C. WISE, U. S. N., Navy Department,
Washington, D. C.
Hon. LLOYD W. BOWERS, Solicitor-General, Department of Justice,
Washington, D. C.
President BENJAMIN IDE WHEELER, University of California.
Mr. JOHN M. GLENN, 105 East 22d street, New York, N. Y.
Miss MABEL T. BOARDMAN, Washington, D. C.
Hon. JAMES R. GARFIELD, Secretary of the Interior, Washington,
D. C.
Hon. A. C. KAUFMAN, Charleston, S. C.
Hon. H. KIRKE PORTER, 1600 I street, Washington, D. C.
Mr. JOHN C. PEGRAM, Providence, R. I.
General CHARLES BIRD, U. S. A., Wilmington, Del.
Col. WILLIAM CARY SANGER, Sangerfield, N. Y.
Judge LAMBERT TREE, 70 La Salle street, Chicago, Ill.
Hon. JAMES TANNER, Washington, D. C.
Mr. W. W. FARNAM, New Haven, Conn.
NOTE—Attention is invited to the recent changes in the Officers and
Central Committee members.
The President of the United States has appointed Hon. Huntington Wilson,
Hon. Charles D. Norton, Brigadier General George H. Torney and Hon. Lloyd
W. Bowers members of the Central Committee to represent the Departments
of State, Treasury, War and Justice, respectively. The Executive
Committee has elected Hon. Charles D. Norton Treasurer and Hon. Lloyd W.
Bowers Counselor to fill the vacancies caused by the resignations of the
former Treasurer and Counselor.
[Illustration: CONTENTS]
PAGE
Officers 1
Preface 3
Relief in Eastern Turkey (illustrated) 5
Italy two months after the Earthquake (illustrated) 11
By Ernest P. Bicknell.
Earthquake Relief in Portugal 26
A Testimonial to the American Red Cross from Italy (illustrated) 28
Financial Report of American Committee at Rome 30
The Red Cross and President Taft’s Inauguration (illustrated) 33
The Appropriate Insignia of the American Medical Association 40
By Samuel P. Gerhard, A. M., M. D.
Story of the Red Cross (illustrated) 45
First-Aid and Relief Columns Department—California, Illinois,
New York and New Jersey 47
Tuberculosis Department (illustrated)—Christmas Stamps,
Cleveland, New Hampshire 53
Notes 57
Entered at the Post Office, Washington, D. C., as second-class matter.
[Illustration: WILLIAM H. TAFT
Copyright, Harris-Ewing, ’08.]
PREFACE
Hardly had our Red Cross work for the Sicilian and Calabrian earthquake
sufferers come to an end when a new field for help opened before our
American Society. This time it was not some great catastrophe of nature’s
doings, but man’s inhumanity to man that brought about the need of aid
and as from Macedonia of old again arose the cry, “Come over and help
us.” In Eastern Turkey lay this field of suffering, and of the Red Cross
help the July BULLETIN gives a brief statement, hoping later to receive a
fuller report from the field itself.
So great was the devastation wrought by the earthquake in Italy that
later the less serious one in Portugal almost escaped our attention, but
among a number of villages there has been much suffering and distress so
that our Society was glad to send some small but tangible expression of
our sympathy in its relief work to the Portuguese Red Cross. We have not
forgotten the contributions it sent to the American Red Cross in 1898 for
our sick and wounded during the war with Spain.
[Illustration: HON. CHARLES D. NORTON]
The article on Italy by Mr. Ernest P. Bicknell, National Director of the
Red Cross, with illustrations furnished by Lieutenant Commander Belknap,
U. S. N., of the houses erected under his supervision will, we are sure,
deeply interest our readers.
Two special departments will be noted in the Bulletin, one of the Relief
Column and First Aid and the other on Tuberculosis, lines of work along
which our Red Cross has plans for large and earnest development.
The Red Cross is needed. It is a blessing in many ways to the peoples
of the world. It brings them closer together in the days of trouble and
teaches them that nations, like men, are brothers. In America our Red
Cross should aim to make itself one of the strongest and most helpful in
this brotherhood of nations.
[Illustration: HON. LLOYD W. BOWERS]
MASSACRES IN ASIATIC TURKEY
The spirit of unrest was seething in Turkey and the old antagonism
that from the time of the crusades has existed between the cross and
the crescent was ready to break out into action. On the 10th of April,
at Adana, a town in Eastern Turkey, not far west of Alexandretta, an
Armenian and a Turk were killed. This kindled into life the flames of
hatred and on the 14th they burst forth in ferocious massacres. The
Moslems being in the majority the Armenians suffered terribly. Throughout
that part of the country it is estimated that some twenty-five thousand
persons have been massacred during this reign of terror. Their houses
and shops were pillaged and burned, and those who escaped fled in terror
for their lives. The Government, in the person of the Vali, was either
unable or unwilling to put a stop to this appalling destruction of human
life and property. Once started the scenes of horror were repeated in
town after town in the eastern provinces. At Tarsus several hundred
Armenian houses were burned and in the yard of the American College were
sheltered and protected 4,000 refugees. At Antioch, forty miles south of
Alexandretta, the Armenian population of 7,000 was nearly annihilated.
Kurds, Arabs and Circassians besieged the small Armenian villages,
pillaging and burning the houses, killing the men and carrying the women
into captivity. At Adana and Tarsus 15,000 and at Mersina 5,000 refugees
were in dire distress and need while many more women and children escaped
from the villages and were hiding in the mountains. The atrocities
perpetrated reduced the people to a state of terror and despair. If some
small village of Armenians succeeded in resisting the besiegers its
inhabitants were soon reduced to the verge of starvation. Mr. Kennedy, an
American missionary, secured some 450 Turkish soldiers and went to the
relief of Deurtyul, an Armenian village of 10,000 inhabitants, on the
coast, which was being besieged by hordes of Kurds and Circassians. The
water supply having been cut off, the people were dependent upon the rain
that fell, the children drinking from the water that collected in the
footprints of animals. Frantic appeals for help and protection came down
from scores of villages and the foreign consuls at Aleppo cabled to their
Governments word of the great distress of thousands of refugees.
[Illustration: GEN. G. H. TORNEY, U. S. A.
Copyright, Harris-Ewing, ’08.]
[Illustration: TURKISH WOMAN, EMERGENCY SURGICAL CASE. AMERICAN CHRISTIAN
HOSPITAL.
(By Courtesy of the National Geographic Society.)]
[Illustration: ARMENIAN CHILDREN IN AMERICAN SCHOOL AT ADABAZAR.
(By Courtesy of the National Geographic Society.)]
Thanks to the efforts of our Consul General, Mr. Ravndal, at Beirut,
assisted by the French Cruiser “Jules Ferry,” Latakia in Syria was
relieved. Thousands of women and children, most of the men having been
killed, were being besieged there. Appeals to the Vali of Adana continued
useless. Conflagrations were continually breaking out and often the
entire city was threatened. Thousands of the refugees were homeless and
without any means of earning their livelihood. Bodies of the dead were
scattered through the streets and the pedestrian who ventured forth had
to pick his way so as not to step upon them. One writer says in half an
hour he counted twelve wagon loads of Armenian dead being carried to the
river and in the Turkish Cemetery graves were being dug by the wholesale.
At Adana four hospitals were established; doctors and nurses were sent
from Beirut and Tarsus. Women, children and even babies suffered from
severe wounds. Among the hundreds in one hospital the average of wounds
to each person was four. Thousands of refugees were without food,
clothing and bedding. Those sheltered at the American Missions were
completely disarmed before being received so that, to obtain as far as
possible immunity from attack for the missions. There was not enough
water to drink nor to dress the wounds. Garbage and filth collected in
the streets and diseases of all kinds began to reap their harvest.
On April 28th, in response to an inquiry if financial assistance was
advisable addressed to the American Ambassador at Constantinople by the
State Department, at the suggestion of the Red Cross, the following
dispatch was received:
“Secretary of State, Washington:
“As distress among population is very great, I am convinced
that American Red Cross could not better fulfill the noble
purpose for which it was founded than by such a contribution.
If desired, money could be sent to the Embassy for transmission
to Mr. Peet, treasurer of the American Missions in Turkey, and
it would be a most humane act if our charitable organizations
could be induced to follow suggestion, as thousands of the poor
people are without food and shelter. If American Red Cross
will wire amount of draft they are donating, I will hand over
immediately such sum, as funds are urgently needed.
“LEISHMAN (Ambassador).”
Immediately upon receipt of the above cablegram the Red Cross
appropriated one thousand dollars from its General Emergency Fund which
was cabled by the Secretary of State to Mr. Leishman; and the Branch
Societies were requested to announce through the press that the Red
Cross would receive and forward to the Ambassador at Constantinople any
contributions for relief work in Turkey.
On May 6th a further remittance of $5,000 was sent by the Red Cross to
the Ambassador.
The Relief Committee at Beirut, of which the American Consul General, Mr.
Ravndal, is chairman, cabled to the Red Cross on May 10th, requesting
that it be permitted to act regardless of source of funds as Red Cross
agents, rendering full accounts. This Committee had already raised about
ten thousand dollars and had dispatched to Adana for doctors and trained
nurses. With the full approval of the American Ambassador this Committee
was recognized as its agent with full power to use the Red Cross flag to
protect its hospitals and field force.
On May 13th $5,000 more was cabled to the Ambassador by the Red Cross as
a contribution from the _Christian Herald_, with the request that $2,000
be sent to Mr. Nesbit Chambers, of Adana, $2,000 to Thomas D. Christie,
Tarsus, and $1,000 to Mr. Ravndal, Chairman of the Relief Committee at
Beirut.
On May 6th the Armenian Relief Committee organized in New York sent a
special Committee, Dr. A. Ayvazian, Chairman, and Col. Mesup Newton
Kahn, to the New York Red Cross Branch to ask if the American Red Cross
would receive and dispense the funds raised by their Committee. In
reply to this inquiry forwarded from New York the National Headquarters
telegraphed its consent to receive and administer such funds, stating its
desire to be as efficient in Armenia as it had been in other theatres
of relief and that in this work it had the co-operation of the State
Department and the American Ambassador at Constantinople.
[Illustration: WOMEN IN WAITING AT AINTAB DISPENSARY. MOSLEMS ON LEFT,
ARMENIANS ON RIGHT.
(By Courtesy of the National Geographic Society.)]
On May 19th, $2,500 received from this Armenian Committee was cabled
to the Ambassador with the request that it be distributed to Armenian
sufferers of all denominations with the co-operation of the Armenian
Patriarch in Adana, the Reverend Kevrok Arslandan.
On May 28th a further remittance of $1,500 was sent with a like request.
This included a second remittance of $1,000 from the Armenian Committee,
making a total of $20,000 sent for the relief in Turkey.
On June 16 an additional $5,000 was received from the _Christian Herald_,
and was cabled to Turkey on the same day with instructions to distribute
it in the same manner as the remittance of the 13th of May.
The last dispatch received by the State Department on June 3rd, and
transmitted by the First Assistant Secretary of State to the Red Cross,
reads as follows:
“Mr. Peet makes the following statement:
“‘Relief work prosecuted in nine centers where thirty thousand
people are now supported. Present endeavor to rehabilitate
refugees thus making possible to earn livelihood and reduce
list. Permanent provision for orphans also required. Generous
help now will (word indecipherable) thousands dollars relief
and put thousands of people on feet again.’
“I have great confidence in Mr. Peet’s judgment, as he
is eminently qualified by his long experience to speak
authoritatively of such matters and the Relief Committee at
Adana, although international in character, is largely composed
of American missionaries headed by the British and United
States Consuls, which furnishes an unquestionable guarantee
that the relief funds will be fairly and judiciously expended.
So far, the subscriptions from England and America have been
comparatively small considering the enormous number of widows
and orphans who, for the moment, are entirely dependent upon
public charity, and I am sure that if the generous American
public more fully realized the great distress prevailing in the
Adana and Aleppo districts it would respond more liberally to
the appeals which are being made.
“LEISHMAN.”
[Illustration: ARMENIAN ORPHANS FROM MASSACRES OF 1894-5, IN SCHOOL
SUPPORTED BY SECOND EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF AINTAB.
(By Courtesy of the National Geographic Society.)]
CALABRIA AND SICILY TWO MONTHS AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE
BY ERNEST P. BICKNELL, National Director, American Red Cross.
The Italian earthquake occurred on December twenty-eighth and exactly
two months later, on February twenty-eighth, 1909, I arrived in Rome.
My first duty was to familiarize myself with the working plans of the
American Relief Committee. Although Rome is about three hundred and fifty
miles from Messina, it was the headquarters of the chief agencies engaged
in relief operations. Through the kindness of the American Ambassador,
Honorable Lloyd C. Griscom, I was quickly brought into close relations
with the American Relief Committee and with the officers at the head of
the Italian Relief Organizations. Count Taverna, President of the Italian
Red Cross, and Count Somaglia, the Vice-President, showed me every
courtesy and gave me all the information possible. The hurried emergency
work of the early days had been largely closed at this time. Most of
the injured had been discharged from hospitals, the field hospitals had
been closed, and the relief operations had settled down to a long, slow
struggle to help people of the ruined communities to make a fresh start
in life.
Many thousands of sufferers from the calamity had been removed to Naples,
Rome, Palermo, Catania and other cities immediately after the earthquake.
This made necessary the organization of extensive relief measures in
numerous cities which were not themselves sufferers. After two months,
this work outside the earthquake zone had been greatly reduced, though
still requiring considerable attention. Many public spirited men and
women gave important services through these outside organizations without
actually going to the scene of the disaster.
At Rome I also met Miss Katherine B. Davis, who had just ended her
brilliant relief administration in Syracuse, to which city more than a
thousand injured persons had been taken from Messina. Miss Davis had gone
to Sicily worn out with hard work as Superintendent of the Reformatory
for Women at Bedford, New York, and was looking forward to a long restful
vacation. She arrived the day after the earthquake and probably performed
the most strenuous and trying work of her life during the following two
months. The people everywhere were speaking in terms of highest praise of
what she had done, which was not only valuable in itself but which set an
example, copied in Palermo. Naples and elsewhere.
Mr. Edmund Billings, of Boston, who, as the representative of the
Massachusetts Relief Committee, spent six weeks in Sicily, also reached
Rome at this time. Mr. Billings had cultivated close relations with the
local relief administrators and in this way had been enabled to apply his
relief funds with a personal knowledge of the extent of the need and the
method of their distribution in each instance.
_Policy of the American Committee._
The American Committee had occupied a delicate position in the midst of a
group of active Italian relief agencies. It was necessary to avoid giving
offense to any, as well as to keep out of the special fields of work
in which the Italian agencies were occupied. So well did the Committee
conduct its operations that I heard of no instance of dissatisfaction
or criticism of its efforts. The Committee took no step until it had
consulted the men in charge of the Italian relief work. It either
appropriated specific sums of money for the use of other of the most
efficient Italian organizations or it carefully selected relief tasks
which had not been undertaken by others. In fact the American Committee
had gained the enviable reputation of having ready cash instantly
available for any important piece of work for which cash from other
sources was not immediately to be had.
[Illustration: U. S. SUPPLY SHIP “CELTIC.” ANCHORED IN MESSINA HARBOR.]
After a few days in Rome I went to Messina, where I arrived in the early
morning. As we drew into the land-locked harbor heavy clouds obscured
the surrounding mountains and a driving rain swept the desolate ruins
which were spread out before us. White as snow at her anchorage swung the
United States supply ship _Celtic_ with her flag floating high above the
shattered quay and the heaps of debris which clogged the crescent-shaped
water front. On board the _Celtic_ Captain Harry P. Huse, in command,
gave me a cordial welcome and immediately solved for me the problem of
a place to sleep and eat. Captain Huse had distributed his cargo and
surrendered most of his subordinate officers and crew for shore duty. Big
and energetic, he himself paced the long decks of the _Celtic_ somewhat
restively because of his own enforced idleness.
With headquarters also upon the _Celtic_ was Lieutenant Commander R.
R. Belknap, Naval Attachè of the American Embassy at Rome, but now in
full charge of the work of constructing the American cottages in the
earthquake district. Captain Belknap is clear headed, tireless, executive
to his finger tips, and a most courteous and considerate gentleman to
meet. He had his hands full with clearing and laying off the land upon
which American houses were to be built in Messina and Reggio and the
organization of his working force consisting of half a dozen young
American naval officers, about thirty American jackies and several
hundred native mechanics and laborers. The first of the ships bearing
lumber from America was expected in a day or two and arrangements for
unloading the lumber upon lighters, transferring it thence to the dock,
then loading it upon ox-carts and hauling it by circuitous ways through
the ruins to the sites where it was to be used, demanded much attention.
The revising of plans for the houses to adapt them to the Italian needs,
the making of itemized estimates of cost and the letting of certain
contracts also required time and much knowledge of local conditions.
Captain Belknap usually worked a couple of hours before breakfast and the
light in his cabin was the last to be extinguished at night.
A few days later when the first American ship anchored in the harbor,
with lumber for five hundred American houses on board, a new activity
began. Teams of great red oxen with horns of tremendous reach, each team
attached to a massive two-wheeled cart, blocked the water front while a
crowd of noisy, hustling Italian laborers, like ants about an ant hill,
carried the lumber piece by piece and stacked it high upon the creaking
vehicles. Processions of loaded carts moved sinuously among the ruins,
each driver guiding his oxen by ropes attached to their horns and by
means of mournful cries which the animals seemed to understand.
_Impressions of Messina._
[Illustration: RUINS OF MESSINA, SHOWING METHOD OF OPENING STREET.]
At this time Messina presented a strange and sorrowful picture. In the
midst of some of the most beautiful scenery in the world the city lay
a center of horror and desolation. All the world is familiar, through
descriptions and photographs, with the appearance of the ruins of the
city. These ruins had not been cleared away at the time of which I
write. Certain winding paths had been cleared through a few important
streets. San Martino, a street extending straight back from the harbor
through the city, was so wide that the heaps of debris on either side
left a considerable clear area in the center. Along San Martino all
the life and business of the city had gathered. Tiny, shapeless huts
of fragments of lumber, sheet iron, blankets, tin and scraps of cloth
were crowded into this open space and swarmed with huddling people.
