AWM41 1024 - [Nurses Narratives] Sister Pierre-Humbert - Part 1

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SISTER PIERRE-HUMBERT.
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[[Claim]] No. 373.2
 

1123/24
Letters Sr Piere-Humbert
May 1915
3^rd AGH “Australian” England
June 1915 – France Lemnos and
Alexandria
Lemnos Aug 5^th 1915 – us waters
broad immediate. Lone Pine -
received 250 cases straight from
the field – patients, Englishmen, Indians, Scottish, Irish, Australians
and New Zealanders.
[[Ver??]] no baths, shortage of water. Fly pest.
Great breakfast for patients from
Red Cross supplies.
The Official War Histories of the 

Commonwealth Government (Dr. C. E. W. Bean), after his study of the  collection of private war records preserved in the Australian  War Memorial Library, wrote :- "The private diaries in this collection furnish some of its most  valuable historical records, but like all private memoirs which were  not compiled with any historical purpose, they should not be  regarded as first-hand evidence except where it is certain that they  are so. The diarist is almost always sincere in his desire to record  accurately, but he is subject to no obligation or inducement to  indicate whether he is recording his own observation or incidents  told him by friends or heard at third or fourth hand heard at the mess table.   Thus, in some of the diaries in this collection, scenes described with  vivid detail, and without any warning that they are told at second  or third hand have been found to be completely inaccurate in  important details. A certain number have been written up  or reviewed long after the events, though doubtless usually from notes  made at the time. In most cases the student must rely on his  experience and on internal evidence to guide him in judging what is  and what is not likely to be historically accurate."

XI & XII E153/1/19
Notes by Sister Pierre Humbert 
covering work at Lemnos & in Egypt

THIRD AUSTRALIAN GENERAL HOSPITAL. [[ Clearing??]] 123/24
NOTES TAKEN DOWN FROM SISTER PIERRE--HUMBERT
On the 18th of May   I left Australia with the Third 

General Hospital on s.s. "Mooltan". We had an uneventful voyage until we reached Western Australia when innoculating and vaccinating was begun. 
After that we spent most of our time giving lecture to the 
A.A.M.C. boys in bandaging and nursing duties etc. The other part of
the time was taken up with physical and military drill. In the afternoons,
we had lectures, given by M. Os., on Military Hospital Administration,
and very interesting lectures on Nursing subjects by Lt. Col. Stawe II.
The most trying part of the voyage, together with the innoculations and 
vaccinations, was the dinner at night which was official, as each night 
we had to remain at table for the Toast of the King, which was patriotically
drank with water.
I was vaccinated four times without any result.
The trip was in many ways interesting. We visited Colombo,
Bombay, Adeh, Port Said, Marseilles, Gibraltar, arriving in Plymouth
in June 1915. We proceeded to London where we remained three weeks
awaiting orders.
We sailed for Lemnos via Alexandria about the 18th July 
on the Australian Troopship "Demosthenes" arriving in Alexandria about
10 days later. 
In a Alexandria, the work being heavy and nursing sisters very
short, we were commandeered for work in the 21st British Hospital.
After working there for five days we sailed for Lemnos on the Hospital
Ship "Glenlune Castle". We disembarked from the "Glenlune Castle" on to a
boat called "Simla" and remained in the harbour for about five days
landed at Lemnos on the 8th August 1915.
At 6 a.m. on the following morning I looked round for water
to wash, but as there was no other water than that in the harbour, I
decided to go down and have a wash in the sea, but before doing so I was called for duty. I arrived in the Marquee to find Colonel Stawell
packing mattresses on the floor. I looked around and saw a large water
bag and a bucket and I asked the orderly to get these utensils filled,
there being only one water cart bringing water from the Barge to the
Hospital, at that time. We made up the beds with just mattresses

(2).

and blankets. The Patients arrived, there being 45 Surgical cases

straight from the field with Field Dressings.  We cut off their clothes

which were covered in blood, washed them, using triangular bandages

as washers and towels, hanging them on the sides of the tents to dry

between the washings, We had no other equipment but the mattresses and

blankets. We had to prop patients up with mattresses, blankets and in 

some cases even stones. Then came the difficulty of feed the patients

with supplies of pea soup and arrowroot provided. They had to be fed

out of Field Service Mess Tins borrowed from the A.A.M.C. boys.
 The lighter cases were separated and dressed in the best

of the clothing to be found, and put outside of the tent to lie down,

while more serious cases took their places on the floor.  Arranging for

the utensils of water in the morning, saved the situation for the day.

