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Chief Commissioner Clark reports that the past week has been ‘extremely busy’ for the Hospital. He states that by receiving convoys of sick and wounded, as well as evacuating some cases to ‘England and elsewhere’, the Hospital has admitted over 500 cases and discharged some 300 others. By this time, there have also been a total of 14 deaths and 104 operations on site at Étaples. With this in mind, the report also considers the possibility of increasing the number of beds available to patients, although Chief Commissioner Clark worries that the requirements to make this project possible will be just too costly in the current circumstances.
Elsewhere, there is discussion of a letter received by the Hospital, which states that a Mr Wilson from the Daily Express requests to visit, at the suggestion of Miss Amherst. It appears that this visit can be made possible, although Chief Commissioner Clark says he presumes that the Mr Wilson will liaise with the military authorities ‘as to publishing a report of the Hospital’.
Lastly, as within previous reports, there is a brief mention of the health of staff and hospital personnel. They are ‘generally’ all well, with the exception of a few minor cases being admitted to hospital. There is special mention of a Sergeant Gregson being sent home, due to suffering from a chronic abscess, the result of some treatment he had before arriving at the Hospital in Étaples.
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St. John Ambulance Brigade Hospital,
Army Post Office S. 11,
British Expeditionary Force,
France.
6/10/15.
The Director,
The Ambulance Department,
The Order of St. John of Jerusalem
In England.
My Lord,
The past week has been an extremely busy one for the
Hospital, receiving convoys of sick and wounded and evacuating
cases able to proceed to England or elsewhere. In this way over
five hundred cases have been admitted and over three hundred dis-
charged.
Up to date there have been fourteen deaths and one
hundred and four operations.
I am in receipt of a letter from Mr. Edwards stating
that Mr. Wilson of the Daily Express, on the suggestion of Miss
Amherst, proposes to visit the hospital. I enclose an order on
the question of matter for the press. If Mr. Wilson came out I
presume he would make arrangements with the Military Authorities
as to publishing a report of the hospital.
Fresh ground will have to be taken up if we increase
the number of our buildings, more staff would be required and
further accommodation for them. Therefore I doubt the advisability
of increasing our number of beds. I do not think it could now be
done for £2,000 or anything near that, but I will go into the
subject further and report next month.
The staff and personnel generally are well, there
have been a few minor cases of illness requiring admission to
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Hospital, and one – Sergeant Gregson – has been invalided home
for Chronic Abscess, the result of some treatment he received
before joining the Hospital.
I have the honour to be,
Your Lordship’s
Obedient servant.
James Clark
I have already written enquiries
The Revd. Gower to Mr. Edwards.
Clark
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Copy
D.G. Mo. 478/2/15.
A.D.M.S.
ETAPLES
———————————————-
It has been brought to notice that officers
have submitted articles for publication direct to the War
Office without passing them through this office.
Will you, therefore, please inform all officers
under your command that all articles professional or
otherwise intended for publication in the press must be
forwarded through the usual official channels to this office.
(Sgd) T.P. Woodhouse.
Director General Medical Services
British Forces in the Field.
G.H.Q.
6th May, 1915.
