OUR SICK SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2466, 20 May 1915, Page 3

OUR SICK SOLDIERS

TREATMENT IN HOSPITALS

OUTRAGEOUS STORIES CONTRADICTED

In continuation of what has already been published with reference to tho outrageous stories that have been circulated about our sick soldiers in Egypt being treated by Territorials and nursed by Arabs, the following is extracted from a report of the Egyptian Army Hospital forwarded to the Hon. the Minister of Defence by General Godle.v by permission of Licuteuant-General Sir F. R. Wingate, Sirdar and GovernorGeneral of Egypt, under date April 9: — The Egyptian Army Hospital Pont de Koubbeh, Cairo, with accommodation for 300 patients, was placed at the disposal of the G.O.C.N.Z.E.F. The hospital is of recent erection, 1906, complete with the most modem arrangements, electric lighting throughout, six large surgical wards, and seven similar medical wards; six special wards for single cases; largo dining room and reading room, with library; hot and cold baths, with showers; water carriages, sewage, three operation rooms, electric laundry, sleam disinfector, XRay room, Pathological Laboratory, and barrack accommodation for 100 orderlies. The _ building, of greystone, is twostoried, with, broad, shady verandahs supplied with grass blinds, and is situated in a large enclosure with a pretty, well cared for garden in front. Tho hospital, with full equipment, was first opened for tho reception of the sick on December 4, and has up to date of writing, March 31, treated the following:—N Z.E.F., 1151; A.1.F., llu; Ceylon Rifles, 24: Royal Navy, 3; N.Z.E.F. (officers), 6; British troops, 9. Total, 1308. There liave been 150 major operations performed. The staff has been composed of the following, but as the N.Z.E.F., in expectation of moving shortly, had to keep their field hospitals ready, the stall is now mostly composed of R.A.M.C. territorials. Officer in charge of Hospital, X Major J. Powell, R.A.M.C. (Egyptian Army). Officer in charge of Surgical Division, X Major Fitzgerald, R.A.M.C. (T.), X Major Home, N.Z, Captain Byam, R.A.M.C. (E.A.), Captain Cassidy, R.A.M.C. (E.A.).

Officer in charge of Medical Division, X Major Bentley, R.A.M.C. (T), X Captain Cummins, R.A.M.C. (E.A.), Captain Clark, R.A.M.C. (E.A.). Officer in charge of Tropical Diseases, X Captain Drew, R.A.M.C. (E.A.). Specialists Attached.—X-ray Department, X Colonel Batchelor, N.Z.M.C.; pathologist, X Capt. Hercus,N.Z.M.C.; dental surgeon, X Captain Broham, N.Z.M.C.; throat specialist, Captain Bell (since deceased), Major Purchas, N.Z.M.C. .

Other officers doing duty.—Captain Harvey, R.A.M.C., N.Z.M.C.; X Captain Redmond, R.A.M.C. (T.); X Lieutenant Bedalo, R.A.M.C. (T.); Lieutenant Sharp, N.Z.M.C.; Lieutenant O'Connor, N.Z.M.C.; Lieutenant MacCormac, N.Z.M.C.; X Captain Abbott. N.Z.M.C. Present staff marked thus —X. A list of tlie nursing staff then follows, and comprises a matron and 20 nurses. There are in addition to those ten voluntary nurses assisting the regular nursing staff. The description ends with reference to the diet, etc., as follows: —Delicacies of soup, wine, jelly, fresh eggs, whey, etc., have been kindly presented daily to this hospital by thirty ladies of Cairo. These supplies are collected and a carefully worked out scheme has been arranged to ensure collection, distribution, and regularity of this supply. The recoveries of many of the very dangerously ill patients, especially pneumonias, of which there have been 51 cases, with three deaths, among the N.Z.E.F., must be in a great part attributed to this supply of specially prepared dishes and stalled nursing by the matron's staff.

During convalescence patients have been taken for motor drives by various kind motor owners.

Seriously ill patients who have been convalescent, and still require nursing and care have been taken into private houses and received every possible comfort and attention.

Of the total 11513 N.Z.E.F. admitted tfhere have only been 8 men and 1 officer died, three of which being pneumonia. i

Mrs. Goodchild, a Cairo lady, has fitted out a motor ambulance at iter own expense and taken New Zealand sick to and from this hospital and is available for all urgent calls. All officers and men of the Egyptian Army have assisted very greatly in the work, undertaking special services. as Officer in Charge of valuables, electrical engineer, transport, fatigues, dispensings etc.