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TWO MORE DAYS ON THE CHANNEL COAST 291
skull was cracked, but the brain was evidently uninjured. He
was a wonderfully plucky chap. According to himself it was
nothing to speak of, and he deferentially asked the doctor
to be so kind as to see that he was put right as soon as possible
as he wanted to get out again. He seemed a little peculiar,
however, and seemed to have had a terrible shock. The hair
was cut and shaved away, the wound was washed with subli-
mate and benzine. Tincture of iodine was painted on with
a brush and a piece of gauze with iodoform applied. There-
upon he was bandaged so thoroughly that only mouth, nose
and eyes were free.
" Next man !
" He was a Fleming in Belgian uniform.
He had been shot through the seat, and was treated with the
same care as the German soldiers. An ashen paleness lay over
his features and he looked tired and done-up, but seemed very
grateful for the attention given him as he was carried away
from the table.
And so it went on. Every time that " next man " was
called, another wounded soldier was brought in for treatment,
I had thought of making a note of the cases, but they were
too many and were dealt with in double shifts by the two
doctors.
When the whole lot had been seen to, we went out guided
by a lantern. The rain had formed great puddles in the street.
" Wer da?" cried a sentry, but let us pass when he saw we
were doctors. We were now taken to a house of three stories
where every room was occupied. The few beds there were,
had been requisitioned, and when they were all gone the
wounded men were laid on the floor. Most of them were in
a deep and heavy sleep, dead-tired after all they had gone
through. Some snored in different keys, it was rest, rest,
rest that they wanted above everything. Now and then we
heard a deep sigh, but no groaning, no complaining. The
French and Belgians are as submissive and as patient as the
Germans.
They are too many to be taken down to the emergency
operating theatre. The doctors go from bed to bed, and now
and then a hght is projected to display the wound, which is
treated in most cases in the way I have described. The
broken victims of war show no fear of the doctor or of his in-
tentions. On the contrary, they are glad that he is willing to
help them. Clenched teeth and grimaces alone show what
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