THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



73 



Courtesy of the American Red Cross 



DOING HER. BIG BIT FOR THE) ARMY 



A member of the American Home Communication Service, in one of the National Geo- 

 graphic Society Wards, receiving instructions from a wounded soldier about the letter home 

 (see page 79). 



of beds. On each is a suffering, bandaged 

 boy. Sometimes it's hard to see the boy 

 for the bandages. Occasionally, when the 

 wound is in the spine, the poor invalid is 

 lying face downward, strapped to a board. 

 Even so, there is always the smile of 

 thanks for the cigarette, the flower, or 

 the magazine. 



We pass an endless number of open 

 doors, through which I see many more 

 beds and many more boys. We stand 

 close to the wall to allow a rubber-tired 

 stretcher to be wheeled by. It stops be- 

 fore the operating room, and the one on 

 it, in answer to my encouraging wave, 

 throws me a kiss. There seems to be al- 

 most a constant procession of stretchers, 

 for thirteen hundred wounded require 

 countless dressings. 



One husky lad in ambulance uniform 

 walks at the head and another at the foot. 

 All day long they lift their comrades, first 

 from their beds to the litter, next onto the 

 operating table, then back again into their 

 beds. This is no easy task. 



To do this work a man must be strong 



and patient and very tender. And he al- 

 ways is all three. He will tell you that 

 he would much prefer to be at the front, 

 but since he has been placed here it is not 

 for him to grumble. He will wipe the 

 perspiration from his dripping forehead 

 and absolutely refuse a box of smokes 

 because he knows they're scarce and are 

 intended for the "blesses." If the man 

 on his stretcher is conscious he waits 

 smilingly until the best-liked brand is se- 

 lected from my supply. If the newly 

 operated one is still in happy oblivion, he 

 picks out what he thinks will please the 

 sick one, promising to put it on the bed- 

 side table. 



The s. Idler on the stretcher and the 

 two at either end disappear around a cor- 

 ner, and three more come, and after them 

 three more. It would all be most sicken- 

 ing if it weren't for the thought that these 

 are the youngsters who stopped the rush 

 on Paris, every one of whom will tell you 

 that he wouldn't give up his experience 

 for a million dollars. 



The third floor in this hospital is much 



