Diaries and documents of John Dominic Palandri - Part 5

March
12

Two more dopes this morning. Getting the hang of 

these chlos now, the old rule of moderate amount of
chlo. and plenty of air is the main point to be on
the way to a decent anaesthetic. Judging of depth is
the hardest thing to do, and apparently a greater
degree of relaxation can be obtained with a much
lighter chlo. anaesthetic than with a corresponding
depth with ether. Fairly good relaxation even
at the stage when a patient is about to cough
and gag.
Letter sheets & cards to-day, two of each, but I felt
a bit too blue to write - waiting anxiously for
letters from home. What's happening to them!
Beautiful day to-day.
The two dopes to-day were for two acute appendices,
both genuine, left over from yesterday.
March 
13
Friday the 13^th. Beautiful day, two anaesthetics,
both went well.
Lads went out for a walk this afternoon, on the
whole had a good trip. I'm still staying in.
The McKay, M.O. at one of the Stalag Commandos
came in for eye-treatment and had lunch with
us. Visited by a Swedish Y.M.C.A. lad who
is the one who came to Lamsdorf while we were
there.
Rumour that Russians have taken Danzig.
Well!!

March 

14
One more anaesthetic this morning, went O.K.,
or as well as chlos. have been going lately. Went
back and got between the blankets immediately
afterwards and slept till after 11 o'clock. A batman
left the door open during that time and a Gerry officer
saw me from the end of the passage, wanted to
know my name & number & so on, but his
messenger would not wake me to enquire so he
did not get his information.
Had our third antityphus injection just before
lunch, I in left breast, hurt quite a lot at
the time, otherwise O.K.
Five Russian medical cases came to me
to-day.
Sunday
March 

15
Confession, Mass, & Communion at 7.30, great
blessing to have a priest here. Jolly nice chap, our
French priest, a doctor of divinity I think, and it
often tickles me to reflect on what his thoughts must
be regarding the French outlook on morals and
religion, as typified by that of the men here.
Casting no bricks, of course, none of us can afford
to.
Read for most of the rest of the day, and, late
afternoon, examined my five new Russians in
detail with the help of the Yugoslav officer.
Poor devils, they must have a bad time. One
in particular was so thin he reminded me of
the ones we saw in our second day at Lamsdorf,
just a walking skeleton.

March
16
Mark is three To-day, just double the age he was
when I left as shown in my photo of him and John.
As I went to bed last night I did a quick calculation
and found that he was three years and five hours
old, and I thought back on the rather amusing
incidents of the night of his birth, not from Glad's point
of view of course. It's waste of xxx time remarking again
on how much I'd like to see them all, but it's none the
less true
One anaesthetic this morning, the last of the chlos so far.
Slept quite a bit this afternoon, and woke to find that
the others had received letters, mainly from England,
and I missed out again. I'm fed up to the back-teeth
with this mail business. Was told too, from the pharmacist,
that the Spalteholz will not be available again in
Germany until after the war.
Three more Russians came in this afternoon, all thin
as Hell, one with a spontaneous pneumothorax. Would
be grand to have X-Ray here and facilities for doing
A.Ps etc..
March 

17
Two anaesthetics only, otherwise day was
uneventful.
St Patrick's Day — Gwennyth Tibbutt's daughter's
third birthday.
Rumour that German General made an unsuccessful
attempt on Hitler's life lately — nice crop of
furphies lately.

March
18
Rumours from the French this morning that
English & Americans landed yesterday at Biarritz,
La Rochelle & another point & the west coast of
France, strongly supported by English & Yank air
forces. Further rumours this afternoon that Hitler
has asked for a separate peace with the Russians
& has been refused, and that Germans are complaining
that the R.A.F. is bombing their forces in Southern
Russia from Turkey.
Two anaesthetics this morning & removed a
lipoma from a Russian's occiput this afternoon
under L.A.
March 

19
Two anaesthetics, otherwise quiet.

March
20
Gave one dope, dentist gave second for Oberarzt
to do femoral hernia, during which he punctured
the femoral vein and had to oversew.
Lads out for a walk in afternoon, Fosie, Allan
while Stoker went with guards to swim in public
baths.
Allan, Fosy & I later had coffee & a yarn with
some of the French M.Os.
All sorts of rumours coming in about conditions,
non-military, locally, & air-activity against France
& Germany.
Frenchman came in from one of Stalags, Commandos, very
ill, sent in by civvie doc having had appendicitis
for several days. Gave him a chlo. at 11 p.m.
while Elbaz & Fosy did job - belly-full of pus
& gangrenous appendix, plaques of fibrin over
bowel & peritoneum, bowel not looking so good.
Sewn up with two large drain-tubes in situ.
Left him subsequently to care of Almighty, with
about 10-25% chance.
March 

21
While giving two anaesthetics this morning, the
Chefarzt saw my Russian with the pneumothorax
and instructed Assistantarzt to do pleural puncture.
This he did while I was there, but by chance, he
having told me nothing of it, and after draining
off about 760 ccs turbid fluid, left needle in situ
& buzzed off - incidentally letting off another
kidney-dish full, rather more than expected. I
interviewed Chefarzt immediately, and he
eventually gave me an undertaking that nothing
would be done in future to any of my patients
without first discussing the matter with me.
One of my Russkis passed on to-day at midday,
natural causes.

