lt for any one who has not had an opportunity of observing
the actual amount of work performed in the Field hospitals either to
appreciate the storm and stress following an important engagement when
the wounded men are first brought in, or the demands that are made on
the powers of the medical officers in charge. To a civilian the first
feeling is one of impotence, followed by an attempt to see no further
than the case under immediate observation, and to nurture the conviction
that the work is to be got through if it is only stuck to. I gathered
that this first impression was absent in the minds of the officers in
charge of the Field hospitals, as work commenced at once, and was
carried on without intermission during the persistence of daylight, in
the winter often by the aid of lanterns, and eventually the huge task
was accomplished. In early days at Orange River work commenced at 4
A.M., and was steadily continued until 6 P.M. or later, and this state
of things persisted sometimes for many days together.

The officers of the Field hospitals, the bearer companies, and those
doing regimental duty carried out their duties with a calmness and
efficiency which not only impressed observers like myself, but also
excited the admiration of our German colleagues sent by their government
to observe the working of the British system.

I saw on several occasions the German and Dutch ambulances, and was much
struck by the excellence of their equipment. In some details there was
much to be learned from them, especially in the matter of appliances,
dressings, and instruments. The Dutch ambulance I saw at Brandfort had a
complete installation of acetylene gas, which was carried, gasometer and
all, in one Scotch cart. They were, however, really designed to fill the
combined position of our Field, Stationary, and General hospitals, and
when it became necessary for them to move about frequently, the inferior
mobility they possessed in comparison with our own Field hospitals was
at once demonstrated.

The large General hospitals of 500 beds were a great feature in the
campaign. Although designed and organised some time since, the present
was the first occasion on which they have come into general use, and
they may be said to have actually been on trial. The organisation of
these hospitals proved itself excellent, and in the case of the best of
them left little to be desired.

In some cases the accommodation was temporarily strained eno