By evening we had managed to gather together a fair amount of 

crockery and utensils. At midday we were able to run along to the

Mess Hut where we had Bully beef, biscuits and tea, (the bread being so

bad that it was uneatable) provided on two boards nailed along the centre

poles of the Marquee.

The following ^morning, I was obliged to give up my ward to a sister

who came ashore that day, and told to report at No. 2 Australian

Stationary Hospital which was about a 15 minutes walk from us. There

I was given a dressing tent, and on the Wednesday morning following the

battle of Lone Pine to-gether with two R.A.M.C. Sgts. and one R.A.M.C.

orderly, we prepared to receive patients who were now coming up from

the beach. On that day we dressed 250 cases straight from the field,

sorting them out for urgent and less urgent operations, and sending them

on to their various wards.

In the morning before leaving No. 3 we took breakfast, which 

consisted of bread, jam and tea, and returned to dinner at midday, which

consisted of Bully beef, biscuits, jam, rice and the predominating factor

being flies. We returned again at 6 p.m. for tea, the same menu

excepting that we could find nothing to drink, after which we returned

to No. 2 Stationary for a further three hours work. I carried on this

Dressing Station for five days, when I fell ill and had to retire to bed.

After remaining there one day, taking only sips of brandy and water, I

was given duty to attend to the various sisters who were ill, this being

(3).

a very difficult job as we only had a Field Kitchen, and could not

obtain kerosine to use a Primus, and very little methelated spirits

to use in the spirit lamp which I carried with me.

After this I was given a ward and we made 32 beds in two

Marquees with blankets and pillows. During the night the patients

arrived and as there was not sufficient room, the bedsteads were

thrown outside and many other mattresses brought into use.  I arrived

on duty at 7.15 a.m.; there were 15 patients in the ward on mattresses

on the floor together with their packs and all personal belongings.

Several of these patients were Indians of various classes, e.g. Ghurkhas,

Sighs, etc. the others were English, Scotch, Irish, Australians and

New Zealanders. The only utensils in the ward being Hurricane Lamp

and a thermometer. The greater number of these patients were Dysentery cases; they had not been washed nor anything done for them, having

been admitted during the night from the barge. This was a most difficult

job, the main thing being the feeding. There was tea and arrowroot

provided at the kitchen but there were no utensils to bring it up to the

ward. There was also at the ward when I arrived, two A.A.M.C. boys who

had never done any duties in wards and they were absolutely helpless.

At this stage Lt. Colonel Cudmore arrived, having his wards almost

opposite. The sisters being unwilling to part with their utensils,

as it was a very difficult matter to get equipped in the early days

of Lemnos, he (Col. Cudmore) lent me equipment from his own wards, after

giving him my word that I would return everything.  I then had 3 bowls

a Bucket and Dixie, one Enamel Wash dish, two knives and two bedpans.

With this bucket and Dixie we were able to draw some breakfast for the

patients, ( tea and Mazena) We pinched  water from the next ward and

so were able to wash the bowls, after one patient had finished his meal,

for the next one. They were all fed with the exception of the coloured

patients, and these we gave milk as they would take nothing else.

Our equipment remained in that condition for two days as the equipment

was either not in stock or had not been unpacked, but we managed to

wash, feed and fix up all treatment. The Indians were then taken away

to their own Hospital, and we began to get straight, water still being

the difficulty as it was several hundred yards away from the tents.