Microscopic stocks of food and clothing were on sale in some of these
huts. A temporary postoffice occupied a wooden shack in the center of
the street and more cabs than one would have supposed could have been
saved from the disaster drove madly back and forth through the clutter
of huts and throngs of people. The most conspicuous business was the
sale of postcards, picturing the results of the earthquake. At midday
San Martino was crowded with probably ten thousand persons; at dark the
unlighted street was empty. The disappearance of the people at night was
a mystery which aroused much comment. The available shelter seemed to
be absurdly inadequate to the need. The people in fact slept under the
broken arches and in doorways and behind or beneath any projections or
rude contrivances which gave protection from the almost incessant rains.
[Illustration: DISCOVERING A BODY IN THE RUINS OF MESSINA.]
Oppressed by the sense of the tragedy of the city a visitor was at first
shocked to see the crowds in San Martino engaged in business, haggling
and bargaining, quarrelling and jesting in quite a natural manner.
In all directions through the miles of ruins were to be seen knots
of people gathered upon the sites of their former homes. Each group
consisted of certain members of the family, three or four workmen with
shovels and a soldier. The workmen were digging into the ruins to uncover
the bodies of victims of the disaster and to recover any property of
value which might be buried there. The soldier was assigned to the duty
of guarding and directing the work and preventing curious or dishonest
persons from interfering or carrying away property. At the side of each
group would be observed one or more rough wooden boxes waiting to receive
the bodies for which the workmen were searching. At this time it was
officially estimated by the military authorities in control of Messina
that twenty thousand bodies had been removed and that forty thousand
bodies still remained undiscovered. About two hundred bodies a day were
being taken out in the month of March. As the larger houses of the city
had suffered the most complete destruction, it followed that the loss of
life among the resourceful and well-to-do had been greater than among the
poor who lived in the smaller structures. It was estimated roughly by
Italian officials that ninety per cent. of the dead in Messina belonged
to the resourceful class.
_Burying the Dead._
[Illustration: BODIES AWAITING BURIAL IN PUBLIC SQUARE, MESSINA.]
Sad and terrible as was the task of disinterring the bodies of the dead
and burying them in the cemeteries, it was inevitable that the work
carried on day after day should become a commonplace occupation and that
the men engaged in it should eventually regard it with something of the
same indifference with which any other daily task is regarded. This may
be illustrated by an incident which was observed one hot afternoon. Four
workmen, carrying upon their shoulders a box containing a body, were
hurrying to the burial place in one of the cemeteries. The men were
laughing and jesting as they moved rapidly along a rough road. Behind
the men followed an old woman in rusty black, struggling painfully to
keep up with the box. Under her arm she carried a small cross such as is
placed at the head of each grave as the dead are buried. When the burial
place was reached the men carelessly placed the box upon the ground and
hastened away without a word. No grave was ready to receive the body and
the old woman sat down on the ground beside the box, still clinging to
the little cross. It would probably be some hours before the over-worked
force of grave diggers had prepared a place for this particular body, and
the old woman in the meantime sat in the broiling sun beside the rough
coffin. She feared that if the body was buried in her absence she would
not be able to identify the grave thereafter. So she sat there during the
long afternoon, occasionally caressing the rough boards with tender hands.
Carts or groups of carriers bearing other coffins were continually
arriving. It was impossible for the grave diggers to keep up with their
task and the grass for a long distance about was covered with the waiting
boxes.
A special cemetery was set apart for the burial of the unidentified
dead. In this cemetery pits about thirty feet long, twelve feet wide
and six feet deep were prepared and the boxes were stacked in them in
tiers, about one hundred boxes to each pit. By the middle of March about
twenty-five hundred unidentified bodies had been buried in this cemetery.
The condition of the bodies taken from the ruins at this late date and
the oncoming of hot weather made it imperative that all possible haste
should be insisted upon. No ceremony whatever accompanied the burial or
the preparation for it. Bodies were placed in the boxes the moment they
were exhumed from the ruins, a little later were placed on carts and
driven directly to the cemetery.
_Extent of the Disaster._
It is unnecessary here to speak at length upon the extent of the
disaster. The earthquake affected a strip of land on each side of the
Straits of Messina. The extreme dimensions of the affected area were
about fifty miles from North to South and perhaps forty miles from East
to West. Within this area no town or village escaped entire or partial
destruction. In all more than fifty cities, towns, villages and communes
were destroyed. The lowest estimate which I heard of the number of
persons made homeless was five hundred thousand. Estimates of the dead
range from one hundred thousand to two hundred and fifty thousand. In the
course of my travels about the region I visited about twenty-five cities,
towns and villages, among them all the larger ones. Wherever I went I
inquired of the local authorities, who seemed best informed, concerning
the loss of life. Based upon the answers to these inquiries and my own
observations, I have reached the conclusion that the estimates of the
number of dead have been uniformly too large. When the final estimates
are made, after all bodies have been accounted for, I doubt whether the
total will exceed seventy-five thousand.
I have seen no estimate of the property loss and it is doubtful whether
any approximately accurate estimate can be made. Neither have I seen any
figures of the amount of insurance carried on property but the result of
inquiries indicates that the total insurance was comparatively small.
The Italian people do not seem to have very fully adopted the policy
of insuring their property. Unless such insurance as was held covered
loss by earthquake, the owners of property can, in any event, collect
little, if anything, from the insurance companies. The poverty of this
part of Italy, coupled with the overwhelming magnitude of the loss,
both of property and life, must make recovery exceedingly slow. The
Italian Government is preparing to introduce measures of great liberality
intended to help the people re-establish themselves.
Most of the descriptions and photographs of the results of the earthquake
have applied chiefly to the City of Messina, because it was the largest
city in the earthquake zone and was the point to which relief measures
were first of all directed and at which lines of transportation from the
outside world centered. Tourists invariably get their first view of
the earthquake at Messina and many of them go no further. Descriptions
of conditions in Messina, however, convey a fair idea of conditions in
all the other ruined cities and towns. Messina had over one hundred
thousand population, Reggio about forty thousand, Palmi about twenty
thousand, Villa San Giovanni about seven thousand. These were the largest
communities in the region affected by the disaster. The ruin everywhere
was as complete in proportion to population as was that in Messina. In
Reggio about fifteen thousand lives were lost, in Palmi five or six
thousand, in Villa San Giovanni about fifteen hundred.
Relief measures were slow to reach the smaller towns lying among the
mountains back from the coast. Many of these towns are upon mountain tops
and are inaccessible except by donkey trails. The difficulty of access
made the work of relief particularly difficult and it is probable that
the suffering for food and shelter was greater in the mountain towns than
in the larger cities on the coast.
_Tidal Wave._
[Illustration: TOWN OF PELLARO, LEVELED BY TIDAL WAVE.]
Much was said in early reports about the tidal wave which followed
the earthquake. Had the tidal wave occurred alone, it would have
been regarded as a great disaster. But overshadowed as it was by the
earthquake, it forms but a small item in the sum total of ruin. The
wave did not cause much damage on the shores of Sicily, its chief force
being expended upon the Calabrian coast. As the wave rushed into the
small bays, the funnel shape of the shores piled the water up higher and
higher until at the apex of the bays it had reached a height of many
feet and rushed across the low lands adjacent with irresistible force.
If a village happened to be situated at the innermost point of a bay,
it suffered great damage from the wave. Some injury was done in the
harbor of Reggio in this way and some at Villa San Giovanni. The chief
sufferer from the tidal wave, however, was the little town of Pellaro.
Pellaro was, like other Italian towns, constructed entirely of stone
and mortar. It was built up solidly along one or two streets which were
parallel to the shore. Immediately in the rear of the village were large
lemon orchards. The earthquake shook the buildings down and about ten
minutes afterward the tidal wave came in and leveled the heaps of ruins
in a manner which amazed all who went over the ground later. It was
almost impossible to discover the street lines or to identify the sites
of the houses. The stones of which the buildings were constructed were
carried hundreds of yards inland and scattered among the lemon trees.
The entire site of the village was reduced to a dead level and one found
it difficult to believe that a town of fifteen hundred population had
ever occupied the place. About nine hundred of the people of Pellaro
were killed by the earthquake or tidal wave and hundreds of bodies were
carried out to sea by the receding waters.
[Illustration: STONES FROM PELLARO HOUSES, SWEPT BY TIDAL WAVE INTO LEMON
ORCHARD.]
_How Catania Helped._
As before mentioned, many Italian cities outside the earthquake zone
received and cared for large numbers of earthquake victims. Catania in
Sicily with about one hundred and fifty thousand population was closest
of these outside cities to the scene of the disaster and was the most
accessible of all. The result was that at least twenty-five thousand
people from Messina and other destroyed towns were carried into Catania
for care. Several thousand of these victims required hospital attention,
and all the regular and many improvised hospitals were quickly crowded.
The municipal authorities of Catania, with boundless generosity,
undertook to provide shelter and support for this tremendous influx of
helpless people. Numerous large institutions and vacant private buildings
were converted into refuges. There had been no time to make proper
preparation for the comfort of these people and it should not be held the
fault of Catania that the conditions in the refuges quickly took on a
deplorable character.
The best of the refuges was that provided in the new municipal prison.
This is a vast, massive stone building, with stone cells and the iron
bars and grim, echoing corridors which characterize modern prisons. The
building was barely completed and had never been occupied. Everything was
clean and wholesome and sanitary provisions were ample. When I visited
Catania in March twelve hundred men, women and children from Messina and
other earthquake towns were living in this prison in comfort. It was
strange to hear baby voices and the lullabys of women in the cells and
about the long passages. The great number of cells made it possible to
segregate the people by families or by sex and to give to each family a
certain amount of privacy. Probably no other great prison ever received a
dedication so strange as this.
[Illustration: LADIES OF THE FRENCH RED CROSS SOCIETY NURSING IN
NEAPOLITAN HOSPITAL.]
_Bowdoin and Wood._
Between Messina and the mountain town of Taormina, thirty miles to the
South, lies a chain of towns and villages which were destroyed by the
earthquake. At Taormina, when the earthquake occurred, were two young
Americans—Harry Bowdoin and Charles King Wood. Mr. Bowdoin was spending
the winter in Taormina with his invalid mother and Mr. Wood is an artist
who has lived in Taormina for several years. These men entered with the
utmost zeal upon the work of relief. Taormina was not injured, but it
lay close to the edge of the zone of destruction and many hundreds of
fleeing victims sought refuge there. Others in Taormina also participated
actively in relief work, but gradually Messrs. Bowdoin and Wood came
to be recognized as the leaders. Afterwards, by common consent, these
two young men became representatives of the American Committee in the
small towns between Messina and Taormina. Day and night they went up and
down the coast and back among the mountain communes, carrying comfort
and good cheer. They organized local Committees in every community,
gathering relief from the points of distribution at Messina and Catania
and conveyed it to these local Committees. Without compensation and with
a modesty which shrank from any words of commendation, these Americans
performed a laborious and delicate task in a manner to stir the pride of
their fellow countrymen.
_Difficulties of Obtaining Information._
In attempting to secure reliable information of the methods and
extent of relief measures in the earthquake zone, I found an obliging
readiness on the part of those in charge at any given point to give me
all the facts desired concerning their own respective agencies and a
somewhat surprising ignorance of the operations in the same field of
any other relief agencies. This in part arose from a deplorable lack of
co-operation among the different agencies engaged in relief work and
perhaps in part from a spirit of competition and pride which led each
representative to desire to have it appear that the agency which he
served was the chief factor in the situation. This may be illustrated by
an incident which occurred one day when I was visiting the town of Villa
San Giovanni.
[Illustration: PRINCE CHIGI OF REHABILITATION COMMITTEE DISTRIBUTING
SEWING MACHINES.]
I took lunch with the Mayor of the town and in the course of conversation
inquired of him whether the Italian National Red Cross had participated
in the relief work of his town. He replied, with a shrug of his shoulders
and in emphatic language, that the Red Cross had given no assistance in
Villa San Giovanni; that it might as well have no existence so far as
the people of his community had had occasion to know of it. After our
luncheon was completed, the Mayor was called away to attend to official
matters and I walked up the street toward the municipal headquarters,
which were in a small, temporary wooden building. Presently I saw coming
down the street in a cloud of dust, a large red automobile. Fluttering
from a short staff on the front was a Red Cross flag. The motor drew up
with a flourish in front of the Municipal building and two men with Red
Cross brassards on their arms dismounted and began unloading several
hundred articles of clothing from the tonneau. These they were carrying
into the building and stacking up on the floor in one corner of the
Mayor’s office. I entered into conversation with the man in charge of the
Red Cross car. He told me that the Red Cross was sending out a number
of automobiles every day from Reggio and Messina to deliver supplies of
clothing to the people in the surrounding small towns. I asked him how
it happened that he had not before visited Villa San Giovanni. He looked
surprised and replied that he had brought several loads of clothing to
this place before. Turning to his companion, they compared notes, and
he then informed me that this was the seventh visit which they had paid
to Villa San Giovanni, each time bringing a large quantity of clothing.
Replying to further inquiries he assured me that he and his companion in
no instance distributed clothing direct to the people, but had always
brought their goods to the municipal headquarters and turned them over to
the Mayor for distribution.
_Work of Italian Red Cross._
It is unnecessary here to speak at length of the relief work of the
Italian Red Cross, since the public is already familiar with it. Two
months after the earthquake the largest part of the work of the Red Cross
had been completed and the greater part of its relief funds expended.
Immediately after the earthquake the Red Cross had a hospital ship which
carried the sick and wounded from Messina to Naples, and ran a hospital
train which conveyed many of the victims from Naples to Rome. The Red
Cross also established and maintained ten field hospitals in different
parts of the earthquake zone, and carried on a work of great magnitude.
When the task of dealing with the sick and wounded was about ended the
Red Cross turned its activities in the direction of supplying relief,
one of its methods being that of sending consignments of clothing to the
small towns by means of motor cars.
_The Common Soldier._
The Italian soldier was found everywhere throughout the earthquake
district. He was called upon to perform the hardest work and the most
trying tasks. Heat, cold and rain were alike to him. Living in the rudest
shelters and subsisting upon the most meager fare, he was uniformly
cheerful, good natured and obliging. His brave uniform and military
trappings were in sharp contrast to his hard life and to his simplicity
about which there was something winning and childlike. He received no
sympathy nor expected any. I had many occasions to ask information or
other assistance from the soldiers and found them always ready to go
far beyond any mere demand of duty in meeting my wishes. When far from
headquarters, I sometimes went to the shelter of the nearest group of
soldiers for food. With a hospitality which was almost pathetic, the men
would bring forth the best they had from their cupboards and chests and
set it before me with apologies for its meagerness. The usual supply of
food I found consisted of dry bread and the native mild wine of the
country. Occasionally a small can of meat or fish was found in their
stock, but this was evidently regarded as a luxury only to be brought
forth on special occasions.
_Many Small Earthquakes._
The people of the country bordering on the Straits of Messina have always
been accustomed to earthquakes. Slight tremors of the earth are likely
to occur at any moment, as the record of any year would show. Since
the disaster of December 28th last these small incidents are fraught
with a new importance and frequently carry terror to the hearts of the
population. Since the great earthquake many small ones have occurred.
There may be two or three in a day and then a period of several days
with no perceptible tremor. Occasionally one of these little earthquakes
comes with a sharp bang and a swift rattle which distinguishes it from
its milder and less noticeable fellows. In such instances the people rush
wildly from their huts and shelters calling out anxiously to each other
and exhibiting signs of the keenest alarm. Especially in the night is the
terror pronounced. After a few minutes, finding that no harm has been
done, the excited people become calm, retire once more to their shelters,
and the clamor gradually quiets down.
Some odd effects of these earthquakes at night are observed. The
commonest beasts of burden are the small donkeys. There are literally
thousands of these animals in and about Southern Italian towns. Whenever
a rather sharp earthquake occurs at night every donkey immediately sets
up an excited braying and for a few moments the air for miles resounds
with their unearthly noise.
This country is the home of a small tree frog which inhabits the lemon
orchards and clumps of trees and shrubbery. During all the night these
frogs keep up an incessant trilling which sets the atmosphere a-quiver.
The slightest earthquake brings them to instant silence. After five
minutes or so of quiet, following the earthquake, one will hear a few of
the boldest frogs tuning up again in a timid and hesitating manner. In
another moment the other frogs also become emboldened and a little later
the concert is again in full swing.
_Temporary Houses._
Everybody is familiar with the fact that much money contributed by
America to the relief of Italy has been expended in the erection of small
wooden houses for the temporary shelter of the people who lost their
homes by the earthquake. About four hundred fifty thousand dollars of
the money appropriated by Congress and about one hundred seventy-five
thousand dollars of money contributed through the Red Cross have been
applied to the purchase of materials for some thirty-three hundred houses
and the actual expense of erecting about twenty-four hundred of this
number. The lumber, hardware, glass and all other necessary materials
for the building of about nine hundred houses were turned over to the
Italian authorities, who undertook to scatter this number of houses in
small groups among many different towns where they would be erected by
the people themselves.
Each one of these houses is sixteen by twenty feet in outside dimensions.
It is enclosed with a good quality of weather boarding, has a good floor
and a composition roof which is expected to endure for not less than five
years. Some of these houses are partitioned into three small rooms,
while others are left in the form of a single large apartment. Upon the
rear of each cottage is built a kitchen about eight feet square with a
brick floor and with two walls of brick. In the angle formed by the two
brick walls is a brick arch with a flat top. This forms the cooking stove
with which the Italian is familiar. In the flat top of the arch are two
openings containing wrought iron baskets to hold the charcoal which is
the universal fuel of the country.
[Illustration: AMERICAN VILLAGE, MESSINA. PARKS AND STREETS SHADED BY
LEMON TREES.]
The common people of Italy are accustomed to living in stone houses
with stone or earth floors and have no idea of the importance of care
in handling fire. The houses they have always known have been fireproof
and it has not been uncommon for them to build fires on the floor of
their living rooms. It is hoped that the provision of these small
semi-fireproof kitchens will prove a sufficient safeguard against fire,
but there is considerable apprehension that the inhabitants of the
wooden houses may ignorantly or carelessly build fires in such a way
as to destroy some of the buildings. As these stand close together, it
is conceivable that a fire might start on a windy day and destroy a
large number of the houses before it could be checked. The houses are
built in blocks of twelve, each block fronting in all directions upon
streets thirty feet wide, but within the block the houses are only about
six feet apart. In the open quadrangle in the center of each block are
the sanitary arrangements and the water supply for the twelve houses
composing the block.
