DOCTOR IN CHINA

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 134, 9 June 1939, Page 8

DOCTOR IN CHINA

BOMBS AND HOSPITALS

EXPERIENCES DESCRIBED

His experiences in China while he was there as a medical officer were described last night by Dr. H. Tremewan to a large audience in the St. John Ambulance Kail, Vivian Street. He pointed out that there were two sides to the question of the Japanese bombings of neutral areas. The Chinese at times abused the use of foreign flags. He had seen buildings with these flags flying overhead fill up with Chinese after air-raid alarms had sounded. He did not think that was playing the game

"The Japanese didn't think ve.ry much of these tactics," he said. "They used to drop notes saying that if the Chinese took shelter under British flags, they would not be responsible for the consequences to the foreign ladies and gentlemen who might happen to be in the buildings concerned." The bombing of a hospital in which he was working, continued the doctor, was due, he thought, to the presence in town of Madame Chiang Kai-shek. She was one of the most interesting personalities he had met in China. Madame Chiang Kai-shek was a very well-educated woman. She had spent some years in America and spoke with a delightful American accent. She was a very masterly type and did a good deal of directing. She was practically running the refugee scheme now in operation in China. Dr. Tremewan went on to describe the rather apathetic and haphazard way in which the Chinese managed their military affairs. They had rio volunteers. All the men were conscripts, and it was a very "rotten" system of conscription. If they wanted, say, 20 men, they would go to a village and get them, but if a man had money he would pay a poor man to take his place.

The training in the Chinese army was haphazard, continued Dr. Tremewan. He had attended to men who had been wounded by hand grenades while the grenades were in charge of fellowsoldiers. They were given no instructions as to how to use the hand grenades. They simply took the things, pulled out the pin, and pointed at the Japanese. Dirt and filth were everywhere, the authorities being more concerned with ammunition than with health services, and the wounded received very rough treatment while being conveyed to hospital.

Dr. Tremewan said that in some of the towns now controlled by. Japanese the Chinese were quite happy under their new conditions. The Japanese had introduced decent medical services and things appeared to •be going along smoothly, though, .of course, difficulties arose at times.