(4). 

Our third Marquee being erected and prepared we put all our beds in to

the wards, sending all clothing and mattresses to the fumigator, getting 

fresh ones for them and also sheets.

For the first four or five weeks we were a mixed Medical

ward, having all classes of cases. The Sanitary arrangements being

incomplete, the disposal of all refuse was very difficulty and we had to

arrange in the best way we could.  I arranged for boxes, large baths,

and buckets with cresol. The boxes on the surrounding ground were

washed with lime two or three times a day.  I dispensed with commodes

provided at the sides of the wards for the patients. No Dysentery

patient was allowed out of bed. I noticed that these places were

always absolutely covered with flies so thick that the commodes were

not visible. I got rid of these and, consequently, had less flies to

deal with. For the first two weeks these patients were most difficult

to feed, as immediately they xxx improved and took bread they were ill

again, often worse than ever. The supply of biscuits at the Supply

Store was very short, the patient being almost entirely fed on Water

Arrowroot and Milk Arrowroot, and poached eggs. After the first fortnight the Red Cross Hospital Depot was opened, and the food question

became less difficult owing to better supplies of more suitable food.

The greatest difficulty we had to contend with, was vermin.

There were no baths and each patient who arrived was literally covered

with them, and we had to arrange for a corner in the ward with screens

where the patients were warned to strip throwing everything belonging

to them, outside the tent, bathing in tubs of water provided and then

washing themselves in disinfectant, putting on clean pyjamas and getting

into their clean beds. Stretcher cases were washed on Mackintosh

Sheets, excepting in the Winter when they were washed in blankets,

which were sent on to the fumigator as soon as the washing was finished.

This was not done right through the Hospital. Pyjamas and other linen

returned from the Laundry were also infested with vermin, and in spite

of all the care, the patients were again found to be infested with them.

As there was no provision for dealing with the linen whereby the patient

was kept clean, we sent the clean linen to the fumigator before being

put into use, and in that way the difficulty was overcome.

After this my ward was made a Dysentery ward, ox

(5).

only Dysentery cases being admitted. The first of the Dysentery being

Amoebe. We had as many as 100 Hyperdermic injections to give each day.

Being away from most classes of fresh food, it was difficult to arrange

how these patients were to be fed, not being able to give them bread,

which was always of a very poor quality. They were fed almost from 

supplies of sage, masena and tinned milk. Having built a little camp

fire and having a friend in the Butchers shop, I was able to make fresh

Soup for my patients every day, thickened with cornflower, and flavoured

with Soup Powder provided by the Red Cross. This soup formed a great

addition to the daily menu as they appeared to need that kind of thing.

A couple of ounces of Port Wine was supplied to each patient before

going to sleep, and each one was given six ounces of barley water twice

a day, as well as Lime-juice, until they were able to get on to more

solid food, when they were given biscuits, poached eggs, and then as a

rule they were transferred to a Hospital Ship.

Then came the Bacilliary Dysenterys, so we must not forget

the little Laboratory at the side of the hill where our Specimen were

sent and despatched with the utmost speed. In my opinion many lives

were saved in this particular form of Dysentery by the early administration

of Anti-Dysenteric Serum into the vein. Colonel Martin was in

charge of the Laboratory.

We paid the greatest attention and care to our Sanitary

arrangements, and also our Kitchen refuse, keeping everything in the

way of food covered, and whisking the flies out of the ward every two

or three hours, constantly using flypapers, and by so doing we were

able to minimise the fly pest.

These Dysentery wards were very much understaffed, the

extent of nursing in these cases being very much underestimated, there

being one orderly on night duty and one Staff Nurse between two wards

of 50 patients each. On Day duty there was one Sister, one Staff Nurse,

and two orderlies. These ward were at the extreme end of the camp

and the Supply Stores at the other, all dirty water having to be carried

to the sea, and all refuse and excreta to the incinerator therefore, 

there was very little seen of the orderlies for nursing duties, Cleaning

both inside and outside of the wards having to be seen to by the

Sisters. The Convalescant patients were utilised to help with all

(6).

duties and for this I cannot praise them enough as they helped me

with the outside work, making fireplaces, cupboards, and any job they xx

were put to; The weaker patients doing the lighter jobs such as picking

up rubbish and papers round about the wards, others sweeping, mopping,

digging, fencing and in many cases hanging on to the ropes of the tents

during heavy windstorms, which were very numerous on the Island.

