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ON THE WAY TO THE FRONT 41
Herein we have perhaps the explanation of the fact observed
at the Treves hospitals, or, at all events, at the Horn barracks,
that the mortality amongst the Frenchmen was incomparably
greater than amongst the Germans. It would be futile to
try to explain it by the suggestion that the doctors and nurses
involuntarily felt greater compassion for their own country-
men, for when it is considered that 35,000 wounded have been
transported through Treves Westbahnhof—latterly 1500 a day
—
it will be realised that the doctors available must be so over-
whelmed with work as to have no time for sentiment. To
them the case is everything, and it is a point of honour with
them to save as many as possible. The whole care of the
wounded becomes a professional, almost mechanical, matter,
and one cannot wonder at it when one sees the stream of
wounded passing through. I was told that the wounds
of the Germans heal better and quicker than those of the
Frenchmen, whatever the reason may be. But plainly
the psychological factor has something to do with this
also.
To this must be added another point of view—the wounds
of the Frenchmen are usually more malignant than those of
the Germans. Whilst the former are all too frequently hit in
the lungs, stomach or abdomen, the Germans in the great
majority of cases are wounded in the shoulders, arms and legs.
It becomes obvious that the Germans must keep closer to the
ground and are more skilled in using cover. It would be in-
teresting to know exactly in what measure this point is affected
by the French army uniform, the dark blue tunic and the
bright red trousers, exactly the same as worn in 1870-71.
This dress obviously presents a most excellent target, whilst
the Germans with their grey field uniforms and grey head-
gear merge into their environment.
We were talking in this strain as we were leaving the hospi-
tal, and the young doctors were inexhaustible in their stories
of what they had experienced during their work at Treves. It
was not only the barracks that had been converted into
hospitals—churches and schools had also been requisitioned.
" But how do the children get on with their schooling if the
schools are turned into hospitals ?
" " Well, it is this way.
Since the younger professors and masters were called to the
war, older teachers, both men and women, have turned up from
almost everjrwhere and carry on the work to the best of their
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