On a beautiful plateau, sloping gradually toward the Strait and
commanding a magnificent view of the water and mountains of Calabria
beyond, one thousand of the American houses have been built in the
outskirts of Messina. This great group of houses is commonly referred
to as the American Village or, as it is officially known to the Italian
authorities, the _Zona Case Americana_. The Italian government issued a
special order making this tract of land, for the time being, American
soil and authorizing the Americans in charge of the work to float the
United States flag over their headquarters. A pole was set up and with
considerable ceremony the flag was hoisted while all the workmen, both
American and Italian, and many Italian spectators from Messina listened
to several short addresses and cheered lustily.
[Illustration: AMERICAN VILLAGE, REGGIO.]
In the outskirts of Reggio, ten miles away across the Strait, upon
another beautiful plateau, at the same time, was rising another American
village of one thousand cottages. On the Northern boundary of Messina,
sheltered by a towering hill, and commanding a lovely view of sea and
mountain, is a pretty village of small wooden houses named after the
Queen of Italy, _Villagio Regina Elena_. In this village the Americans
have erected about one hundred houses. At the expressed wish of the Queen
they have also built a small but model hospital of six pavilions. To this
institution the Queen has given the name of “Elizabeth Griscom Hospital,”
in honor of the wife of the American Ambassador to Italy.
All of these building operations are under the direction of Lieutenant
Commander Belknap. In this he has had the efficient assistance of
Lieutenant Allan Buchanan and Ensign J. W. Wilcox, two capable young
American naval officers assigned to this duty from the naval yacht
_Scorpion_, which spent the spring in the harbor at Naples. John Elliott,
the well-known American artist of Rome, laid aside his brush and
willingly became the architect and draftsman for this extensive American
project. With headquarters in Reggio, Mr. Winthrop Chanler, of New York,
took charge of the building of over two hundred American houses in some
of the smaller towns near Reggio. Several young noblemen of Rome, fired
with zeal to help in the work of relief, joined Mr. Chanler and, under
his guidance, spent some weeks in individually going among the people
in the ruined villages of Calabria, studying their particular needs and
supplying them with tools, sewing machines, and other equipment necessary
to enable them to become self-supporting.
At the end of March the lumber from America had been all unloaded from
the five ships that carried it to Italy, the working forces engaged in
putting up the cottages had been completely organized and Captain Belknap
had the great satisfaction of reporting that twenty-four complete houses
were erected every working day of ten hours. The American houses are
turned over to the municipal authorities of Messina and Reggio and the
assignment of the houses to individual families is in the hands of the
municipal officers.
It should not be supposed that America is the only agency engaged in
building temporary homes. Some have been built by other countries and
a very large number by the provinces of Italy. I was informed at the
office of the Minister of Public Works in Rome that sites had been
assigned at the end of March for the erection of fifteen thousand eight
hundred temporary houses. Considering the size of the average Calabrian
or Sicilian family, it is probable that these temporary buildings will
provide shelter for most of the survivors of the earthquake who are
unable to obtain homes through other means.
_Attitude of Italian Authorities._
This informal account of the situation in the earthquake zone, two
months after the disaster, cannot with justice be closed without a word
of appreciation, of the extremely friendly and helpful attitude of
the Italian authorities. They gave every possible facility to Captain
Belknap and his assistants, and the engineer who represented the Federal
Department of Public Works in Messina co-operated with the American
builders constantly and cordially. The Italian Navy assigned one of its
brilliant young officers, Commandante Brofferio, to constant duty at
the American encampment. He lived on board the supply ship Celtic until
it sailed away for America and then with Captain Belknap and the other
Americans moved into a group of the new cottages in the American Village.
Practical, obliging, tireless and of few words, Commandante Brofferio
soon became indispensable and was respected by every one. The Italian
Navy also placed at the command of the American officers a torpedo boat
for the purpose of conveying Captain Belknap and others back and forth
across the Straits of Messina as their duties required. In every way the
representatives of America, engaged in the work of Italian relief, have
reason to regard the Italian federal and municipal officers, the officers
of the army and navy and the heads of the Italian Red Cross and the
Central National Committee with feelings of the highest esteem.
REPORT OF EARTHQUAKE IN PORTUGAL
BY LOUIS H. AYMÉ, American Consul-General at Lisbon.
I have the honor to furnish additional details of the earthquake shock
experienced here April 23 and already briefly reported by me in my No. 75
of that date.
[Illustration: KING OF PORTUGAL.]
It is now learned that while some slight damage in the way of fallen
chimneys, cracked walls and ceilings was caused in Lisbon, very serious
damage was done on the other side of the Tagus to the northeast. Four
villages were completely destroyed, 37 persons were killed, a very large
number wounded and some thousands made homeless. The greatest damage
occurred at Benavente, about 23 miles from Lisbon.
Twenty persons lost their lives at Benavente and some idea of the
severity of the earth movement there may be gathered from the fact that
the great church, the walls of which were more than 13 feet thick, was
entirely wrecked.
At Samora de Correia there were seven killed. At St. Estevao three were
killed and two deaths occurred at Salvaterra de Magos. Nine hundred
buildings were destroyed in this last place and some 3,000 persons made
homeless. The other three villages are also heaps of ruins.
Telegraphic communication was destroyed and the news came by messengers.
Instantly energetic measures were taken for the relief of the sufferers.
A dozen doctors, full ambulance corps, a huge quantity of medical,
surgical and other hospital supplies were rushed to the scene; police,
engineers, fire brigades and soldiers were also sent and the King,
accompanied by his uncle, Dom Affonso, were on the spot as quickly as
special trains and automobiles could carry them after they received the
news. The parliament voted unanimously $100,000 to be at once available
for the relief of those needing it, and great quantities of provisions
were sent to the afflicted district.
The shock here in Lisbon upset a small lamp in a shrine in a private
house, setting it on fire. The King and Dom Affonso were there almost
with the arrival of the firemen. Too much praise cannot be given to
the cool, clear-headed, swift and effective aid extended, especially
in view of the fact that Lisbon was utterly panic-stricken. The usual
idiots had issued predictions that another and greater shock would occur
in twenty-four hours. Two light shocks, at 2 o’clock and 6 o’clock the
morning of April 24, and the fearful news from the Trans Tagus made
terror yet greater. Thousands had passed the night in the streets. In the
Avenida, in front of this Consulate, many hundred richly dressed women
slept out under shelters made from the park benches and chairs with
shawls and rugs stretched over them to make a sort of roof. Amid this
universal terror and fear everyone in authority gave evidence of coolness
and energy. The newspapers used their heaviest type and great headlines
for rational arguments to reassure the people; all parties in parliament
praised the generous and energetic action of the King and the government,
and the longest speech made in that body yesterday was devoted to
counteracting the panic. There is no seismographical observatory or
instruments in Portugal, but the scientists have come out with quieting
explanations of what has happened and advised that all should think only
how to relieve those who had actually suffered. I repeat that too much
praise cannot be given for the able manner in which Portugal is handling
the whole matter.
The last earthquake shock felt in Lisbon occurred in August, 1903, but
was much less severe than this. Prior to that there was a shock in 1859.
I have spoken with two gentlemen who were then here and they tell me it
was not anything as severe as this. The whole lower city is built on made
ground, filled in after the great earthquake of 1755, and in case of a
severe shock great damage might be done there, but the new city is built
on rock and all houses are built with a special view to withstanding
earthquake shocks, having a skeleton of peculiarly and skillfully
interlaced timbers that gives great elasticity and at the same time
resistance.
While writing this I learn that the Portuguese Red Cross is already
sending in stretchers and ambulances with the wounded from the villages
to be taken care of in the Lisbon hospitals, and that doctors and nurses
are now busily at work in the field. Thousands are still thronging the
parks and wider avenues, but confidence is being gradually restored.
Examination of this Consulate yesterday revealed that the heavy moulded
ceiling in the main business office is very badly cracked and a portion
several feet square is liable to fall at any moment. The whole ceiling
will probably have to be taken down. One of the large windows is also
somewhat sprung. These damages are examples of the results of the shock
in this city.
I do not believe that any foreign relief will be required and, should it
be, our legation here would of course be the proper and natural channel
by which such information would be forwarded. I have wished only to give
a brief notice of the most salient features of the catastrophe, but could
not refrain from saying an appreciative word regarding the splendid
manner in which the calamity has been met, and I have had some experience
in such things.
As later information the press told of much distress in spite of all the
work done by the Portuguese Government and the Red Cross. The American
Red Cross, through its representative in the State Department, Mr.
Huntington Wilson, requested information as to whether any assistance
would be accepted by the Portuguese Red Cross.
On May 17th the following reply was received from the American Minister
at Lisbon: “Portuguese Red Cross accepts proffered assistance.” On
receipt of this information the following message was sent to the
Secretary of State:
“Will the Secretary of State please telegraph to the American Minister
in Lisbon for, the Red Cross, as follows: ‘Draw for one thousand dollars
and pay to Portuguese Red Cross for earthquake relief, contribution of
American Red Cross.’”
Our American Red Cross has not forgotten the fact, not generally known,
that during the Spanish-American war the Portuguese Red Cross sent to the
then president of the American Red Cross $1,465.00 for the care of our
sick and wounded.
LISBON, May 25, 1909.
THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS, Washington, D. C.
Gentlemen—I am directed by the Central Committee of the
Portuguese Red Cross Society, Lisbon, to present to the
American National Red Cross, Washington, our most earnest
thanks for your kind and valuable contribution of $1,000.00
for our Earthquake Relief Fund, this sum having been forwarded
in a draft signed by His Excellency Col. Charles Page Bryan,
American Minister, Lisbon.
The receipt of said sum has been acknowledged by means of
our local press and duly appreciated by our citizens as an
eloquent proof of your sympathy towards the poor victims of
the disaster, and was, at same time, of invaluable benefit to
sufferers.
I avail myself of this opportunity to assure you of my high
consideration.
PELA SOCIEDADE PORTUGUEZA DA CRUZ VERMELHA,
G. L. Santon Terreira, Secretary.
A TESTIMONIAL TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS FROM ITALY
Under the advice of the American Ambassador at Rome and the Italian
Minister of Foreign Affairs, T. Tittoni, $50,000 of the relief funds sent
by the American Red Cross were placed in the hands of a special Italian
Committee on rehabilitation. This Committee was called the Committee
of American Offerings. The Chairman was Donna Tittoni and among its
members were Countess Taverna, the Duke of Terranuova, the Marquis of San
Ferdinaveto, Signor Tenerami and Signor Mario Ferdiani.
As a token of the appreciation of these offerings the Committee presented
to the American Red Cross, through our National Director, Mr. Ernest P.
Bicknell, a silver tablet upon which is inscribed the following Latin
sentence:
“Fortuita non civium tantum modo, sed urbium damna,
munificentia vindicat.”
Mr. Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress, in reply to a request for
a translation and for the source of the quotation kindly wrote, “The
quotation is from Velleius Paterculus, the Roman historian. It is part of
a recital of the achievements of one of the Caesars, I believe (though
this I have not verified), and might be rendered thus:
“Your bounty repaired the catastrophe (fortuita damna, i. e., accidental
injury) not merely of individual citizens but of entire cities
(communitas).”
[Illustration: A TESTIMONIAL TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS FROM ITALY
(About One-Quarter Actual Size.)]
REPORT OF PARTIAL EXPENDITURE OF AMERICAN COMMITTEE IN ROME
The following table contains a preliminary statement of the Italian
relief operations of the American Committee in Rome. A complete
statement will be prepared later which will show a substantially larger
expenditure. The table here given, however, conveys a very fair idea of
the extent and variety of the extremely important work carried on by the
American Committee.
Thousands of vouchers covering every item of expense have been preserved
by the Committee and will eventually be filed in the office of the
American Red Cross in connection with the report of the Committee. It
will be recalled that the members of the American Committee in Rome were
Honorable Lloyd C. Griscom, American Ambassador to Italy, Chairman, and
Messrs. George B. Page, H. Nelson Gay, Winthrop Chanler, William Hooper
and Samuel L. Parrish.
EXPENDITURES. Lire
The Relief Ship “Bayern”:
Charter and other expenses L. 64.650,33
Cash distributed:
Messina—To the Archbishop for relief work L. 1.000—
Messina—Refugee journalists ” 151—
Acireale—Local Relief Committee ” 5.000—
Taormina—Municipal Relief Committee ” 4.000—
Giardini—Local Relief Committee ” 6.000—
Catania—Prefect ” 30.000—
” Conservatorio S. Vincenzo di Paola ” 500—
” City Hospital “Vittorio Emanuele” ” 1.000—
” Hospital “Santa Marta” ” 1.000—
” Municipal Hospital and Hospital
“Garibaldi” ” 1.000—
Catania—Little Sisters of the Poor ” 1.200—
Towns between Giardini and Messina. Distributed
by C. K. Wood and H. W. C. Bowdoin L. 10.000—
Syracuse—Mayor ” 10.000—
” To be distributed by Marchesa di
Rudini L. 10.000—
Syracuse—To be distributed by Miss K. B.
Davis L. 15.000—
Palermo—Donatuti family for relief work ” 400—
” Caserma “Benedetto Cairoli” ” 100—
” R. Commissary, President of the
Relief Committee L. 20.000—
Palermo—American Consul for relief work ” 10.000—
Food, clothes, etc. distributed:
at Messina ” 11.000—
” Reggio ” 57.000—
” Catania ” 109.000—
” Taormina and neighboring villages ” 34.500—
” Acireale ” 2.500—
” Palermo ” 13.713—
-------------- 418.714,33
The Ladies Auxiliary Committee for direct
relief work in Rome and Naples 85.423,80
Money delivered to private persons or institutions
for relief work:
Caspar S. Crowninshield, American Consul at
Naples, for relief work among the refugees L. 8.341,60
William H. Bishop, American Consul at Palermo
for relief work among the refugees L. 10.000—
Thomas Spencer Jerome, American Consular Agent
at Capri for local relief work conducted
by an American citizen, Major Metcalfe L. 2,500—
Stuart K. Lupton, American Consul at Messina,
for local relief work L. 6.000—
Archbishop John Ireland for the fund of His
Holiness Pope Pius X. L. 25.000—
Italo-American Baptist Mission in Rome for
relief work L. 10.000—
Reverend Walling Clark of the American Methodist
Church in Rome for relief work L. 2.500—
Reverend Arthur Muston, of the Waldensian
Church in Rome, for relief work L. 5.000—
To the ten principal Hospitals in Sicily; 5000
Lire each L. 50.000—
Miss Florence Bayard Kane, an American citizen,
for the Taormina Hospital L. 1.000—
Marchesa Etta de Viti de Marco, for refugees
in Rome L. 5.000—
Commendatore Marco Besso for the rehabilitation
of professional people L. 5.000—
Mr. F. Marion Crawford, an American citizen,
for relief work at Sorrento and neighboring
villages L. 5.000—
Miss Katherine B. Davis, an American citizen,
superintendent of the New York State
Reformatory for women at Bedford, for relief
work conducted by her at Syracuse, Sicily L. 1.000—
Marchese Enrico Visconti Venosta, for medical
supplies to be carried by him personally to
certain villages in Calabria L. 2.000—
Principe Pietro Lanza di Scalea, for houses
bought in Rome to be carried by him personally
to certain villages in Calabria L. 13.200—
Mr. H. Nelson Gay for relief work in Rome.
Mr. Gay investigated the individual appeals
which were made to any member of the Committee
and administered relief in deserving cases L. 6.500—
Italian Commercial Committee for rehabilitation
of tradesmen, Rome L. 5.000—
Principe Ludovico Chigi for an old women refuge
in Rome L. 1.000—
Monsignor Morabito, Bishop of Mileto, for relief
work in his Bishopric in Calabria L. 5.000—
Mr. Bowdoin, an American citizen engaged in
relief work between Messina and Catania L. 5.000—
-------------- 174.041,60
Relief Expedition of Mr. H. Nelson Gay and Mr.
W. Earl Dodge to Calabria:
Clothes, utensils and medicines L. 48.474,25
To Generale Tarditti, Military Commander at
Palmi, for building purposes L. 44.432—
Tarred roofing for barracks ” 14.935,20
Tarpaulins for tents in the stricken mountain
villages L. 61.120,30
Shipping and expenses of the expedition ” 10.143,75
-------------- 179.105,50
Relief Expedition of Mr. Winthrop Chanler and
Associates to Calabria:
Lumber and shipping L. 113.021,87
Building expenses ” 47.000—
Tarred roofing ” 8.109,90
Cash distributed by Prince Chigi and Lieut.
Serpieri L. 6.000—
Medicines and expenses of the expedition ” 24.765,30
-------------- 198.897,07
Building Expenses at Messina and Reggio
(Capt. Belknap) 25.000—
To the Relief Committee for the families
of Italian Officers and soldiers 10.000—
Outstanding Obligations:
A Hotel at Reggio L. 27.000—
Forty houses at S. Giuseppe ” 40.000—
Twenty houses at Gallico ” 20.000—
Kitchens to be added to the houses ” 15.000—
To Her Majesty the Queen for outfitting
two hospitals at Messina and Reggio L. 50.000—
-------------- 152.000—
Telegrams, clerical expenditures and
Red Cross Cables 4.637,55
Balance up to date 1.319,03
------------
TOTAL LIRE 1.249.138,88
NOTE.—The amount of expenditures is given in terms of Italian money.
It is to be remembered that one lira amounts substantially to twenty
cents of United States money, and that accordingly the number of dollars
expended was one-fifth of the number of lire indicated. For instance, 500
lire would be equivalent to $100; 100 lire, to $20, and so on.
THE RED CROSS NEEDS MEMBERS. IF YOU ARE NOW A MEMBER WILL
YOU NOT ENDEAVOR TO INTEREST OTHERS? SUBSCRIPTION TO THE RED
CROSS BULLETIN IS 50 CENTS A YEAR. HELP US TO INCREASE THE
CIRCULATION.
THE RED CROSS AND PRESIDENT TAFT’S INAUGURATION
At the time of presidential inaugurations between two and three
hundred thousand strangers, including large civil and National Guard
organizations, come to Washington. The great crowds at the railroad
station, in public conveyances, on the streets, the excitement and
exposure involved—all tend to produce an unusual number of accidents
and sudden illnesses. Under the Inaugural Committee a sub-committee on
Public Comfort has heretofore taken entire charge of such emergency
cases as have arisen, but a need was felt for a number of well-equipped
relief stations with a competent personnel to act in co-operation
with the physicians of the city. The American Red Cross offered its
services, which, having been accepted, it immediately began its work of
preparation. A relief column with thirty-six members, many of whom were
medical students, devoted two months to weekly instructions in First Aid
and hospital drill. The first course was given by Dr. Charles S. White,
lately resident physician of the Emergency Hospital, and the second
by Captain Reynolds, of the U. S. Army Medical Service. Each of these
surgeons kindly donated their time and services for these instructions.
