Famine. 813 



quantity of people who required immediate help, and though 

 the many surgeons did their utmost their number was insigni- 

 ficant, and the whole sanitary machinery still disorganised. 



The inhabitants of Saarbruck did all they could, but the 

 immense number of troops in and around that town had nearly 

 eaten up all their provisions, and food of any kind, even bread, 

 was becoming very scarce. The wounded suffered most for 

 want of food, for they could not look about for it themselves, 

 and many of them were utterly forgotten and in a state of star- 

 vation. 



Seeing that my assistance as a nurse was but of little avail, 

 and that I could do more good in another manner, I made it 

 my especial business to hunt for provisions. I applied at 

 once to the Johanniters, but their store-rooms were still empty, 

 though plenty of supplies were on the road, and expected to 

 arrive any moment. 1 therefore went to private persons and 

 houses, and had tolerably good success. 



It was very natural that our own soldiers had the first claim 

 to our assistance, but there were also in the town a great num- 

 ber of French prisoners and wounded who needed it just as 

 much. Penned up in a yard were about four hundred of them, 

 ofticers and men, who had eaten nothing for about two days, 

 and who were nearly mad with hunger. 



Some people of Saarbruck and especially ladies showed their 

 sympathy with the French in a rather injudicious manner; 

 and, as caution was much required, the enemy being so near, 

 orders had been given to prevent the communication of these 

 S}'mpathisers with the French prisoners. When therefore a 

 number of ladies arrived with a great quantity of bread for 

 them, they were refused admittance. I fortunately arrived at 

 that time, and seeing that the distressing state of the poor 

 French made delay very cruel and fatal, I used my authority 

 and had the bread distributed amongst them. I shall never 

 forget that scene ; I had never seen the like before. With 

 eyes starting out of their sockets, and with trembling hands the 

 bread was snatched from us and devoured with an avidity 

 which was quite distressing to look at. 



Those wounded who had found a place in hospitals or bar- 

 racks were bedded well enough, but hundreds of others who 

 had been brought into poor private houses or sheds, were 

 lying on the bare floor not rarely even without a little straw. 



