Red Cross Department [pp. 480-487]

RED CROSS DEPARTMENT
28th, there were furnished upon requisitions
signed by surgeons in charge, medicines and
supplies aggregating $I,020.06. The bill for
eggs for July and August was $361.20, and for
July alone the milk bill was $I85, with many
generous donations besides. The order placing all serious cases of illness in the Division
Hospital has further relieved the responsibilities of the committee. There is now no necessity for constant visiting, although the Society always stands in readiness to supply all
deficiencies in the care of the sick so far as it
it able to do so.
The Red Cross Hospital Tent was a further
expression of the desire to alleviate the horrors
of illness in camp. On May I2th the Tent was
erected at the Presidio and a committee with
Mrs. Wendell Easton at its head was formed.
Mrs. Easton's duties as head of the Nurses'
Committee for Manila obliged her to resign,
and the work has since been effectively carried on by Mrs. George H. Buckingham. In
no branch of the work has the elasticity oif the
Society been more manifested, nor the willingness of workers to do the right thing at
the right time and to be ready for any emergency, regardless of time or trouble, been
better shown than in the Red Cross Hospital work. No sooner were the four tents well
established at the Presidio, than the exodus
to Camp Merritt made it necessary for them
to move. Twice they were shifted whilt there,
that they might render the most effective service possible, and the end of August found
them again at the Presidio, proving wherever
they have been, a wellspring of comfort, as
many grateful men have testified. Patients
were sent from various regiments, the regimental surgeons remaining in charge, while
trained nurses and all food and supplies were
furnished by the Red Cross Society. The
fourteen beds were always full, and including
extra meals, an average of sixty-three per day
were served.
With the last move came a change of work.
The order to remove all the sick in tents to
the Division Hospital took from the Red
Cross Tent its appointed work, but instead of
resting on their oars the committee proceeded
to do what they could to prevent illness by
serving well-cooked meals to men too ill for
regular rations, but not ill enough for the hospital. The Tent was re-christened the Diet
Tent, and from one hundred to one hundred
and fifty meals are served daily. Gruel and
broths are carried in some instances to the
tents upon suggestion of the surgeons of the
neighboring regiments, and between meals
the tent is used as a resting place for soldiers,
books and papers being provided for their
entertainment.
On May I7th, another important branch of
the work was organized, the Ferry Hospitality Committee. Reports reached us of men
arriving at the water front hungry and exhausted from travel, who were obliged at once
to undertake the long march to the Presidio,
and who frequently waited hours for food after arriving in camp. A committee with Mrs.
Lowen,berg as chairman was formed. Tables
were spread at the ferry through the courtesy of the Harbor Commissioners, and a.
hearty welcome extended to all incoming
troops. Lunches have also been furnished for
troops leaving on transports. The headquarters have for some weeks ibeen kept open all:
day and every day for the comfort of soldiers.
coming in from camp. Mrs. Lowenberg
says:- "Soldiers tiredof,the monotonyof camp
life coming into town, instead of wandering.
aimlessly about and drifting into saloons,,
visit the hospitality rooms and enjoy the quiet
and comforts provided for them. Reading
matter and stationery are furnished and a cupof coffee and a sandwich may be had at any
time for the asking. In all 67,315 soldiers
have received refreshment at the hands of thecommittee during its four months' work. The
great uncertainty attending the movements of
troops has made the work most difficult to
manage, but greater order has prevailed.
Helpers have been numerous, and in spite of[
difficulties, it has been the most popular of all
the committees.
The supply depot at I6 Post street was
opened May I3th, under the efficient managemenit of Mrs. Theodore E. Smith, the Fair
estate kindly giving us the use of a vacant
store. For three months it was the busiest
spot to be found where Red Cross work was.
done. Here all donations of goods were received; stores awaiting shipment on transports were cared for; here the hospital visitors came to make their requisitions for the
camps, and here the hum of sewing machines
daily proclaimed what the busy fingers of the
San Francisco women were doing for the soldiers. Here, also, literature was packed and
assorted for the ships, and.wagon loads of
goods daily prepared to send to the camps,
while the departure of each transport meant
the purchase and packing of a long list of
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