The District Red Cross Branch, at an expense of over three hundred
dollars, provided uniforms and equipment for the members as prescribed in
Major Lynch’s Red Cross First Aid Book. Through the New York Branch the
Brooklyn Relief Column was invited to take part and promptly accepted the
invitation, meeting themselves the expense of their uniforms, equipment
and transportation.
The question of the nursing personnel was next considered. The committee
on nurses of the District Branch secured thirty-six of its enrolled Red
Cross nurses, each nurse promising to secure a substitute in case she was
prevented from serving. Besides those from the District the Pennsylvania
Branch sent eleven, the New York and the Maryland Branches each five.
These branches paid for the transportation of the nurses and the National
Executive Committee defrayed their expenses here. The salary of the six
nurses who were on duty for the week at the Railroad Relief Station, two
nurses being on duty for each eight hours in the twenty-four, and those
of the nurses who were on duty parts of several days at the Pension
Office station were paid by the National Executive Committee, but the
nurses who were on duty for the day of the inauguration all gave their
services.
Thanks to the Army Medical Service and to the Quartermaster General’s
Department twenty-two hospital tents, with a complete equipment of
cots, tables, chairs, oil stoves and field hospital chests for all of
these stations, was procured. It is always a great help as well as a
pleasure to have the Army as an assistant in any Red Cross work, and too
much praise cannot be given to the efficient and prompt assistance its
officers are always ready to render the Red Cross. Major Merritte W.
Ireland, of the Surgeon General’s Office, knew what was required and how
and where to obtain everything not only for the relief stations along
the line of march, but for the larger station at the Union Station and
for a complete small hospital equipment, with operating room, installed
at the Pension Office. Major William E. Horton, of the Quartermaster’s
Department, under direction of the Quartermaster-General, procured the
tents, made plans for wooden beam foundations, where they had to be
raised on asphalt, and the Chief of Staff gave an order for a detail of
soldiers to put them up. General Johnston, who was the marshal in charge
of the inaugural parade, gave the Red Cross every assistance in his
power, as did Major Sylvester, Chief of Police.
Dr. D. Percy Hickling was Chairman of the Sub-committee on the Hospital
and Ambulance Service, Dr. Wm. P. Reeves and Dr. Emory W. Reisinger had
charge of the Emergency Hospitals at the Union Station and the Inaugural
Ball, respectively, and Dr. Frank E. Gibson of the relief stations along
the line of march. All of these busy physicians, with a large number of
others, gave up many hours of their time to this work and the Red Cross
Personnel served gladly under their competent direction.
[Illustration: RED CROSS RELIEF STATION. THERE WERE 22 OF THESE STATIONS
ON LINE OF MARCH.]
Washington’s oldest inhabitant had to tax his memory to recall a worse
morning than presented itself the fourth of last March. A driving wet
snowstorm that had raged all night still filled the air with large flakes
and covered the ground with several inches of melting snow. The picture
of one of the relief stations gives some idea of conditions later in the
day when the storm had ceased, but unfortunately no picture was taken of
the tents that collapsed under the wind and weight of snow, no picture is
given of the brave efforts to again erect these tents, nor of the nurses
driven out of the tents taking refuge in the ambulances so as to remain
on duty, or securing in two or three cases a room in a nearby building
for their station. At every station in spite of the weather our nurses
reported promptly for duty and the Red Cross is proud of their record
and reliability. Our Relief Column men likewise did excellent service, as
will be noted in the doctors’ reports. With equal devotion to duty the
Brooklyn Column, twenty-two in number, left for Washington the night of
the third, but with many others were detained by the storm-demoralized
railroad service, and did not reach the city until late on the afternoon
of the fourth, so that it was not possible for them to take active part,
much to their and our regret.
Were these Red Cross relief stations of use? The fact that over two
hundred cases of accidents and sudden illnesses were taken care of at
these stations, not counting those which were removed to the hospitals,
is a sufficient answer as to their value to the public. Some parts of the
reports of the physicians in charge are appended to this article.
[Illustration: DETACHMENT FIRST LEGION (NEW YORK) READY TO PROCEED TO
WASHINGTON FOR DUTY IN CONNECTION WITH INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT TAFT.]
The morning of the fifth the nurses from New York, Maryland and
Pennsylvania were presented to President Taft at the White House and the
following week some of the physicians, the nurses and the Washington
Relief Column men were entertained by Miss Boardman at a tea.
The names of the nurses and Relief Column men who participated in the Red
Cross work of inauguration day are as follows:
Relief Column Men—(Washington), Messrs. Dickens, Fitzhugh, Simon,
Collins, Luckett, Sloat, Espinosa, Huske, Leonard, Watts, Carroll, Drew,
Read, Hall, Eckhart, Hankins, Kelley, Webb, Newton, Townsend, Bruder,
Sutton, Heally, Brick, Jobson, Rhees, Butler, Dougherty, Kennedy, French,
Bricker, Robinowitz, Rollings, Colver, Rudolph, Posey.
Nurses—(New York), the Misses Phelan, Collins, Miller, Patterson and
Hallahan; (Maryland), Kinhart, Murphy, Boyer, Lucas, Spielman and
Bartlett; (Pennsylvania), Beitel, Rice, Simon, Uomer, Suddoth, McKnight,
Calhoun, Zellfelder, Seiwell, Akeley and Bierstein; (Washington), Bauer,
Hayes, Hart, Donnelly, Davis, Fitz, Backofen, Mahan, Bauer, Burhman,
Grunwell, Stith, Lohr, Strong, Carbauld, Hewitt, Brown, Braun and Roach.
INAUGURAL COMMITTEE
The New Willard.
MAJOR RICHARD SYLVESTER, Chairman Committee on Public Order.
Dear Sir—In compliance with your request I have the honor to report
the operations of the Hospital and Ambulance Service of the Committee
on Public Order for the Inaugural period of 1909, of which, under your
appointment, I acted as Chairman. In order to facilitate the work this
sub-committee was organized by the appointment of Drs. George M. Kober
and G. L. Magruder as Vice-Chairmen and Dr. P. C. Hunt as Secretary, the
work being divided among four sub-committees, as follows: Sub-committee
on Ambulance Stations, Sub-committee on Hospital at Pension Office,
Sub-committee on Hospital at Union Station and Sub-committee on
Inspection of Quarters. These Sub-committees were in charge of Drs.
Gibson, Reisinger, Reeves and Gwynn, respectively.
SUB-COMMITTEE ON AMBULANCE STATIONS.
This Sub-committee cared for 81 cases, 10 surgical and 71 medical, 53
of whom were males and 28 females. This work was done under the most
unfavorable circumstances on account of the weather, which not only
interfered with the well-planned arrangements in many of their details,
but made many of the physicians at some of the stations use Pennsylvania
avenue as a thoroughfare to carry urgent cases to the Emergency Hospital
instead of the longer runs to the other hospitals, as it was practically
impossible to get the mules to pull the heavy ambulances over the
snow-covered streets. While this was all done in violation of orders, yet
suffering was materially lessened by so doing. Many of the tents were
blown down, so that three of the emergency stations had to be established
in three of the public buildings, namely, the District Building, State,
War and Navy Building and the Marine Hospital Building.
Every station reported cases having been treated except No. 19. There
were on duty during the day over 70 members of the Committee.
The work of the Red Cross is to be specially commended in connection
with the Ambulance Stations, as they had not only furnished a complete
relief equipment for each station, but two trained nurses in uniform at
each station, all of whom, in spite of the weather, promptly reported
for duty and rendered very efficient service. The stretcher men, trained
and uniformed, at the expense of the American Red Cross Association, did
excellent service and ought to be highly commended.
SUB-COMMITTEE ON HOSPITAL AT PENSION OFFICE.
The Hospital at the Pension Office was opened March 4th at 9 A. M. and
closed March 7th at 11 A. M., having treated 24 cases.
The thanks of the Sub-committee are specially tendered to Lieut. Judge,
of the Metropolitan Police Force, for the excellent assistance given and
the order maintained, also to Mr. Graham, of the Inaugural Committee,
through whose kindness supper was furnished to the Red Cross nurses on
duty at the Hospital.
The work of the Red Cross Society in placing at the disposal of your
Committee the equipment, trained nurses and stretcher men is highly
appreciated.
[Illustration: PHYSICIANS AND NURSES ON DUTY AT THE RED CROSS EMERGENCY
HOSPITAL AT UNION STATION, WASHINGTON.]
SUB-COMMITTEE ON HOSPITAL AT UNION STATION.
Owing to the courtesy of the Terminal Station Officers and of the
American Red Cross your Committee were enabled to establish and maintain
a well-equipped emergency hospital at the Union Station. This emergency
room was in operation from 8 A. M. March 1st until midnight of March 7th.
During this time 105 cases were treated.
To the physicians, Red Cross nurses and Red Cross stretcher-bearers, who
performed this work, covering the whole 24 hours, my thanks are specially
due, as the work was done faithfully and well.
SUB-COMMITTEE ON INSPECTION OF QUARTERS.
In compliance with your desires, a number of the members of your
Committee on Hospitals and Ambulances were designated to inspect the
quarters of soldiers and organizations, who were quartered in large
numbers in any one place during the inaugural period. This not only
included those located in hotels, halls and tents, but also the numbers
quartered in Pullman cars at Sixth street and Virginia avenue. The number
of these places obtained from the Committee on Public Comfort was 25,
all of which were inspected by the members of your Committee, who paid
special attention to the ventilation and sanitation and also rendered
efficient service to four men who were sick and in need of treatment.
In closing this report, I desire to call your attention to the fact that
214 cases have been reported as having been treated by your Committee
without any expense to the Inaugural Committee, except the general
printing and badge expenditures, and that the physicians willingly gave
their services night and day in order to make the work of your Committee
a success, and up to this time I have not heard of a single complaint.
I desire to specially call attention to the kindness of Miss Boardman,
of the Red Cross Association, for her active co-operation. Through her
efforts hospital tents were furnished along the line of march and at
the fireworks. These tents were thoroughly equipped with appliances for
the First Aid treatment of the sick and injured, and also two Red Cross
nurses were on duty at each tent as long as the same was in commission,
as well as two being constantly in attendance night and day at the
Union Station and four at the Pension Office. The stretcher men, who
had been drilled and uniformed, performed active and efficient service
at the Pension Office, Union Station, along the line of march and at
the fireworks, all of which was done without expense to the Inaugural
Committee.
I also desire to express my high appreciation of your many acts of
kindness and valuable assistance in carrying out the work of this
Sub-committee.
(Signed) D. PERCY HICKLING, M. D.
REPORTS TO RED CROSS.
MARCH 18th, 1909.
I have the honor to submit the following report:
The weather on the Fourth of March was unusually stormy,
especially early in the morning, and six of the tents (Nos. 1,
4, 5, 11, 12 and 16) were blown down and the ice and snow made
them so heavy that it was impossible for the men to place them
again in position.
Cases at stations Nos. 1, 4, 5 and 11 were treated in the
ambulances—that is, the slight ones, and the others were taken
to the hospitals. Stations 12 and 16 were removed to a room in
the District and War Department Buildings, respectively, and
very comfortable quarters were provided indoors for these two
stations.
On March the second I took Sergt. Frank G. Motz, of Company H,
Engineer Corps, around to the different places where you wished
the tents pitched, and early on the morning of March 4 he had
his corps of eight good men at work pitching the tents. I was
with them until they finished at six o’clock in the evening.
These men deserve great credit, as they were compelled to work
in the rain all the afternoon and they were wet to the skin,
but did not give up until the last tent was pitched. The next
morning when they knew it was snowing they came out without
orders and pitched some of the tents that had blown down.
Too much praise cannot be given the good corps of nurses that
so faithfully did splendid duty on that day. I visited several
stations about nine o’clock in the morning and no one was there
but the faithful nurses under your command. There was not a
station at which the nurses did not report. In the reports from
the different physicians much praise is given the nurses for
their excellent work.
Every station had work to do, except No. 19, which was not on
the route of parade.
Eighty-one cases were cared for—ten surgical and seventy-one
medical—twenty-eight females and fifty-three males.
I most earnestly recommend that the next time the Red Cross
is to do duty along the line of march and the weather is not
good that rooms on the ground floor be utilized for Emergency
Stations instead of tents.
FRANK E. GIBSON, M. D.,
In Charge of Ambulance Stations.
* * * * *
WASHINGTON, D. C., March 3-8, 1909.
D. PERCY HICKLING, M. D., Chairman Sub-committee on Hospitals
and Ambulances.
Sir—I respectfully report that the Red Cross Hospital, at the
Pension Office, organized by the Inaugural Committee, was
opened March 4, 1909, at 9 A. M., and closed March 7, 1909,
at 11 A. M. During the maintenance of said Hospital 24 cases
were treated, which varied from incised wound of index, third
phylanx, to la grippe; most of the cases were syncope and
the majority of these were in males, this being due to the
heavy snow. I wish through you to thank the Red Cross, the
physicians, the nurses and the Red Cross stretcher-bearers for
the hearty co-operation given, and especially Lieutenant Judge,
of the Metropolitan Police Force, for the excellent assistance
given and the order maintained.
Thanking you for the honor conferred, I am,
Respectfully,
(Signed) E. W. REISINGER, M. D.,
Physician in Charge
* * * * *
I have the honor to submit the following report:
The Relief Station situated in a room at the Union Station was
in operation March 1 at 12 noon, the first case being treated
at 5.30 of that day and the last one March 7 at 2 P. M. The
total number of cases treated was 105.
The ambulances were used to transfer seven additional cases to
hospitals.
The character of the cases treated was varied, practically an
equal division of medical and surgical. Most of the cases were
not serious, the patients being able to leave the hospital
shortly after first aid was rendered. The serious cases were
sent either to their homes or to permanent hospitals. There
were one doctor and two nurses constantly on duty, the doctor
being relieved every two hours and the nurses every eight.
The Washington Terminal employees were most kind and courteous
and seemed to appreciate the work.
Very respectfully,
NELLIE REED, Head Nurse.
Mr. Barney Robinowitz, one of the Relief Column members, also made an
excellent report of the work done at Station No. 8.
THE APPROPRIATE INSIGNIA FOR THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
SAMUEL P. GERHARD, A. M., M. D., Philadelphia.
An emblem, to be appropriate, should be so devised as to convey a meaning
suitable to the organization which carries it as a badge; therefore it
seems strange that the American Medical Association should have adopted
for its use the device of the red cross, which belongs to another
organization and represents a character of work entirely different from
that of the medical profession.
The American National Red Cross, through its executive committee,
passed resolutions October 18, 1907, which decided that by reason of
an international agreement the emblem of the red cross was adopted to
designate the personnel of sanitary corps, and was to be used in time of
peace or war to protect sanitary formations, establishments and personnel
and material.
Furthermore, in order that the emblem should be kept in its proper
place, legislation has been recommended to prevent its use by private
persons or by societies, and the executive committee has requested that
all hospitals, health departments and like institutions kindly desist
from the use of the red cross and suggests that some other insignia be
substituted for it.
Some commercial houses which manufacture surgical necessities and
appliances, together with some nostrums, print the red cross on their
packages of kidney plasters, dog soap and dyspepsia medicines. There
is a nurse’s school which claims to teach nursing in a short term of
a few weeks and calls the graduates “red cross nurses,” who go out in
competition with those who have served several years in hospitals.
In many of the large cities throughout the United States druggists are
fond of naming their places “Red Cross Pharmacy.” In New York and Chicago
physicians have placed this symbol on their automobiles—whether this
gives them more privileges than they would otherwise have is a question;
it appears more as an advertisement than an explanation for speed. On
state occasions some use it as a chevron on the sleeve, and sometimes the
police think they have a right to it during large parades and wear it
before the crowd.
There may, however, be raised the question of priority of use, inasmuch
as the red cross was adopted by the American Medical Association before
the laws were passed, and therefore the latter has a perfect right to its
use. This all may be true, but when we come to consider the objects of
the Red Cross as originally set forth in 1864 we must concede that its
use was not intended solely for the medical man, but for all connected
with the work of relief. Besides, we should be charitable enough to
consider that we have appropriated an emblem devoted to humanitarian work.
What, then, is the proper badge of the medical profession?
In the United States Army the device of the surgeon is Mercury’s wand,
consisting of a rod surmounted by a pair of wings with two serpents
twined about it. Carefully examining the literature on the subject of
Mercury we learn many facts arguing against the use of this later emblem
in the healing art. We shall see that it belongs strictly to commerce
and trade; the name “Mercury” itself is derived from the Latin _merx_,
_mercis_—“goods.” Mercury was the Roman divinity of commerce and gain;
also _mercor_, to traffic, is from the same root; the word _mercatus_
is akin to our English word “market,” as is also the word _mercator_,
“merchant.”
Mercury, the Roman god, is identical with the Greek god Hermes and was
considered the god of diplomacy, arts, sciences, commerce, gain and
riches, especially of sudden and unexpected riches and of good luck at
the games. He was usually represented with a purse in one hand, his magic
caduceus in the other, and was supposed to preside over the commerce of
the Romans.
The magic caduceus of Mercury is an evolution of the staff of Hermes,
and the original caduceus or staff was an olive branch with garlands.
Later ribbons were substituted for the garland and finally mythologists
transformed the ribbons and garlands into snakes, about which others,
like Hyginus, invented various tales, one of them being that Hermes found
two snakes fighting in a garden and, dividing them with his wand, chose
this as a symbol of the quarrels which it was his duty to assist in
settling. After a time a pair of wings was added to the staff to indicate
the speed of Mercury as a divine messenger; it also became a symbol of
power that produced wealth and was supposed to be an enchanted wand of
prosperity.
Owing to the fact that Mercury’s wand is used by the United States Army
and by some medical publishers, and is to be placed on the ambulances of
some New York hospitals, it would appear to be the proper emblem; but,
studying the references which we have just gone over, we learn that it
is more adapted to merchants, delivery wagons and steamships and is a
commercial device. With the knowledge that the red cross and Mercury’s
wand are incorrect emblems, what, then, shall we consider the true
insignia for the healing art?
