HOSPITALS IN EGYPT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16050, 16 October 1915, Page 1 (Supplement)

HOSPITALS IN EGYPT.

BT MIS. E. M. BTCTLOr.

Dchivg my Stay of nearly six months of the present year in Egypt I was able to see and hear much of the working of the hospitals in Cairo and Alexandria. The first of these in which we were able to take practical interest was the Indian hospital of Abassir (Ab-bas-see-ar), which is situated on the outskirts of Heliopolis, and some distance from Cairo, from which it is reached by rail and tram car. This hospital had ~eally been prepared for the reception of Indian wounded, and is now given tip to them, being largely provided by Indian wealth. During the early part of the year, however, when the war seemed far away. Abassir was lent for the reception of the many sufferers from illness, caused by the hardships of camp life, from accidents, and other causes. Two persons, well-known in Auckland, asked us to go there, and offer all the assistance we could give. The first of these was Mr. Horace Moore-Jones. "Go down to Abassir and look after Eugene." was his strenuous request. We found Eugene, a pretty boy, a mother's darling, about seventeen years old. Poor little Sapper Eugene! He only lived a few days longer. The sappers had given him an inscribed luminous watch, which was his prized toy, and he begged for chocolates— Hard chocolates, please," which he could not eat, but he liked to know that they were there. The wards at Abassir were then full, and there was plenty of work for all. The arrangements seemed excellent, and there was sufficient provision for reasonable needs. The work of the lady visitors was light and not organised. Major Getliin Hughes had asked us to do all we could for Arthur Rhind, who had been taken straight to the hospital from the first transport. We found the latter one morning in great agitation. " It is wonderful that you find me here," he said. " Half an hour ago they told me I had to go back to New Zealand immediately. They got me up, dressed me, stuck a hat on my head and told me to sit on the edge of my bed until the ambulance was ready to take us to the train. Go to New Zealand on half an hour's notice,' I said. ' A pretty long way !* I've nothing, no clothes, no money.'* 'Oh, well, you've got to go. Lame legs are no use in Egypt.' - ' I sat and tried to realise my luck; but just now an orderly stuck his head round the screen. * You needn't go,' he said, and popped me back into bed and here I am." Some benign influence had interposed. On the arrival of the wounded from the Canal and from Gallipoli after the 25th of April, great changes took place, and calm, peaceful attendance on the sick gave place to work which it seemed could never be overtaken. Long white hospital trains were constantly coming in, generally by night, and the hospitals filled and overflowed, -taxing all resources, and inciting everyone to strenuous exertions. The Palace Hotel, Heliopolis, a magnificent building, was converted into a hospital, and all the corridors, galleries, reception-rooms, tier after tier, soon filled up with white beds, containing our wounded heroes—chiefly Australians and New Zealanders. There were few nurses for the large number of cases, and all women considered suitable as ' lay helpers found plenty of work. We went from bed .to bed with little gifts, watching quietly for opportunities of service, either to the men or the nurses. One could raise a -wounded man and . give him to drink, feed a man whose hands were disabled, quietly cut up dinners, supply small necessaries, listen to whispered messages, send telegrams, write letters, and. above all, supply change of thoughts and cheer. Each man, when able, loved to tell his tale and show his bullet or bit of shrapnel —kept in a matchbox under his pillow. They were wonderfully cheerful, indeed happy for the most part. My impression of those first days is that they were well supplied; the pressure was not yet too great. Nearly opposite to the Palace Hotel is Luna Park. This place, a sort of people's palace, with merry-go-rounds, picture shows, and overhead railway, now became a hospital for the less seriously wounded, who thronged the windows, exchanged chaff and accounts of their adventures with those below. The palace of the Khedive is situated near the Abassir, and stands in the middle of many acres of beautiful gardens. The property of the Khedive, so madly abandoned, is very extensive, and beautifully cultivated with successions of crops. The confiscated palace now has become a hospital, and fortunate convalescents roam in the grounds. Our party soon went down by rail to Alexandria as our New Zealand contingents were transporting from there, and we immediately joined the company of lay helpers, who were busy there. Dr. and Mrs. Purchas' were there. They had been a long time in Zeitoun, near the camp, as we all were. Mrs. Elsie Cook was with them, and they were all working very hard: Mrs. Purchas doing far too much for her health, which unfortunately gave way under the strain. I saw her often, so, long as it was possible; but it was only too plain that her whole-hearted work on earth was drawing to a close. She was comfortable and well attended and lay in an upper ward of the great Victoria Hospital. Dr. Craig was also in a ward there, recovering from wounds. Alexandria appeared to us a lovely place. It runs for many miles along the shore of a beautiful and curving bay. with fine boulevards, extending, as it seems, for miles. It is well supplied with tram- j cars, and the European residents generally live a long way from the central business quarters. There are plenty of good hotels, where evei liin-j is conducted in European fashion. Many of the Englishwomen, whose friends are with the 'troops, live at a place called the Beau Rivage. A considerable number of the nurses lived, or rather took, their meals at the Beau Rivage. Red Cross ambulances conveying them to and from the hospitals. It is a pleasant and restful place, as there are beautiful gardens, and the pavilions in which food is served are practically on the seashore. The Beau Rivage, which is run by a French company, is very convenient for those engaged in hospital 1 work, as both the Victoria and the Stepheno Hospitals are almost at the gates. The Victoria Hospital has taken the place of a magnificent college, standing high in several acres of ornamental ground?. The Stephano Hospital is situated on the seashore, and was a pleasure palace of great grandeur, with splendid swimming baths along the shore. The Victoria Hospital presented, when I last saw it, the aspect of a huge camp. It has several storeys, a long frontage, and two huge wings enclosing a square courtyard. which is always thronged with ambulance vans, interested convalescents, and busy helpers. On the lawn in front big marquees are erected, in which the convalescents and more lightly wounded find repose. The long drive has tents on either hand, and, indeed, all the space visible is covered with tents, inhabited by convalescents sick, and supernumeraries. The former find rest all over the place, seeking shade under the young trees, j which have been planted but a few years back. One enters the wide hospital gates and walks among crowds of bandaged, armless, legless, limping figures, described briefly as "deserving convalescents" Van loads of these are continually beine carried off. among kindly farewells and good wishes, to convalesce further in camps by the seashore, - where they can bathe and sport with some freedom. A large room on the lower floor is given up to the service of the body of lay lady helpers, connected .with almost .fivers hospitatia-- Egyp.U. - ,