I must now say a word about the Red Cross supplies as

without these the patients could not be kept warm and comfortable during

the Winter months. We had good supplies of caps, mufflers, socks, 

pyjamas etc. which were very essential, as the cold was extreme and

there was no xxxxx way of heating the tents. With these supplies, together

with footwarmers, the patients were kept warm and comfortable.

I feel that I cannot say enough xxxxxxx in praise of this institution

during my stay on Lemnos.

Though in my opinion there were numbers of things that

might have been improved upon under the great difficulties that existed

on the Island, I feel thankful for memories of the heroic way the

patients put up with the difficulties.

In concluding with Lemnos, I must class the six months

I spent there as being the happiest of my life, as I was able to do

so much for the boys who were so far away from their home, and I had

many regrets when I was told that my tents had to be struck.  However, 

I had the pleasure of seeing the remainder of my patients transferred

to the good old "Acquatania".

After a few days the Sisters were told to pack up and proceed

to the barge, but after waiting there six hours, the Barge not

turning up take us across, we had to return to camp again. As

all our things were packed up we had to make shift for the night but

made another start at 6 a.m. next morning arriving at the Hospital

Ship and Civilization at 11 a.m. We had breakfast in good old home

style, such a breakfast we had not had for six months. We remained

in the harbour four or five days, where I spent an interesting time

watching them loading the equipment of the Third Australian General

Hospital under the hold of the ship, including the Red Cross motor

boat. This was done by the men in torrents of rain and very heavy

winds, and they deserve the greatest ^credit for their work.

(7).

This accomplished we steamed out of the harbour on the Hospital

Ship "Oxfordshire" this being the first hospital ship in use in the

great War. We arrived in Alexandria on Sunday Morning

where we received all our mail from "Aussie" after not having had

any for six weeks. From Alexandria we entrained for Cairo, this

being our first trip on a Hospital train. On arrival there we were

billeted at Hena House while preparation was being made xxxxx for

our Hosptial at "Abbassia".

Arriving at "Abbassia on , after a weeks

stay at Hena, we were shown into an ancient Turkish High Room which

was to be our home; it was not yet cleaned or prepared for us.

We were told to choose our rooms with our friends, each room to

accommodate six sisters. Having chosen the one I was to share with

others, I set to work and cleaned the walls, and floors etc., to

make it habitable. I was now told to take charge of a ward which

was being equipped in Abbassia Barracks, this place having been

freshly cleaned out and painted, it having a nice balcony overlooking

the Compound, and from the windows we had a most beautiful view of

the town and Recreation Gardens. There was ample room in the ward

for 50 beds, a good linen and cupboards (medicine). We had a day and

a half before receiving the patients and while waiting for the linen

to be laundered I was fortunate in getting sheets, towels etc. from

the Red Cross.  We received 50 patients, transfers from another

hospital, at 11 a.m. Saturday morning. Some were stretcher

cases, others walkers. One particular case just recovering from a

double pneumonia being fully dressed even to his spurs. When he was

put on the bed he said it had taken him two hours to dress and he

did not know how he was going to get them off; he was told to lie still

and they would be taken off for him. This patient was exceedingly ill

for some days and then was diagnosed "Para typhoid". After coming

off the "dangerously ill" list he was transferred to Shoobra, it being

the British Infectious Diseases Hospital.

Then came the Boarding of patients for Australia, which

was done by Colonel Stawell.  Most of these patients were transferred

to Luna Park.

We were now changed into a Surgical Ward getting accidents