The medical profession should be proud of the fact that a symbol has
been handed down from ages past, though it was lost to some extent by
those who forgot history and our traditions and desired something new
for a device. The true ancestral symbol of the healing art is the knotty
rod and serpent of Esculapius. Delving into the history of this symbol
we find a veritable mine of facts which will convince us that we have a
heritage worthy of our profession. It is customary to trace the history
of medicine back to the story of Esculapius, whom the Greeks elevated
to the position of the god of medicine. He was revered and worshipped
throughout Greece, but the great center of healing was at Epidaurus,
where a beautiful temple was built to his honor in which his statue by
the sculptor Thrasymedes stood. This statue, of gold and ivory, the head
bearded and surrounded with rays, a knotty stick in one hand, the other
entwined by a serpent, gives us the original symbol of the healing art.
Serpents of a peculiar kind were kept in the temples. Votive tablets
also have been found on which the ailments were inscribed and which were
similar to our hospital case records. No doubt Hippocrates, the “father
of physic,” gained much of his knowledge of medicine from these tablets,
for some of his reputed writings and formulas, such as Prorrhetica or
Praedictiones and Coacoae Praenotiones, are very much like them. He was
a descendant of the early Asclepiades and was said to be the nineteenth
in descent from Esculapius. He inherited the instruction of his fathers
through a long line of physicians and was well versed in the practice of
his time.
Later on we find the Greek practitioners coming to Rome, and the practice
of the Asclepiades came with them. According to the Roman law they were
freedmen. After a time they established shops, on which they placed the
sign of the Esculapian snake and practiced their art and sold medicine;
the Romans called them _medicinae_.
We learn from Ovid that on the occasion of the great plague in Rome,
at the command of the Delphic oracle, B. C. 293, an embassage was sent
to the temple of Esculapius at Epidaurus, whence was brought a living
serpent which was received with great ceremony by the Romans. They built
a temple on the Tiber and the serpent was placed therein.
Now let us glance at the sources of this serpent idea as found in the
earlier times and the strange ramifications of the respect for the
serpent among barbaric races. In the earliest civilized times we find
that the Egyptians represented the eternal spirit “Kneph” as a serpent.
Osiris in snake form was usually associated with health; the Chaldean
Hoa was identical with the _Agatho-daemon_, which the Hebrews, who were
in Egypt for over four hundred years, learned to regard as the symbol of
health and life. Thermuthis, the sacred asp, was associated with Isis,
the goddess of life and healing.
The serpent’s change of skin may have been suggestive of resurrection and
renovation; he was feared because he was supposed to possess superhuman
knowledge and power. His supposed longevity was, no doubt, the reason
why this animal entwined about a staff was symbolic of health and the
distinctive attribute of the classical Esculapius and Hygeia.
We find also that the Phenicians adored the serpent as a beneficent
genius. The Hindoos had a serpent deity, Rudra, who was not only
beautiful and strong but also the healer. The Druids had serpents in the
sanctuary to bring good fortune. The Python of the Greeks in the table
of Apollo, described by Ovid, was all-powerful; the Celts, the Basques
and all Asia had legends of the Orm and the Paystha pictured as a great
dragon.
We are all familiar with the fables of St. Michael and St. George, and,
turning to the Chinese, the winged dragon or serpent is a symbol of
superior wisdom and power.
In the folklore of the Gauls and Germans the white snake, when boiled,
was considered to have the attribute of conferring wisdom in medicine.
The white snake was also venerated by the Scottish highlanders, as well
as by certain Arabian tribes, as a mighty agent and the king of all
serpents.
Following this thought into America, let us learn what the Indians
believe in this respect. The general idea among them is that it brings
happiness. Professor Agassiz tells us that he found the Maues Indians,
who live in Brazil, whenever they assign a form to any _remedio_, give
it that of a serpent. Among the Lenape Indians their famous doctors were
called “big snakes.”
We must not forget to look into Holy Writ for the symbolical influence
and intelligence of the serpent in the history of the fall of man, where
it is stated, “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the
field.”
In the story of the Exodus we have many allusions to the serpent as a
power for deliverance. Aaron’s serpent rod is an instance. Also during
the wanderings in the wilderness Moses placed a brazen serpent on a pole
in the midst of the camp, which was preserved for many centuries, until
the days of Hezekiah, when it was broken to pieces because it became an
object of worship and tended to turn the people from their true God.
During the Christian era the serpent was employed to signify the virtue
of prudence and wisdom; the disciples were admonished, “Be ye wise as
serpents.”
In the Latin church of the early days the pastoral staff terminated at
the top with a serpent, indicating power and wisdom.
Whatever element of superstition or imagination may have been injected
into these stories of mythology and the legends of more recent times,
there is a wonderful history hidden behind them, all of which permeates
the whole human race.
Man in his primitive state and in his more civilized life believes
there was a superior power for good, and his mind, requiring a material
expression of that unseen source, used the serpent as a symbol of power
and wisdom. Without this the rod of Esculapius would be impotent over
disease and the wand of Mercury would have no authority over trade or
commerce. The cultured Greeks, therefore, having great respect for the
healing art, honored it with the most significant and expressive symbol
of the highest attributes conducive to the welfare of the race.
Among the orientals the shepherd was considered the highest type of
citizen, whose life in the open country brought him in contact with
great struggles. The rod was the weapon with which he struck down the
adversaries of the sheep; the staff or crook, however, was used for their
guidance in the proper path on the trackless pastures. Hence we read
in the beautiful pastoral song of the “shepherd king” these expressive
words: “Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” The rod therefore became
the symbol of a defending power which brought comfort and support to the
weak in the consciousness that they were protected from all danger.
Esculapius was always pictured with a knotty rod in his hand, the knots
indicating the many difficult problems of physic to be solved in the
treatment of the ailments of mankind. Therefore, applying these thoughts
to the symbol, we have in the entwined serpent, power, wisdom and
health, together with the protection and support against disease and
the difficulties to be overcome by the knotty rod. With this historical
symbol the sanctity of medicine can be pictured and the doctor is
shown in his true light, not only as a laboratory scientist and as a
practitioner, but as a teacher and adviser to the patient, the family and
the community in all the difficult problems that arise concerning health
and disease.
This dissertation on the meaning of the medical emblem will suggest
the appropriate insignia of the American Medical Association to be as
follows: A shield on which is emblazoned the American eagle holding in
its talons a laurel wreath within which is the knotty rod and entwined
serpent and the letters A. M. A.
The explanation of the emblem so devised would be as follows: The eagle
represents the national organization of the United States; the laurel
wreath stands for the crown which the Romans bestowed on the healing art;
the entwined serpent is indicative of power, wisdom and health, and the
knotty rod signifies protection and support in the difficult problems of
the treatment of disease.
SUMMARY.
The insignia and device of the red cross belongs to another organization
and its use is not proper for the medical profession. It represents a
character of work entirely different.
From the fact that Mercury was the Roman god of trade and commerce and
his magic caduceus was the symbol of authority over trade and commerce
and was the enchanted wand of prosperity, it is not adapted to be an
emblem for the healing art.
The knotty rod and serpent of Esculapius is the ancient inheritance of
the medical profession, and the history of this symbol, together with its
mythology and its legends, prove its appropriateness, for the reason that
the serpent was considered by every race on the globe as a great power
and man’s mind used it as a symbol of wisdom and health.
The knotty rod is an expressive representation of support, protection and
comfort in the difficult problems arising in the management of disease.
[Illustration: AFTER A BATTLE.]
THE STORY OF THE RED CROSS
IV.
War Sacrifices.
Feeling the need of getting away for a brief time from these harrowing
scenes, at six o’clock in the evening of June 27th Monsieur Dunant
left Castiglione for Cavriana, where the Emperor Napoleon had his
headquarters. On his journey, which was made in a little carriage hired
at Brescia, he had to pass over the scene of the recent carnage. He
describes the view, “Here and there were still pools of blood, and
numerous fresh mounds of earth marked the last resting places of the
victims of the 24th.” Even in the cemetery of Solferino, not only were
the monumental crosses and grave stones bespattered with blood, but the
whole burying ground in dire confusion was strewn with sabres, muskets,
havresacks, cartridge pouches, mess-tins, helmets and belts, most of
which were twisted, bent and broken.
Arrived at Cavriana, Dunant at once inquired for Marshal MacMahon whom
he knew personally. His inquiries surprised a group of generals sitting
on common chairs before the humble cottage which their sovereign had
made his temporary abode. They began to speculate as to his mission and
as to who he was, for that a simple tourist would take such risks at
such a time was altogether beyond their comprehension. The corporal who
accompanied Monsieur Dunant in the capacity of servant, was impenetrable:
he knew nothing, while replying respectfully to their questions. Their
curiosity was still further augmented when they saw Dunant set out for
Borghetto, the headquarters of the Marshal, where he arrived about
midnight. He pictures the drive amidst the camp fires, where whole trees
were burning, the lighted tents of the officers, the peaceful murmurs
of the army seeking its repose, the starlit Italian sky and the solemn
silence after the noise and the emotions of the previous days.
At six o’clock next morning he was cordially received by Marshal
MacMahon, after which he returned to his wounded at Castiglione.
The 30th of June found Dunant at Brescia, where in the old cathedral were
over a thousand wounded. Here the women of all classes vied with each
other in supplying the needs of the unfortunate brethren in their midst.
They brought oranges, jellies, biscuits and other dainties. Even the
humblest widow contributed her sympathy and modest gift.
The population of Brescia, normally 40,000, was nearly doubled by the
multitudes of sick and wounded brought there. The Italian doctors to the
number of 140 were assisted by the students of the medical colleges.
Committees were formed to receive gifts of bedclothes, linen and
provisions of all kinds. In the vast halls of the various hospitals and
in all the churches thousands of battered remnants of humanity were the
subjects of amputation, to many of whom the word was as the sentence of
death.
Monsieur Dunant depicts some of the terrible operations performed by the
surgeons who were forced to work with untrained assistants. Scenes so
full of pathos and the horrors of mental and physical anguish that could
men be brought to even a partial realization of their meaning war would
become impossible. Nothing in the world would be worth the aggregate of
human suffering unless the cause was justified by a greater aggregate of
human misery and torture.
“The feeling,” says Monsieur Dunant, “that one experiences of the great
insufficiency under such serious conditions is one of indescribable
suffering. It is extremely painful to realize that one is unable to aid
all or to reply to the many supplications for relief because of the vast
number needing assistance. Long hours must pass before even the most
unfortunate can be reached; stopped here by one, called there by another,
all equally worthy of pity, each step clogged by numbers clamoring for
help. Why turn to the left when on the right so many are dying without
a word of consolation, without even a glass of water to quench their
burning thirst. The thought of the importance of a life one may save,
the desire to assuage the tortures of the sufferers, and to revive their
courage; the continued, enforced activity that such moments impose,
give a supreme energy, a longing to carry succor to the greatest number
possible. One becomes no longer affected by a thousand pictures of this
formidable tragedy, the most hideously disfigured bodies are passed with
indifference, scenes more horrible than any described, which the pen
refuses to depict, are gazed at blankly. Sometimes the heart is suddenly
brought near to breaking by some pathetic grief, by some simple incident,
by some unexpected detail, which touches our deepest feelings, which
tears the most sensitive fibres of our being and brings a realization of
the horror of this tragedy.
“For a week after the battle such cases as drew from the doctor a shake
of the head and the observation, ‘Nothing can be done!’ were simply
abandoned to their fate—to die. Though hard, this was quite natural,
considering the scarcity of doctors and nurses and the enormous number of
patients. An inexorable and cruel logic ordained that precious time and
care should not be wasted on hopeless cases when sorely needed by so many
thousands who might recover.
“Search well the hospitals of Lombardy and where was there to be found
that glory for which at the commencement of the sanguinary conflict these
men rushed with light heart and fleet foot to shed the blood of their
brethren?
“The Battle of Solferino is the only one of the nineteenth century at
all comparable as regards the terrible slaughter on both sides, with the
battles of Leipzig and Waterloo. It counted in killed and wounded: 3
field marshals, 9 generals, 1,566 other officers, 40,000 non-commissioned
officers and men. Besides these, 19,665 cases of fever, dysentery,
etc., in the Brescia Hospitals; 30,000 cases of typhus, etc., among the
Austrians, making a total of 91,243 victims of the battle of Solferino.”
Monsieur Dunant asks the question: “Why have we thought good to recall
these scenes of grief and desolation, to recount such lamentable and
gruesome details, and to draw such vivid pictures of despair?”
His answer is another question: “Would it not be possible to found and
organize, in all civilized countries, permanent Societies of Volunteers,
which in time of war would render succour to the wounded, without
distinction of nationality? Those good old women and those beautiful
young girls of Castiglione could not by themselves save the lives of many
of those to whom they ministered. It was necessary that their efforts
should be supplemented by those of experienced men and women, capable,
firm, accustomed to order and discipline. Had such assistance been
forthcoming in adequate measure at Solferino, many of the horrors need
not have been related, and the living would not, as in some cases, have
been interred with the dead. For the accomplishment of such a noble duty
there must be willing volunteers, well-trained and instructed—not lazy
and ignorant mercenaries. The army medical corps is always insufficient
and needs to be augmented by voluntary public assistance. Thus only can
the horrors of war be minimized.”
FIRST AID AND RELIEF COLUMNS
CALIFORNIA.
FIRST AID COURSES FOR SAILORS.
BY DR. G. H. RICHARDSON.
In the January BULLETIN you have an idea of how the work was started and
I gave weekly lectures to the “Sailors’ Union” and bi-weekly lectures to
the “Harbor No. 15,” completing the course about a month ago.
I found that it was useless to endeavor to do much with the men of the
Sailors’ Union, for they are here today and away tomorrow, and while
apparently interested in the lectures there could be no permanent results
obtained. With the “Masters and Mates” it was, however, different, for
they are better educated and realize fully the importance of our efforts.
I found here also that the card system was not practicable, for many of
the officers could not attend regularly and besides I thought we should
try to develop some uniformity which could be utilized all over the
country.
To this end I wrote and obtained from the Surgeon General of the Public
Health and Marine Hospital Service, 100 copies of the “Handbook for
the Ship’s Medicine Chest,” (Stoner) and am using this book now with
excellent results.
I am giving each member of the Harbor a copy, obtaining a receipt for
same, and in the lecture follow closely the instruction laid down in the
book.
I have placed on the Bulletin Board of the Harbor the subject and date
(with pages in book) of the lecture and give them in the afternoon of
every other Thursday at 3.30 o’clock. This I find better than in the
evenings for the officers and I have from 25 to 35 present each time.
This book, as you will note, has an ideal medicine chest outfit and
strange to say very few of the officers knew of the book until I gave
them a copy.
I am going to give about eight lectures from the book and then have
planned to write you for instructions. Dr. Blue has suggested that when
candidates for license as masters, etc., be examined for their eye-sight
and color blindness, that an examination in First Aid could be given
them. This brings up the question as to how far the Red Cross and the
various departments should work together and in my mind is the most
important question before our organization today.
In talking with Captain Westcott of Harbor No. 15 here he seems to
think that his association should make attendance of its members on the
lectures obligatory, and at the same time by a change in the By-Laws make
each member become a Red Cross member. I think from what I can learn here
that it would be carried unanimously, for I have an excellent reception
at every one of my lectures.
Therefore, to be concise, my plan is tentatively—
a. Make each member of the National Association of Masters,
Mates and Pilots a member of the Red Cross, arranging with the
Public Health and Marine Hospital Service for books, we to
collect receipts for same and keep the records.
b. Have “First Aid” Committees in each local Branch, who,
with a Secretary, should keep in touch with the work, assign
physicians to lecture and examine and arrange for examination
of candidates and keep record of same.
c. Endeavor to have laws passed which shall make it necessary
for each ship to have a properly equipped chest on board and a
copy of the authorized book.
d. Arrange with the Secretary of the National Association of
Masters, Mates and Pilots to have him publish in his journal
the dates and names of lectures, making them uniform in every
place, and where the lectures are to be held.
RELIEF COLUMNS
On Monday, February 5th, at Copper Hall, Lane College, Dr. Geo. F. Somers
delivered a witty and entertaining lecture on “First Aid.” A trained
litter-squad from the detachment of the First Unitarian Church composed
of Messrs. Eastman, Addison, Meyerink and Mikkelsen appeared and gave a
practical demonstration in illustration of the lecturer’s subject. The
lecturer ingeniously introduced them, by saying, “There is a gentleman
here who has met with an accident. Are there any Red Cross men present?”
The squad seated individually in different parts of the auditorium
assembled about their supposed “victim,” who was bandaged, and splinted,
much to the amusement of the audience.
[Illustration: FIRST-AID SQUAD WHICH ACCOMPANIED ATHLETIC TEAM TO
AUSTRALIA.]
The first county of California to organize a detachment was Alameda.
Under the auspices of the State Branch, a very active and ambitious
Detachment and Woman’s Auxiliary of the Legion of the Red Cross was
formed at the conclusion of a banquet given by the ladies of the
congregation of St. John’s Presbyterian Church. The detachment and
auxiliary meet together at monthly lectures upon sanitation, hygiene, and
allied subjects given by specialists in these different fields.
The detachment under the assistant directorship of Dr. J. N. Force is
being drilled by Senior Sub-director Paul Y. Yost, commander of the
California Cadets of the University of California.
[Illustration: THE “MARIPOSA.”]
The detachment of the Columbia Park Boys’ Club have been training a squad
of four young men, Messrs. Wing, Cliffs, Clover and Peterson, who will
accompany the athletic team of this famous organization to Australia.
Through the courtesy of Dr. McCoy, of the Public Health and Marine
Hospital Service, they will be drilled by Mr. James Leek.
The young men will start prepared for First Aid in the field and will
doubtless have something to do during the football contests. This is
perhaps the first squad of the new Legion of the Red Cross to be in
service beyond the border of the United States.
By the steamer “Mariposa” on Friday, April 21, bound for New South Wales,
a sergeant and a squad from the Grand Legion of the Red Cross, California
Branch, accompanied the Columbia Park Boys’ Club upon their six months’
tour of the Antipodes.
With their credentials went a recommendation to Major G. L. Mullins, M.
D. Knight of Grace of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Commissioner of
the Commonwealth of Australia.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 18, 1909.
