WAR MISCELLANY.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15512, 12 February 1916, Page 7

WAR MISCELLANY.

WHY LADY PAGET KEMAINETt

(FROM OCB oww wmm (j.vugw t J LONDON, January & Various fanciful stories have appeal ed as to the circumstances which Lady Paget and her hospital staff to remain in Uskub, and fall into the' 1 hands of the Bulgarians. The facts,$ays "The Times," are that **Lady Paget intended to leave Uskub withall her unit and the wounded in the* hospital when Sir Ralph Paget left.' All arrangements were made to this- 1 end, and some twenty of t.ho nurses'' were actually sent on ahead to Pnstina. Owing to a lack of proper understanding with the Serbian author*-' ties, the transport for the rest of the» : party was not forthcoming when it was' needed, and the whole staff decided to' remain. The question of Lady Paget'sleaving her unit or her wounded was never considered, or at any time menWhat Mas in doubt was whether Sir Ralph Paget also could remain. But all the other hospital units in Serbia were looking to him ior guidance and help in getting away. For their sakes he had no other courso but to return to Nish and leave Lady Paget with her hospital. CARRIER PIGEONS. The War Office has once again asked the public not to shoot at or kill lioming pigeons, as large numbers of tlicso birds are being utilised for military purposes. If a cannot distinguish. between carrier pigeons, wood pigeons, doves and the like, then ho is requested to refrain from tiring at any birds of these species. English-bred birds have some notable performances to their credit, and the best record ior long-distance flying in Great Britain is held at present by Messrs Vester and Scurr, of Spennymoor, in Durham, who possess a pigeon named Prince of Rome, which new from Rome to its loft in 1913, a distance of 1003 miles," when competing in a test race. Wireless, aeroplanes, and telephones have decreased the use of pigeons for war purposes on the Continent, and when the war broke out probably the most use made of, them was in Belgium, taking news to Brussels and Antwerp. It is. well-known in East Coast shipping circles that the British Fleet in the North Sea found panniers of trained homing pigeons on board German trawlers during the early period of the war. The British Admiralty up to a few years ago had a pigeon service to a loft in the South of England, but this was discontinued on account of the introduction of wireless. WAR DISEASES. Surgeon-General H. D. Rolleston, M.D., in a paper in "The Practitioner" says the health of the Regular Navy has indeed been much better than in peace "time. "In the Grand Fleet the percentage of men on the sick list is under 1 per cent., often only o.<3' per cent., and the figures would be even lower but for the higher percentage incidence among the men of the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. In two battleships, with a complement of over 1000 each, which I happened to visit on two successive days, there were two men only in the sick-bay." War, however, by massing large numbers or men together in close quarters facilitates the spread of infection. The existence of healthy, 'carriers' of disease becomes a factor of great importance, especially in stationary conditions like trench warfare. Again, the nervous strain is very great, and might be expected to produce much insanity, mental disturbance, and neurasthenia. Nevertheless, the position would not seem to bo nearly so bad as was prophesied. Tit the Navy, mental troubles of a really serious nature occurred in less than 1 per cent., and mild neurasthenia conditions in less than 4 per cent. Quito possibly this is due to the absence x of alcoholism among the. seamen. The effeot of defeat and of captivity, even when not accompanied by privation, is to render soldiers icore susceptible to disease. War, too, may cause disease among non-combatants, even of an uninvaded country, deterioration in quality and quantity of food, by mental strain and depression, and by altered ' occupation. _ «* The more prominent war diseases ar* typhoid, tetianuß, paratyphoid, jaundice. dysentery, and spotted fever. Trench fever, due to the bites of body parasites, is also common. ARMY COMMISSIONS. The following announcement lias been issued by War Office: —"For tuo present, except under exceptional circumstances. temporary commissions in the Regular Army, commissions in the Special Reserve of Officers, and com-* .missions in the Territorial Force (cavalry, yeomanry, and infantry), will only be given on the recommendation of a commanding officer, and, in the case of the Territorial Force, the County Association concerned, to men who have completed a recruit's courseor its equivalent, preference being given to men who have served with an Expeditionary Force. The 6ame principle will- apply to other., arms where practicable." MUNITION WORKERS' LUXURIES. The change v from peace to war in-, dustry in Sheffield, and other large "munition" towns has been on an almost incredible scale, and the ramifications of munition work are bewildering. A labourer in a brickyard 'finds himself unable to leave -for other em-,' ployment because the bricks made in the yard are used to line the furnaces, of the great armament work's. The Sheffield cutler—at one time the typical craftsman of the city—is busy with knives and forks for the Army. A firm which repaired broken-down locomotives is manufacturing submarine machinery. Type foundries now produce cartridge boxes, and rolling-mills which one rolled nickel silver are now rolling brass and copper for materials of war. On the other side of the picture the £xtra- money earned is being Bpent on pianos, clothes, and furniture. Young mechanics are buying motorbicycles and jewellers are doing an extensive business. GENERAL'S LOSTTEETH. The "British Dental Journal" is responsible for the following: "In the 1 retreat from Mons a distinguished general now commanding an ,army in France, thought to snatch a few hours in bed in a peasant's cottage. He left his artificial teeth on the washstand. At night he was aroused with the news that the enemy was near, and liurriedlv left, forgetting his teeth. After subsisting on light foods for a fortnight the battle of the Marne brought the general back to the village. Although onlv the four walls of [ the cottage were left, one of the [ general's A.D.C.'s and three soldiers the wreckage. Under a lot of chicken bones and champagne bot- ! ties tHev found the teeth intact. Tha 1 general then had a square meal."