Apparatus designed to purify wash water from baths before turning it
into the streams; designs for the building of small chlorinating
plants near the trenches, and the construction of field incinerators
for consuming garbage, were constantly being referred to us for
consideration and suggestions; we thus had a variety of sanitary work
of an interesting and useful kind, which helped to keep us busy.
The nature of our activities carried us through the area of shell
fire, among the batteries and sometimes quite close to the trenches.
We were free lances to all intents and purposes and frequently had to
hunt out new problems to work upon. In travelling about in the course
of our work we saw things more or less from the spectator's
standpoint, and there were few things going on that escaped us.
Many sad and depressing sights were witnessed, and one received many
vivid impressions of what war means to an invaded country,--impressions
which can only be attained by actual experience.
Accompanied by the sanitary officer of the 19th division one morning I
saw a very sad example of what ignorance of the essentials of hygiene
can bring about. Down in a swampy spot on a branch of the canal was a
little hamlet, and one of the tiny houses was occupied by a family of
refugees from La Bassee.
When we entered the house swarms of flies flew up from the table and
buzzed about while we did our best to prevent them from settling upon
us.
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