This is to certify that Leon Wing, sergeant of a squad from
the detachment known as the “Columbia Park Boy’s Detachment
of the Grand Legion of the Red Cross” is a duly accredited
representative of the California Branch of the American
National Red Cross, a branch of the International Red Cross
established under the Treaty of Geneva.
We extend the hand of fraternity to the St. John’s Ambulance
Association of Great Britain and recommend this squad and its
sergeant to the kind offices of those representatives of the
St. John’s Ambulance Association in Australia.
The Columbia Park Boy’s club has set a national standard
of efficiency in training boys in clean living, thinking
and athletes and it is both the pride and pleasure of the
California Branch of the American National Red Cross to wish
this, the first squad of a detachment of the Grand Legion of
the Red Cross to visit another nation, God speed and a hearty
welcome in the Antipodes.
(Signed) BENJAMIN IDE WHEELER, President.
MRS. JOHN F. MERRILL, First Vice-President.
MRS. THURLOW McMULLIN, State Secretary.
DR. G. H. RICHARDSON, Field Agent.
WM. LATHROP MCCLURE, Sec. Legion (Asst. Dir.)
ILLINOIS.
The Illinois Relief Columns took a prominent part in the Memorial Day
Parade, of which a report will be made for the October Bulletin by Dr.
Blech. To Dr. Blech’s energy, interest and work much of the success of
this Illinois Legion is due.
One hundred and sixty men in Khaki uniforms took part. The Legion was
under the command of Director J. B. Weintraub and marched in the Fifth
Division, of which Division Dr. Blech was Marshal, assisted by the
regular staff officers of the Red Cross Corps. Captain J. Ralph Shook,
U. S. A. Medical Service, acted as Division Adjutant. He has given the
Legion much encouragement and says of it that it has done as well as any
hospital corps, regular or volunteer, he has ever seen.
NEW JERSEY.
Mr. Chris. D. Fisher of the Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia, Baltimore
and Washington, the Northern Central and the West Jersey and Seashore
Railroad Companies writes of the work done at their car shops at Camden,
N. J. Mr. Fishers says:
“I have been in communication with Mr. Speakman and think we will soon
have the New Jersey Column in working order. We have another of our shops
where 750 men are employed thoroughly organized and the men are doing
excellent service. I enclose a copy of the notice which is posted around
the shops.”
NOTICE.
The following men have taken a thorough course in “First Aid to the
Injured” and have received certificates from the Red Cross Society
qualifying them to render first aid to injured persons:
George Boenig, Erecting Shop.
Walter Davidson, Machine Shop.
Henry M. MacSweeny, Power House.
Edward Bright, Pipe Shop.
Fred. Dean, Tin and Copper Shop.
William Welch, Blacksmith Shop.
William Wink, Blacksmith Shop.
Thos. McCorkendale, Boiler Shop.
Mr. Boenig will act as head of the Relief Staff and take full charge of
all cases of serious injury.
In case of serious injury to an employe Mr. Boenig should be notified at
once, and until Mr. Boenig arrives the Red Cross man assigned to that
department, or the one who happens to be nearest to the scene of the
accident should give the injured person all the assistance possible and
be prepared to assist Mr. Boenig, if necessary, when he assumes charge
of the case. The patient should be taken to the Storeroom as quickly as
possible where he can be kept quiet and better attention given him, and
it will be the duty of the Chief Watchman and the Storeroom attendants to
keep all unauthorized persons out of the Storeroom, except in the case of
a relative of the patient, who will be admitted upon application to the
Chief Watchman. The Chief Watchman will make all necessary arrangements
for taking the patient to the Hospital, if necessary, either by wagon,
shifting engine, or ambulance and in the latter case notify the Master
Mechanic’s office, from which office the ambulance will be called.
In the absence of the Chief Watchman the Watchman on duty will attend to
the above, and in the absence of Mr. Boenig, Mr. Bright will assume his
duties.
No stimulants whatever must be given to the patient unless administered
under the instructions of one of the Red Cross Staff, as such stimulants
are very likely to interfere with the work of the hospital surgeons, or
may cause injury in other ways.
In all cases of injury sufficiently serious to cause a man to go home,
the Chief Watchman should be notified at once through this office, so
that he can get the necessary information for making his report.
For the present all minor injuries, such as cuts and bruises, will be
attended to in a small room which has been fitted up under the Machine
Shop office, where necessary medical supplies and appliances are kept on
hand.
All Foremen will please see that C. T. 75, Accident Report, is made up
promptly in duplicate and sent to this office, for all cases of injury
sufficiently serious for the man to quit work, or in all cases where the
Foremen think the nature of the injury demands it.
H. H. MAXFIELD,
Master Mechanic.
NEW YORK.
The Relief Columns of the First Legion of Brooklyn held a public concert
with an exhibition of the Drill and First Aid work of the Column. There
were about two hundred persons present, who showed great interest in
the illustrated lecture and exhibition drill. Special mention should
be made of the energetic and successful work of Mr. Bosworth and also
of Assistant Director Ferguson whose drilling and training was so well
demonstrated in the exhibition drill. Dr. Hyatt, with the aid of the
stereopticon, showed pictures of Henri Dunant, founder of the Red Cross;
of the Swiss flag and how it was reversed, making the Red Cross flag;
of the Red Cross work during the Japanese-Russian War; of the relief
after the San Francisco disaster; of the relief columns in its different
activities on duty Memorial Day, 1908; en route for the Inauguration in
Washington, of its functions and litter duties. Captain Siler of the U.
S. A. Medical Service was present at the entertainment.
Captain Siler writes of the value of organizing relief columns in mining
districts. In some mines a number of the men have received excellent
training in First Aid and could be easily organized into Relief Columns.
A number of the Mills Training School Male nurses are considering the
formation of a Column which in case of necessity could be assigned as a
body to certain hospitals as nurses. In case of war the services of such
a relief column of trained nurses would be of great value as they could
be sent much nearer the front than women nurses.
CASE REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF FIRST LEGION.
Total number of cases reported from May 24, 1908, to May 31, 1909,
inclusive—59.
SUMMARY.
Heat prostration 9
Sprained wrist 1
Fainting 2
Wounds of face 3
Sprained ankle 1
Crushed toes 1
Contused wounds of foot 1
Drowning accident 1
Collapse after rowing contest 1
Infected arm from scratch 1
Contused wounds of head 1
Dislocation of thumb 1
Lacerated wounds of hand 4
Alcoholism and unconsciousness 1
Burns 2
Lacerated fingers 10
Amputated fingers 1
Amputated hand and foot 1
Fractured nose 1
Fractured leg 3
Epilepsy 1
Fractured skull 2
Injuries to the eyes 1
Scalp wounds 5
Lacerations of leg 1
Dog bite 1
Boil on neck 1
Nausea 2
--
59
Respectfully submitted,
JOSEPH FERGUSON,
Assistant Director Commanding.
TUBERCULOSIS DEPARTMENT
THE CHRISTMAS STAMP DESIGN COMPETITION.
Over twelve hundred designs for the Red Cross Christmas Stamp
were received in response to the circulars sent out announcing a
competition. The general average of these far exceeded the most sanguine
anticipations. A large proportion of the drawings were excellent in
execution and in ingenuity of arrangement and a fair number were of
distinct artistic merit. Many, which were commendable in design and
technique, could not be considered because they were too elaborate and
too full of detail to stand reduction from three inches to seven-eighths
of an inch square. This dimension required simple masses and distinctness
of lettering and especial prominence of the Red Cross itself.
[Illustration: ENLARGED DESIGN OF RED CROSS CHRISTMAS STAMP FOR 1909.
COLORS TO BE RED AND GREEN.]
The exhibition was a remarkable object lesson proving a wide-spread
interest in decorative design and a high average of taste and skill in
this direction.
At the request of the Red Cross the Fine Arts Federation of New York
named the following jury to pass upon the drawings: Mr. F. D. Millet, Mr.
C. Y. Turner and Mr. Paul Bartlett. After a long and careful study of the
exhibition, the following awards were made: Mr. Carl Wingate, New York
City, First Prize; Mr. Augusto Bissiri, South Framingham, Massachusetts,
Second Prize; Miss Grace D. Gerow, Jersey City, New Jersey, Third Prize.
The following persons were awarded Honorable Mention: Miss Sara B. Hill,
of New York City; Mr. William F. Rauchsnabel, San Francisco, Cal.; Mr.
R. A. Dunn, Providence, R. I.; Mr. W. P. McDonald, Cincinnati, Ohio;
Miss Mary W. Bonsall, Philadelphia, Pa.; Mr. John H. Zeh, Philadelphia,
Pa.; Miss Maud H. Lanktree, Berkeley, Cal.; Mr. Joseph N. Pearce,
Philadelphia, Pa.; Mr. Silvio Paini, Columbus, Ohio; Mr. William Von
Zell, Indianapolis, Ind.
(Signed) F. D. MILLET,
For the Jury.
All the drawings were exhibited from May 19th to May 24th, inclusive, in
the Hemicycle of the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the use of which was kindly
given by the Directors of that institution for the purpose, and a large
number of people visited the exhibition. On the afternoon of the last
day President Taft, who is also President of the Red Cross, examined the
exhibition with great interest and attention and approved the choice made
by the jury. A reproduction of the First Prize Design in the reduced size
is given in the BULLETIN. The October BULLETIN will contain reproductions
of all the designs selected by the jury for award and also a further
account of the exhibitions in Wilmington and Philadelphia where the
drawings were shown.
CLEVELAND, OHIO.
The Tent Colony for Tuberculous Children was opened in Cleveland
during the fall of 1907 through the co-operative efforts of several
organizations which had felt for some years the extreme need of removing
temporarily from their homes children who were probably suffering from
tuberculosis of the lungs.
[Illustration: CLEVELAND CAMP FOR TUBERCULOUS CHILDREN.]
The Camp accommodated eight children during two months that fall and
twenty during five months in 1908. The tents used are similar to those
at the Ottawa (Illinois) Sanatorium and were judged large enough for two
children each. Beside a nurse and assistant the Camp employs a cook and a
laundress with the occasional help of a cleaning woman.
In addition to the tents the equipment consists of three one-story summer
buildings—one for laundry and store-room, one for kitchen and bathroom,
and the third for children’s dining and wet-weather playroom, pantry and
nurses’ dining room.
[Illustration: PATIENTS AT THE CLEVELAND CAMP FOR TUBERCULOUS CHILDREN
SPEND MUCH TIME OUTDOORS UNDER THE TREES.]
[Illustration: SHOWING DESIGN OF COTTAGES IN CLEVELAND CAMP FOR
TUBERCULOUS CHILDREN.]
The children range in age from five to fourteen years, boys and girls,
and are selected after examination by the Tuberculosis Dispensary
physicians because they already show an envolvement or because their
physical condition, home environment or history indicates it as imminent,
but none are accepted unless the prognosis is at least fair.
The days are made as regular as possible in point of baths, meals,
rest-hours, lessons and play. Temperatures and weight charts are made up
daily and diet or rest regulated accordingly under the direction of the
physician on his weekly or semi-weekly visit.
[Illustration: ONE OF THE AMUSEMENTS AT THE CLEVELAND CAMP FOR
TUBERCULOUS CHILDREN.]
It is endeavored to observe a proper and effective technique. Kitchen and
laundry are fenced off from the rest of the grounds. The attendants eat
in separate rooms from the children and from dishes kept separate from
theirs. All utensils used by the patients are washed and sterilized in a
pantry which belongs to them and the children are seated at table in such
a manner as not directly to face one another. Their clothing and bedding
is put immediately after use into water and washed separate from the
attendants’ clothing.
The children have gained surprisingly in appearance and weight and the
medical examinations show in all cases, which prolong the treatment,
similar results in the lungs.
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
The New Hampshire Red Cross Branch is doing excellent work with the
proceeds of the sale of the Christmas Stamps. In speaking of this work,
an editorial in the Boston _Herald_ says:
“The proceeds of the sale of Red Cross Christmas Stamps are being used
by the New Hampshire Branch of the Red Cross and by the Federation
of Women’s Clubs in that State for addressing a pertinent health
talk to the people. A placard has been prepared bearing three concise
facts concerning tuberculosis—warning the public that the disease is
contagious, and pointing out methods for its cure and prevention. The
Boston & Maine Railroad has volunteered to place the placard in all its
New Hampshire stations. And a further circulation in public places will
be undertaken. The crusade against tuberculosis can be successful only by
educating the public. Curative and preventive success depend on public
co-operation. The simplest rules of living, cleanliness, exercise and
temperance are the most effective combatants of the disease. Every means
for keeping those rules before the public mind aids not only in checking
the spread of tuberculosis, but in advancing the general health of the
community.”
The Concord _Monitor_, in speaking of the distribution of posters, says:
“The posters, prepared by the New Hampshire Branch of the National Red
Cross, are now being distributed throughout New Hampshire. Through the
kindness of Mr. Frank Barr, Third Vice-President of the Boston & Maine
Railroad, copies are being placed in all stations and the agents have
been requested to see that they are displayed in a conspicuous place and
not defaced. The New Hampshire Federation of Woman’s Clubs is making
distribution in their several communities. The poster has attracted
considerable attention outside of the state by people engaged in the same
work elsewhere, as being most concise in every way.
Anyone desiring to receive copies of this poster can have them by
addressing the New Hampshire Branch of the National Red Cross, Monadnock,
New Hampshire, and enclosing two cents apiece for postage. It is
hoped that the state will be fairly ablaze with these and that people
interested in them will see that the posters are not injured or defaced.
It is the expectation to furnish a slide of this poster to all the moving
picture shows in the state, hoping they will assist in calling the
attention of the public to certain truths in regard to tuberculosis, by
displaying this slide.
NOTES
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
At a meeting of the Executive Committee, held May 5th, at which were
present all the members save Surgeon General Torney, who was absent from
the city, the Chairman submitted a statement of the remittances and
expenditures on account of the Italian Relief Fund up to date.
A report on conditions in Eastern Turkey, received from the State
Department, was presented by Miss Boardman. The action of the Chairman
in transmitting a thousand dollars to the American Ambassador at
Constantinople for relief purposes was ratified and it was voted to send
a further remittance of $5,000 from the General Emergency Fund.
By action of the Executive Committee the Red Cross Nursing Service was
placed under the management of the War Relief Board.
The President of the Red Cross has sent the following letter to the
Governors of the States and Territories:
“June 4, 1909.
“Sir: The purpose of this letter is to bring to your knowledge
the facilities of the American Red Cross for conducting large
measures of emergency relief or assisting in their conduct, in
any part of the United States.
“Its National Director, Mr. Ernest P. Bicknell, who devotes
his entire time to the executive duties of the Red Cross, has
had an extended experience in the organization and direction
of work of this character. Mr. Bicknell is prepared to proceed
immediately to the scene of any great disaster and confer
with the state or local authorities, as well as the local
representative of the Red Cross, in regard to the efficient
organization of relief. This service is wholly free and is
quite apart from any question of the source of the relief funds.
“The Red Cross is a national organization, the only one
chartered by the United States and maintained for the sole
purpose of relieving the sufferings caused by war or by
calamities in time of peace. In the United States, fortunately,
the Red Cross has been almost entirely free from the demands
of war, but has found an important and growing field in the
relief and rehabilitation of communities devastated by fire,
flood, storm or other disaster of an extent or magnitude
exceeding local relief resources. It operates under a special
charter from Congress and is governed by a Central Committee
appointed in part by the President of the United States from
the Departments of State, War, Navy, Treasury and Justice,
and is required to submit an annual report to Congress. In
the event of war the Red Cross is the only organization whose
agents in the military encampments and upon battlefields will
be officially recognized and authorized to maintain hospitals,
hospital ships, etc.
“Should any calamity occur within the bounds of your state
which requires large and unusual relief measures, you are
invited to make the freest use of the services of the Red
Cross or of its National Director in either an executive or an
advisory capacity.
“Since the reorganization of the Red Cross in 1905 the amounts
enumerated on the attached sheet have been raised and expended
at the places or for the objects stated. Very respectfully,
“WM. H. TAFT, President.”
AMERICAN RED CROSS RELIEF EXPENDITURES.
From January 5, 1905, to May 5, 1909, not including value of enormous
amount of supplies or expenditures of State Branches for relief work.
Philippine Typhoon $ 1,150.00
Japanese Famine 245,865.67
Vesuvian Eruption 12,759.25
California Earthquake and Fire 2,856,289.54
Valparaiso Earthquake 12,353.38
Gulf Storm 667.87
Chinese Famine 327,725.43
Kingston Earthquake 5,699.23
Russian Famine 9,000.00
Calabrian Earthquake, 1907 233.60
Mississippi Cyclone 2,767.38
South Carolina and Georgia Floods 942.05
Michigan Forest Fires 300.00
Canadian Forest Fires 1,000.00
Monongah Mine Disaster 3,782.11
Italian Earthquake, 1908 986,283.11
Armenian Outrages 6,000.00
Miscellaneous 75.00
-------------
Total $4,472,893.62
Net proceeds of sale of Red Cross Christmas Stamps,
1908, for local anti-tuberculosis work throughout
the country (approximately) $138,000.00
The total expenditure for all administration and
executive work during same period, including the
cost of publishing 201,000 copies of the Red
Cross BULLETIN, was $30,195.15
Expenses of administration two-thirds of one per cent.,
more than half of which has been paid from membership
dues and from the income of the Endowment Fund of
$115,000.
A meeting of the Emergency Relief Board was held in New York City on
Saturday, March 20th, at which nine members were present. There was a
general discussion of emergency relief work after great disasters.
The Red Cross Stamp and tuberculosis work were discussed informally.
* * * * *
The War Relief Board held a meeting in Washington on May 7th, at which
six members were present. The following resolution was passed, creating a
sub-committee on the Red Cross Nursing Service:
_Resolved_, That the sub-committee on the Red Cross Nursing Service shall
consist of a Chairman and fourteen other members, five to constitute a
quorum. The Chairman and five members to be members of the War Relief
Board, to be appointed by the Chairman of the Board: six members to be
appointed by the Chairman of the Board from a list of trained nurses
submitted by the Nurses’ Federation and three persons to be appointed by
the Chairman on the recommendation of the Board.
The subject of First Aid and Relief Columns instruction was discussed.
Other subjects considered were the equipment of hospital ships and
hospital trains and the use of automobiles for transportation of the
sick and wounded in case of war. Medical Director Wise had prepared
for the Board a very complete schedule for the full equipment in every
particular of a hospital ship of 200 beds and the cost for this purpose
of the reconstruction of a chartered ship and the necessary equipment.
The Board is greatly indebted to Dr. Wise for this elaborate, complete
and valuable report. The Board has already in its possession a list of
vessels suitable for reconstruction into hospital ships.
* * * * *
On the 29th of April the Red Cross forwarded to the Treasurer of the Darr
Mine Relief Committee of Pittsburg, Pa., a contribution of $402.32 for
the relief of the families of the victims of the explosion which occurred
last year.
This money was collected by the Pennsylvania Red Cross Branch. The
relief committee, in a letter acknowledging receipt of the contribution,
expressed its thanks to the Red Cross.
* * * * *
Because of his interest in the great work of the Red Cross His Majesty,
the King of Sweden, has graciously conferred upon Miss Mabel T. Boardman,
a member of the Executive Committee of the American National Red Cross,
the decoration of the King’s Own Medal. The medal is of gold: on one side
is the bas-relief portrait of the King, surrounded by his name, and on
the reverse side is Miss Boardman’s name and the date. The decoration
is worn suspended from a light blue ribbon. The light blue signifying a
higher degree of the decoration than the dark blue ribbon upon which it
is generally worn. The Dowager Queen of Sweden has always been deeply
interested in hospitals and like institutions and her son, His Majesty,
Gustavus V, by his sympathy in such work does much to encourage its
success and development.
* * * * *
The report on National Vitality prepared for the Conservation Commission
by Prof. Irving Fischer, President of the Committee of One Hundred on
National Health, is now ready for distribution. Copies may be obtained by
forwarding $1.00 to the Title Guarantee and Trust Company, Treasurer, 176
Broadway, New York City. All members of the Red Cross who order a copy
of this report before August 1st become thereby members of the American
Health League without additional expense, receiving regularly the
American Health Magazine. Mention that you are a member of the Red Cross
when you write.
CALIFORNIA.
The Nurses’ Auxiliary, a very valuable adjunct to the California Branch,
has undertaken to start factory lectures and demonstrations at noon
hour, beginning Friday, April 30. Miss Brown, Miss Rutley, Miss Killiam,
Miss Smith, Miss Jorgensen, Miss Fisher and Miss McCarthy, well-known
specialists in their different departments, are to talk upon hygiene,
dietetics, bedmaking, contagious diseases, tuberculosis, medical and
surgical emergencies and first aid. Several factories, laundries and
department stores are interested in these methods and consider them of
practical use to working women. The Y. W. C. A., through the co-operation
of Miss Smith, will make arrangements for evening lectures for
individual business women in offices and stores. About 150 young women
can be reached immediately. Miss Smith also reported that many young
married women employed in factories are much interested. There are many
wide-awake women in department stores and factories who not only support
themselves, but their sick relatives also. Very much good can be done
through the settlements and mothers’ clubs.
The Woman’s Auxiliary of the Relief Column has inaugurated a series of
talks on home nursing and prevention of disease under the direction of
Dr. Clara Williams.
The work is capable of infinite expansion on almost any scale. It bids
fair to reach sufficient magnitude to make the problems of organizations,
permanence, finance, equipment and membership of importance to the future
of Red Cross work. We cannot forget the essential functions of the Red
Cross are gravest in time of war and calamity in relation to great masses
of humanity, but there is as much patriotism expressed in teaching the
individual in time of peace to attain maximum efficiency and resistance
to disease.
CANAL ZONE.
Of the fourteen districts into which the Canal Zone Branch is divided,
seven have perfected their local organizations.
Entertainments for the Red Cross Fund have been given at Ancon, Corozal,
Paraiso, Culebra and Las Cascadas.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
This branch, which has about sixty trained nurses enrolled, has made an
arrangement with the Nurses’ Central Registry to send to it every three
months an accurate list of the nurses’ names and addresses. If a call is
made for nurses the nurse in charge of the Registry will find out what
nurses are immediately available for this active duty. The Registry will
be compensated by the branch for any such service rendered.
The District Branch has provided a box of First Aid supplies for a mining
camp in Edwardsburg, Idaho, a camp over one hundred miles from any
physician. One of Major Lynch’s Red Cross First Aid Works was also sent.
On May 14th Mrs. Edwards, whose husband is general manager of the Eagle
Mining Company, to whom this box was sent, wrote that the snow was still
deep and the mail was carried by dog trains. Her letter took twelve days
to reach Washington.
The Branch is also planning to equip a First Aid Station in Rock Creek
Park.
EDWARDSBURG, IDAHO, May 28, 1909.
My Dear Miss Boardman—I received today three boxes, and the men
who have called for their mail and been told of the Red Cross
help have been so gratified.
I really don’t know how to thank you, for I don’t believe you
could realize just how great the need is at times for just
those things you have sent.
Last Thursday Mr. Edwards was leading our cayuse loaded with
powder on a lonely rocky trail when the cayuse made a misstep
and went headlong to the bottom of the mountain. Mr. Edwards
was unhurt, but had he been injured or killed days might
have passed and I ignorant of his need of me. He came home
immediately and I think I shall never forget his white face
as he came up to the door of our cabin. He and I alone and
together have been so many times through the valley that I
sometimes start at the sound of my boy’s voice as he plays
outside with “Gingie,” his dog.
Will you please thank the District of Columbia Branch of the
Red Cross for the men of the wilderness and for me? Indeed I do
appreciate your thought of us. Faithfully,
(Signed) ANNIE NAPIER EDWARDS.
NEW YORK.
The New York County Sub-division plans to take charge of the First Aid
Stations during the Robert Fulton celebration. Arrangements have been
made to establish stations at the Union Station on Forty-second street,
in tents at the ferries, etc.
The County Federation of Trained Nurses voted on June 1st to affiliate
with the American Red Cross.
AUSTRIA.
On December 31st the Austrian Samaritan and Life Saving Society of
Vienna offered to the Italian Government their kitchen wagons to use in
the cooking of food for the thousands of hungry and homeless people.
The offer was accepted with thanks. Large amounts of money and supplies
were promptly contributed for this expedition, so that not a penny of
the regular funds of the society were required. The railroads gave
free transportation. There was much delay in reaching the scene of the
disaster because of the interrupted railroad service, and because the
lines were blocked with train loads of wounded and refugees who were
being aided by members of the Italian Red Cross at relief stations
situated in and about stations along the route. All along the journey
officials of the Italian Red Cross received and assisted this Austrian
Relief Expedition. The kitchen wagons were established at Catania, where
about thirty or forty thousand refugees had congregated. The next day
after their arrival some twelve thousand refugees who had not tasted warm
food since they left Messina received good, hot meals, the kitchen wagons
being in operation from six in the morning until eight at night.
CUBA.
Thanks to the kindness of the American Minister, Mr. Edwin Morgan, we
have received notice of the establishment of a Red Cross Society in Cuba,
together with copies of its statutes and regulations.
Mr. Morgan also forwarded a translation of the proceedings held at the
institution of the society kindly provided by Captain B. F. Clark.
The President and Vice-President of the republic are honorary presidents
and the active president is Dr. Diego Tamayo y Figueredo.
FRANCE.
The French Red Cross the day after the Italian disaster and as soon as
the news reached Paris decided to send to Italy Red Cross nurses.
The French Red Cross report says: “The question arose whether the
immensity of the disaster did not justify its intervention in the way of
aid. The Italian Red Cross was mobilized. Was it not the occasion to give
proof of the solidarity which exists outside of all boundaries uniting
the members of the universal Red Cross?” As the syndicate of the French
press agreed to take charge of the raising of a national fund for the
expense of this relief work, the society proceeded with its preparations.
On the 30th ten nurses with two Red Cross delegates. Viscount Harcourt
and Viscount Nantos, left for Naples. The following day a second
detachment of nurses from one of the Red Cross branches, the Union of
the Women of France, was sent, and a few days later a third detachment
from another branch, the Association of French Women, followed. Within
a few hours after their arrival at Naples they began active work in the
hospitals filled with injured refugees.
The Neapolitan Red Cross had erected a temporary hospital in a municipal
school building—a large and airy situation. Doctors there were in plenty,
but there was a great lack of nurses, so that those sent by the French
Red Cross, three of whom spoke Italian, arrived at a most opportune time
and their services won the confidence and gratitude of the physicians.
In the meantime the delegates of the French Red Cross were occupied
in the distribution of money and supplies. Two special trainloads of
clothing, hospital materials, etc., were sent from Paris, the first in
charge of Count de Vogue, son of the president of the French Red Cross.
Some of the supplies were given to the city government for distribution
and some to the Italian Red Cross to be sent to Sicily and Calabria. The
delegates wore a blue coat, with the Red Cross brassard on the arm.
At the termination of the active service of the French Red Cross the
nurses were presented with the Italian Red Cross diploma of merit and
with gold medals by the Duchess D’Aosta in the presence of many members
of the Italian Red Cross.
The hospital school of the French Red Cross was opened in Paris on the
14th of November, 1908, with simple ceremonies. The president of the
French Red Cross, the Marquis de Vogue, presided. Sixty-two of the nurses
who were in active Red Cross service in Morocco were in attendance and
added greatly to the interest of the occasion. One pavilion is devoted to
men nurses and the other to women. This is the crowning result of the 44
dispensary schools of the society.
GERMANY.
The German Red Cross sent to Italy a complete hospital equipment,
with five doctors, thirteen nurses and relief column men, which was
established at Syracuse. Money, clothing and supplies of all kinds
were forwarded from all over Germany to the main receiving station in
Berlin. Large quantities of tents, a dozen wooden barracks from the Rhine
Provinces and a hundred beds for orphans were among the gifts.
JAPAN.
The Japanese Red Cross has published its second English Bulletin. Its
active personnel consists of 3,487 persons, of whom 237 are doctors.
2,328 women nurses, 572 men nurses and 131 litter bearers. It has a total
membership of 1,397,344, with an annual income of $1,550,206. In 1907
it rendered assistance after fifteen disasters, aiding 3,810 injured
persons. Its funds amount to $7,000,000.
PORTUGAL.
The Portuguese Red Cross has lately had the misfortune to lose by death
its president, General da Cunha, a peer of the realm and one of the
founders of the society in 1887. He was one of the most eminent men of
his country and noted for the noble qualities of his mind and heart.
His goodness and simplicity during all the years of the high offices he
held under the government made him beloved of all classes. Just before
his death he learned that the Red Cross had opened subscriptions for the
earthquake sufferers of Italy. Only a few moments before the end came he
directed his family to immediately send a subscription from him before
his death prevented his doing so. These were his last words.
The society has elected as his successor Dr. M. A. Moreira, former
Minister of the Navy and of the Colonies.
The Society has expended in relief work at different times $45,000 and
contributed to the Red Cross Society of Spain, the United States, Great
Britain, China, Japan, Russia and the Transvaal $16,000 more. It is about
to establish a model infirmary for the instruction of trained nurses. The
Municipal Council of Lisbon has given to the Society for this purpose
land valued at $26,000.
RUSSIA.
The decease, in March, of Prince Michael Khikof, President of the Russian
Red Cross, is announced in the April International Bulletin.
The Central Committee, at a later date, will call a conference of the
active personnel during the Russo-Japanese War for the purpose of
discussing the active work there accomplished, its mistakes and the
improvements to be realized in future. Questions in regard to the
convoys of the evacuation of the wounded, field treatment, etc., are
among the most important subjects to be considered. The Society, which
renders’ aid after calamities, pestilence, famine, floods, etc., has
lately been asked to aid a leper colony at Yanburg. Its Central Committee
decided that leprosy was too rare to be considered an epidemic and so
declined to take charge of this institution, but to testify its interest
in this humanitarian work it decided to appropriate for its support
$5,000 annually.
SWITZERLAND.
Two delegates of the Swiss Red Cross, Dr. de Maval and Mr. Pluckiger,
were sent promptly to Naples to take charge of the distribution of
several carloads of supplies forwarded from Switzerland. They proceeded,
under the suggestion of the Italian Red Cross, first to Melito, in
Calabria, where they established headquarters. After the distribution in
Calabria they continued this relief in Sicily, where, at Syracuse, they
found the German and the American Red Cross at work. Besides the clothing
and the supplies that were distributed, the material and erection of some
forty houses at Reggio were provided. A total relief fund of $90,000 was
raised in Switzerland.
THE NETHERLANDS.
The Red Cross of the Netherlands has suffered a serious loss in the
death of the President of its Central Committee, Baron de Hardenbrock de
Bergambacht. For forty-one years he had been a member of the committee,
and during all that time he devoted himself with all his heart to the
interests of the Society. In 1870 he went as chief to the First Dutch Red
Cross Ambulance in the Franco-Prussian War. He represented his Society at
the International Conference of 1887 at Carlsruhe, 1892 at Rome, 1897 at
Berne, 1902 at St. Petersburg and 1907 at London. In 1899 and 1901 he was
very active in the preparation and forwarding of six fully equipped Dutch
Red Cross Ambulances for the war in the Transvaal. His delight was to
work without ostentation for the Red Cross in its humanitarian mission.
He merits well a place in the annals of the Red Cross of the Netherlands
as one of its most worthy and noble supporters.
_The Red Cross Needs Members—Will You Not Be One?_
Annual Membership, $ 1.00
Life Membership, 25.00
For address of your State Branch, see Third Page of Cover
If there is no Branch in your State, send your application to the
NATIONAL SECRETARY, Room 341, State, War and Navy Bldg., Washington, D.
C.
* * * * *
Instantaneous
is the relief from the acute stinging pain of inflammations and
eczematous eruptions about the mucocutaneous margins when =Resinol
Ointment= is applied. And a permanent cure is effected by this remedy
with greater facility in all skin affections where a local application is
indicated than by any other method. As a dressing for Burns, Carbuncles,
etc., there is nothing approaches it.
=Resinol Soap= is the great adjunct to the Ointment, and renders the
necessary bathing of the parts an aid to the cure, where the ordinary
application of water and other soaps usually increases the trouble.
Resinol Ointment and Resinol Soap
Are Genuine Comforts to Physician and Patient Alike
_SEND FOR SAMPLES AND TRY THEM_
Resinol Chemical Company
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
GREAT BRITAIN BRANCH: 97 New Oxford Street, London, W. C.
CHAS. MARKELL & CO. Agents for Australasia, Sydney, N. S. W.
* * * * *
A HEALTH RESORT
[Illustration: WASHINGTON SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST SANITARIUM. TAKOMA PARK,
D.C.
The first Sanitarium established by Seventh-Day Adventists was at Battle
Creek, in 1866. Since then institutions have been started in many places.
At present nearly sixty exist in various parts of the world.]
Washington is known as “The City Beautiful.” Much has been written of the
many beautiful and historic spots around Washington, but one which is a
revelation to all who visit it, is the new Washington Sanitarium, located
at Takoma Park, on an elevation of 300 feet. The Washington Sanitarium
has only been in operation a little over a year. It already has a
splendid patronage; it is undoubtedly destined to become well known not
only for its beauty and delightful surroundings, but as a health resort.
During the fall and winter the climate is almost ideal; the summer
climate is good—no mosquitoes or other pests are to be found.
A Branch Sanitarium is conducted at Nos. 1 and 2 Iowa Circle. The Branch
Sanitarium has recently been overhauled, and extensive alterations have
been made. The surroundings of this health-home are also attractive and
restful. Both institutions are thoroughly scientific, and employ the most
modern methods in the treatment of patients.
Massage, electricity in its various forms, baths of all descriptions, and
special dieting are the agencies chiefly depended upon.
For further information, address
The Washington Sanitarium
TAKOMA PARK, WASHINGTON, D. C.
Phone, Takoma 127 and 128
Branch Sanitarium Phone, North 1325
* * * * *
Established January 1, 1843
Thos. Kent Manufacturing Co.
MANUFACTURERS OF
Woolen Goods, Blankets, Flannels, Uniform Cloths and Worsted Yarns
U. S. Standard Olive Drab Covert Cloths, Flannels and Serges a Specialty
SPECIAL BLANKETS
For Hospitals and Institutions
UNION MILLS
ROCKBOURNE MILLS
RUNNYMEDE MILLS
Bell Telephone, 160 Lansdowne, Pa.
Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania
* * * * *
[Illustration: ALPHA PHOTO-ENGRAVING COMPANY.
Engravings for the Printer, Merchant & Manufacturer
N E Cor Howard and Fayette Streets BALTIMORE, MD.]
* * * * *
’PHONE, MAIN—6995
“THINGS RUBBER”
[Illustration: WASHINGTON RUBBER CO.
10TH & F STS. WASHINGTON, D.C.]
* * * * *
Patents
ALEXANDER & DOWELL
Attorneys at Law
918 F Street, Washington, D.C.
(Established 1857)
Procure Patents and Trade-Marks; render Expert Opinions on Patentability
of Inventions; Validity and Infringement of Patents. Practice in all
Federal Courts. Inquiries courteously and freely answered.
* * * * *
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WASHINGTON, D. C.
SPECIAL COACHING for the U. S. Military and Naval Service Examinations
Candidates are thoroughly prepared, both in class and by private
individual instruction, for the following examinations:
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U. S. ARMY, 2d Lieutenant, Entrance Examination.
U. S. NAVY, Asst. Paymaster, Entrance Examination.
U. S. MARINE CORPS, 2d Lieut., Entrance Examination.
REVENUE CUTTER, Cadet, Entrance Examination.
Remarkable Success in all the Service Examinations.
For Particulars Address M. DOWD, Principal 1410 Harvard St.
* * * * *
AMERICAN SECURITY AND TRUST COMPANY
WASHINGTON, D. C.
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT FROM ORGANIZATION TO DATE
CAPITAL
DEPOSITS Surplus and Undivided Profits ASSETS
Dec. 31, 1891—$ 588,715 $1,320,238 $ 2,159,704
1893— 809,261 1,462,097 2,905,658
1895— 1,266,201 1,533,184 3,777,185
1897— 2,627,182 1,587,455 5,149,138
1899— 3,702,594 1,738,455 5,807,569
1901— 3,943,832 1,838,108 6,012,165
1903— 4,061,215 4,606,856 8,680,468
1905— 5,555,065 4,709,706 10,311,840
1907— 5,753,260 4,904,048 10,712,722
Nov. 30, 1908—$7,450,174 Assets $12,407,298
Amount Paid to Customers in Interest $1,285,735.18
Amount Added to Capital for Protection of Customers $1,750,000.00
Amount Added to Surplus for Protection of Customers $1,967,124.47
From the foregoing it will be seen that the business of the Company
has steadily grown from year to year, and, while the shareholders
have received a fair return on the capital invested, the directors
have always borne in mind that their first duty was protection to the
depositors, which they have accomplished by adding over =four million
dollars=, making a guarantee fund to its clients, including shareholders’
liability, of =EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS=, a record shown by few banking
corporations in the United States.
This statement does not include our =Trust Department=, the securities of
which, under the law, are kept entirely separate and distinct from the
assets of the Company, and our relations being of a confidential nature,
no published statements are made. The growth has, however, been much
greater then the above.
Accounts Solicited
Interest Paid on all Deposits, Large or Small
* * * * *
NATIONAL ENGRAVING CO.
Designers, Halftone, Line and Color Engravers
Phone, Main 1679
Office, 506-508 Fourteenth Street, Cor. Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, D.
C., U. S. A.
QUALITY DISPATCH
* * * * *
KNEESSI’S SONS
MANUFACTURERS OF TRUNKS, SUIT CASES TRAVELING BAGS LEATHER NOVELTIES
425 SEVENTH STREET N. W.
PHONE, M 2000
SPECIAL TRUNK FOR NURSES AND MEDICAL PURPOSES
* * * * *
Professional Nursing
A Powder
Very inexpensive, which, when dissolved in water, makes a pleasant,
non-irritating, non-poisonous lotion, not staining the linen, and which
has a Specific Action against those peculiar pathogenic germs which
Infest the Genito-Urinary organs (Male as well as Female); hence is a
VALUABLE REMEDY FOR ALL CONDITIONS REQUIRING ANTISEPTIC TREATMENT
If intelligently used, according to directions, it will relieve all
cases, including the acute cases and the stubborn chronic ones as well.
Also very effective in Pruritus of the genital regions.
Its use is most agreeable to the patient, affording quick relief and
proceeding steadily to a cure.
The formula, together with bacteriological and clinical potency of the
preparation, is furnished the medical profession.
A two-ounce box of TYREE’S ANTISEPTIC POWDER (enough to make two gallons
of antiseptic lotion) will be sent Free. This would make almost seven
dollars’ worth of the usual bottled antiseptic solutions. This is all
pure capital—you pay for no water. You can take it with you—no liquids to
carry.
J. S. TYREE, Chemist
Washington, D. C.
* * * * *
Hotel Rudolph
ATLANTIC CITY, N. J.
_American and European_
JOEL HILLMAN, Proprietor
* * * * *
PATENT SENSE and Patents that PROTECT
yield our clients enormous profits. Write us for PROOF. Inventors lose
MILLIONS through WORTHLESS patents
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DEPT. 55 WASHINGTON, D. C.
ESTAB. 1869
* * * * *
SAL HEPATICA
For preparing an
EFFERVESCING ARTIFICIAL MINERAL WATER
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* * * * *
Telephone, Main 3405
ADOLF BODÉ, _Ladies’ Tailor_
Habit and Dressmaker
EVENING GOWNS A SPECIALTY
908 14th Street, opp. Franklin Park (2d Floor, Bradford Building)
WASHINGTON, D. C.
* * * * *
AN ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER IN HARMONY WITH MODERN SURGERY
The “Storm” Binder and Abdominal Supporter
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IS ADAPTED TO USE OF MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN AND BABIES
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The “Storm” Binder may be used as a SPECIAL support in cases of prolapsed
kidney, stomach, colon and in ventral and umbilical hernia; as a GENERAL
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after operation upon the kidney, stomach, bladder, appendix and pelvic
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bladder to support the weight of the viscera.
[Illustration: WOMAN’S BELT—Front View]
[Illustration: MAN’S BELT—Front View]
Illustrated folder, giving styles, prices and diagram for measuring,
and partial list of physicians using “Storm” Binder sent on request. A
comfort to athletes, especially horseback riders. Of marked value in the
prevention and relief of intestinal disorders.
Mail Orders Filled Within 24 Hours on Receipt of Price
KATHERINE L. STORM, M. D.
1612 DIAMOND STREET, PHILADELPHIA
* * * * *
J. E. CALDWELL & CO.
Jewelers and Silversmiths
IMPORTERS OF High-Grade Watches and Clocks
DESIGNERS AND MAKERS OF Loving Cups and Other Presentation Pieces
Among which we mention the Silver Services for the U. S. S. Pennsylvania,
Kentucky, Iowa, Mobile and Mississippi
Makers of the Insignia for Buffalo Homœopathic Hospital, U. of Pa.
Hospital, Atlantic City Hospital, Wilkes-Barre Hospital, etc.
CORRESPONDENCE SOLICITED
902 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
* * * * *
VICTORY CHEMICAL CO.
Manufacturers of Quick Death
INSECTICIDE AND DISINFECTANT
312 N. Fifteenth St. Philadelphia, Pa.
Mail Orders Solicited
Phone, Spruce 3605
* * * * *
_CUMBERLAND STEEL COMPANY_
TURNED AND GROUND HIGHLY POLISHED SHAFTING
CUMBERLAND, MD. U.S.A.
Not only perfectly straight, but round, true to size and highly polished
SEND FOR RED PRICE LIST N
* * * * *
_What Shall the Patient Eat?_
[Illustration]
PRACTICAL DIETETICS
solves the question. It contains diet lists and what to avoid in the
various diseases, as advised by leading hospitals and physicians in New
York, Boston and Philadelphia. It also gives in detail the way to prepare
the different foods. Also appropriate diet for the different stages of
infancy. A book of great value for the physician, nurse and household.
Pattee’s “Practical Dietetics”
Has been recommended by
Governments—United States and Canada (Adopted for use by the Medical
Department and placed in every Army Post).
Medical Colleges and Hospitals, Training Schools—(Adopted as a text-book
in the leading schools of United States and Canada).
State Board of Examiners of Nurses—(New York, Maryland, Virginia,
Connecticut, Minnesota, Indiana, North Carolina (included in their
Syllabus)).
Public Schools—Boston and New York (Added to their authorized text-book
list).
Fifth Edition just out. 12mo. 320 Pages Price, $1.00 net. By Mail, $1.10.
C. O. D., $1.25.
A. F. PATTEE, Publisher and Bookseller
Mount Vernon, N. Y.
New York Office, 52 West Thirty-Ninth Street
* * * * *
Telephone, N 4372
Great Bear Spring Water
Fifty Cents per Case of 6 glass-stoppered bottles
New Warehouse and Office
322 R Street Northeast
Washington, D. C.
* * * * *
“WE PRINT ANYTHING”
KOHN & POLLOCK, Inc.
Complete Book, Catalog Railroad Printers
315-317 WEST GERMAN STREET
Baltimore, Maryland
* * * * *
Government Positions
=46,712 Appointments= were made to Civil Service places during the past
year. Excellent opportunities for young people. Each year we instruct
by mail thousands of persons who pass these examinations and a large
share of them receive appointments to life positions at $840 to $1,100
a year. If you desire a position of this kind, write for our Civil
Service Announcement, containing full information about all government
examinations and questions recently used by the Civil Service Commission.
COLUMBIAN CORRESPONDENCE COLLEGE, WASHINGTON, D. C.
* * * * *
American Red Cross Membership
Any man, woman or child who desires to become a member of the American
Red Cross may do so by filling in one of the application blanks at the
bottom of this page, and forwarding it, with the dues, to THE AMERICAN
RED CROSS, WASHINGTON, D. C. Checks or money orders should be made
payable to THE AMERICAN RED CROSS.
The membership fee of $1.00 includes subscription to the quarterly Red
Cross BULLETIN.
Life membership fee is $25.00.
Application for Membership
_American Red Cross, Washington, D. C._ _Date_ ____
_I hereby signify my desire to become a member of the American
Red Cross. One dollar for membership dues and subscription to
the BULLETIN is enclosed herewith._
_Name_ _________________________________
_Address_ ______________________________
Application for Membership
_American Red Cross, Washington, D. C._ _Date_ ____
_I hereby signify my desire to become a member of the American
Red Cross. One dollar for membership dues and subscription to
the BULLETIN is enclosed herewith._
_Name_ _________________________________
_Address_ ______________________________
* * * * *
(_Send for Nurses’ Catalog N_)
[Illustration]
APPAREL FOR NURSES
[Illustration]
_Ready to Wear and Made to Order_
UNIFORMS
APRONS
CAPS
GOWNS
COATS
BONNETS
COLLARS
CUFFS
All Prices
All Styles
Best Value
Excellent Cut
Excellent Work
Superior Quality
FOR MAIDS
CORRECT UNIFORMS
_for_
_Cooks_
_Chambermaids_
_Housemaids_
_Waitresses_
_Etc._, _Etc._
FOR DOCTORS
HOSPITAL GARMENTS
_for_
_Doctors_
_Nurses_
_Orderlys_
_Contagions_
_Etc._, _Etc._
[Illustration: (_Send for Maids’ Cat. M_)]
[Illustration: (_Send for Drs.’ Cat. H_)]
Nurses’ Outfitting Association
52 West 39th Street, New York
“Home Bureau” House Near Fifth Avenue
* * * * *
The Prudential Insurance Co. of America
Incorporated as a Stock Company by the State of New Jersey
JOHN F. DRYDEN, Prest. Home Office, NEWARK, N. J.
Send for Particulars of _NEW_ Low Cost Policy. Dept. 146.
[Illustration: THE PRUDENTIAL HAS THE STRENGTH OF GIBRALTAR
7,731,739 Policies in Force
Insuring $1,434,551,347]
How would your family fare if they lost you? Could they live in as good a
house? Could they wear as good clothes? Could the children stay at school?
If you cannot say yes to all these questions, your family needs the
protection of Life Insurance. They have a right to demand that you become
insured.
* * * * *
“AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS TEXT-BOOK
ON
First-Aid and Relief Columns”
=By MAJOR CHARLES LYNCH=
_of the Medical Corps, United States Army_
Being a Manual of Instruction for the Prevention of Accidents and What to
do for Injuries and Emergencies
PREPARED FOR AND INDORSED BY THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS
WITH A PREFACE BY
=BRIGADIER-GENERAL R. M. O’REILLY=
_Surgeon-General, United States Army_
ILLUSTRATED WITH 74 ENGRAVINGS
POCKET SIZE, viii+244 PAGES.
The Red Cross is in each country an organization recognized by the
respective Governments for the purpose of rendering aid to the medical
services or armies in time of war, and, furthermore, to mitigate the
suffering caused by great calamities, and to devise and carry on means
for preventing the same. It has, therefore, an important educational duty
to perform.
For the purpose of further fulfilling this duty the American National Red
Cross has issued the FIRST-AID AND RELIEF COLUMNS TEXT-BOOK for use in
schools, colleges, Y. M. C. A’s., in the family, and for service in the
training of nurses and Red Cross Relief Columns. Major Charles Lynch, of
the Medical Corps of the United States Army, was especially requested by
the Red Cross to prepare this text-book.
The author is a surgeon in the Army Medical Service, and has been
especially detailed by the War Department to act as the medium between
that Department and the National Red Cross. His duties are to study
and suggest in what way the services of the Society can be made the
most available. Major Lynch was the United States Medical Attachè to
the Japanese Army during the Russian-Japanese War, and while there had
special opportunities for observing the improvised materials used by them
in case of need, and their manner of rendering first aid, which proved of
such value in the preserving of life during that war. He has been engaged
in organizing First-Aid and Relief Columns, lecturing before various
branches of the Y. M. C. A., and otherwise devoting much time to this
special subject. He has, therefore, a large experience of the necessities
and practical value of such work and of the wants of those seeking
instruction.
Beginning with the Anatomy and Physiology, the book succinctly deals
with Germs or Micro-organisms, First-aid Materials, General Directions
for Rendering First-aid, Shock, Common Accidents and Injuries, Common
Emergencies, Occupation Accidents and Injuries, Injuries and Emergencies
of Indoor and Outdoor Sports, Transportation of Wounded and Sick,
Organizations for First-aid Instruction, First-aid Contests, closing with
a list of References and a very complete Index.
The preface by Surgeon-General O’Reilly gives not only due recognition
to the practical worth of the book, but points out the vast good which
may be done by proper organizations and knowledge in times of great
calamities. He emphasizes the fact that, so far as he knows, it is the
first effort to teach the prevention of accidents.
=For sale by The American National Red Cross, Washington, D. C. Price,
$1.00 per copy.=
* * * * *
_In answering advertisements please mention THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
BULLETIN._
ADDRESS OF STATE BRANCHES.
[Illustration: NOTE.—CROSSES INDICATE STATES AND POSSESSIONS IN WHICH
BRANCH SOCIETIES HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED.]
CALIFORNIA: Mrs. Thurlow McMullin, Secretary, 2200 California Street, San
Francisco, Cal.
CANAL ZONE: Miss J. Macklin Beattie, Secretary, Ancon, Canal Zone.
COLORADO: Mr. L. L. Aitken, Secretary, Colorado Springs, Colo.
CONNECTICUT: Mrs. Sara T. Kinney, Secretary, P. O. Box 68, Hartford, Conn.
DELAWARE: Miss Emily P. Bissell, Secretary, 1404 Franklin Street,
Wilmington, Del.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Mr. W. A. Slater, Secretary, 1731 I Street, N. W.,
Washington, D. C.
GEORGIA: Mr. Allan Sweat, Treasurer, Savannah, Ga.
HAWAII: Mrs. W. W. Hall, Secretary, Honolulu, Hawaii.
ILLINOIS: Mr. Chas. H. Ravell, Secretary, 135 Adams Street, Chicago, Ill.
INDIANA: Mr. Rowland Evans, Secretary, Indianapolis, Ind.
IOWA: Mr. Charles Hutchinson, Secretary, 916 Fleming Building, Des
Moines, Iowa.
KANSAS: Mrs. B. B. Smyth, Secretary, Room 8, 4th floor, State House,
Topeka, Kan.
MAINE: Mrs. Anne Morrill Hamlin, Secretary, P. O. Box 732, Portland, Me.
MARYLAND: Mr. George Norbury Mackenzie, Secretary, 1243 Calvert Building,
Baltimore, Md.
MASSACHUSETTS: Miss Katharine P. Loring, Secretary, Prides Crossing, Mass.
MICHIGAN: Mr. Ralph M. Dyar, Secretary, 818 Penobscot Building, Detroit,
Mich.
MINNESOTA: Mr. Edward C. Stringer, Secretary, St. Paul, Minn.
MISSOURI: Mr. Leighton Shields, Secretary, 1200 Third National Bank
Building, St. Louis, Mo.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Address of Branch, Mr. Wm. F. Thayer, First National Bank,
Concord, N. H.
NEW JERSEY: Mr. W. E. Speakman, Secretary, Woodbury, N. J.
NEW YORK: Mrs. William K. Draper, Secretary, 500 Fifth Avenue, New York
City.
NORTH CAROLINA: Mrs. Theodore F. Davidson, Secretary, Asheville, N. C.
OHIO: Mr. R. Grosvenor Hutchins, Secretary, Columbus, O.
OKLAHOMA: Dr. Fred. S. Clinton, Secretary, Tulsa, Okla.
PENNSYLVANIA: Mr. Joseph Allison Steinmetz, Secretary, Independence Hall
Building, Philadelphia, Pa.
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: Mrs. Victorino Mapa, Secretary, Manila, P. I.
PORTO RICO: Miss Josefina Noble, Secretary, No. 9 Tetuan Street, San
Juan, P. R.
RHODE ISLAND: Professor George Grafton Wilson, Secretary, care Brown
University, Providence, R. I.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Mr. A. W. Litschgi, Secretary, 187 King Street,
Charleston, S. C.
TEXAS: Mr. Raymond D. Allen, Secretary, 483 Bryan Street, Dallas, Texas.
VERMONT: Mr. Chas. S. Forbes, Secretary, St. Albans, Vt.
WASHINGTON: Rev. M. A. Matthews, Seattle, Wash.
WEST VIRGINIA: Miss Elizabeth Van Rensselaer, Secretary, Berkeley
Springs, W. Va.
WISCONSIN: (Madison Sub-Division) Prof. Eliot Blackwelder, Secretary,
care University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.
WYOMING: Mr. Chas. F. Mallin, Secretary, Cheyenne, Wyo.
CHINOSOL
(Pronounced Kinnosol)
THE ONLY NON-POISONOUS, NON-IRRITATING, NON-ALCOHOLIC ANTISEPTIC
WHICH IS “MUCH STRONGER THAN CARBOLIC ACID AND AT LEAST THE EQUAL OF
BICHLORIDE OF MERCURY.”
(EXTRACT FROM BACTERIOLOGICAL REPORT FROM THE LEDERLE LABORATORIES.)
A THOROUGHLY RELIABLE DISINFECTANT SAFE EVEN IN THE HANDS OF CHILDREN.
There is no longer any excuse for running the risk of poisoning by
carbolic acid or corrosive sublimate.
PARTIAL LIST OF AUTHORITIES.
Imperial Board of Health of Germany.
Royal Scientific Commission for Therapeutics of Prussia.
Hygienic Institute of the University of Munich.
Royal University Clinics, Halle a. S.
Dr. Vogelius, Bacteriologist Laboratory University, Copenhagen.
In use in hospitals throughout all Europe.
CHINOSOL
DOES NOT INJURE MEMBRANES. FREE FROM DISAGREEABLE ODOR.
Every physician approves of the prompt application of a proper antiseptic
to a bruise, cut, wound or burn, thus insuring surgical cleanliness until
he can reach the patient.
CHINOSOL IS PRESENTED IN TABLET FORM. ONE TABLET TO ONE QUART OF WATER
PRODUCES SOLUTION OF PROPER STRENGTH.
WE ARE INTRODUCING CHINOSOL THROUGH THE DRUG TRADE OF AMERICA.
IF YOU CANNOT OBTAIN IT, REMIT TO US, IN POSTAGE, AND WE WILL SEND YOU
SUFFICIENT CHINOSOL TO MAKE
3 QUARTS FOR 10 CENTS.
Guaranteed by us to comply with National and State Pure Drug Laws—No.
2335. CHINOSOL CO.—PARMELE PHARMACAL CO., SELLING AGENT, 54 SOUTH ST., N.
Y.
*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "The American Red Cross Bulletin (Vol. IV, No. 3, July 1909)" ***
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