Sunday
March
22
Communion at early Mass which I reached just
before Elevation, back to bed afterwards with word to
batman to call me for. Missa Cantata, but he slipped me
up.
Watched lads play football after lunch, all English
lads except goalkeepers who were both Russians — played
in yard, which, though short, is O.K., though thaw made
it a bit sloppy to-day. Talked to Dr Grosse for a
while afterwards.
No news of any sort to-day. The Russian who was
aspirated yesterday has been running a temp for a
couple of days now. These Russians are fighters.
In spite of being told to stay in bed & let their pals
look after them, the sickest keep on going to the [[?abott]]
and, if they could, would go on spud-fatigue to
the kitchen to earn extra soup. Can understand
their outlook, realising the times they've been through,
but they cannot be made to understand the severity
of their condition. The Russian above is no exception
News from Angus, very interesting about three.
Has started a train of 'thought' in me involving
Zz Clementina & Celestina.
March 23
One dope only, this morning. Spent most of rest of
morning & afternoon checking through Russkis. Was
puzzled till to.day how I missed diagnosing the
sick one as a pyopneumothorax instead of a
pneumothorax (took another 800 ccs. off to-day).
Suddenly realised that, having examined him
recumbent, the fluid found its own level and
was at back of chest, leaving the front tympanitic.
To-day, before aspiration, a check showed dullness
from 5th rib to 5-6 F.b below costal margin
Dullness (lower) lifted 3 F.b. after aspiration. Fluid
contains pus — probably die.
Sat for a while on balcony of N.C.Os' room,
our old room, and sun was glorious. Have done it
several times recently — brings back pleasant
memories of first spring days at home, and how we
used bask and glory in the young sun — specially
at Perth Hospital.
News of W.V..

[*2*]
March
24
Morning consisted of one dope (chlo) which was a bit
obstinate, otherwise nothing much. Major MacKay was
in to-day, and during the day we heard quite a
lot of interesting news regarding the Russian front and
Australia, that of the latter dealing mainly with
reinforcements and actions near the north-eastern coast.
Spent most of the rest of the afternoon reading the first
volume of "Good Companions", jolly good, too.
Wrote to Glad and the family in the evening.
March
25
Two again this morning, both O.K., and had the use
of an oxygen cylinder complete with corrugated rubber
feed-tube, rubber face-piece (as on Gas-machine) and
exhaust-valve. Great feeling to have it alongside the
table.
Rest of day more or less uneventful, though the lads
are a little up in the air, especially V. Finished off the
second volume of "The Good Companions", and, during
the evening, Vanderbeck and Viellat had a meal
with us. Rather sorry our preparation of a meal is
not so succulent as theirs.
Had a few kicks of a football during the afternoon. 

March
26
Only one dope this morning as Fosy and Elbaz
had to go early to the Charity Hospital to attend
a p.m. on a Frenchman from a Commando who
died following an appendicitis. During the op. the
Chefarzt came in, and, while there, told me that my
tin box had been located by the railways.
Another beautiful spring day, everyone feeling
a bit skittish, even Sister, who, I think, has
ideas — we're nearly all like that, I'm afraid - it
must be the spring.
During the afternoon Alan was looking through
his kit and found a rubber air-way, which he
lent me - gradually getting a few things together.
Must ask the Chefarzt to get me a couple for the
theatre for permanent use — should have done it
long ago.
[*1*]
March
27
Couple of jobs this morning, O.K., both went well. Beautiful
day outside, spring breezes, sunshine, people walking
in street, outpatients going back to their Commandos
and brewery-waggons delivering near-beer to the shop
across the road. V & V. zenith.
Afternoon quiet, Alan & Fosy went on walk, sorry
I could not, as the tin-box with my cap in it had
not yet turned up. Had a letter from Glad to-day
written on Jan 2^nd — John in Busselton with Eileen M.
Glad to take the others down by train in a day or two
Hazel apparently gone. Everything O.K.. Ginge
and Ian have a son born at the end of the
year!  Photo of David, at 9 months.
Evening rather exciting, alarms & excursions,
but everything rather smooth and seven A.4.0.
Alan and I talked quite a bit about this & that
before going to bed but our room-mates took no
part in the conversation.
Another British M.O. reached us to-day from
the Black Forest region, English captain named
Wiltshire, very nice lad, who is to share the
other room, not ours. Told us that he was informed
he was to come here in place of 3 British M.Os.
who were leaving.

March
28
German guard came in at about 7.30, Alan
and I were awake, but the other two did not
move an inch, lazy b—rs!
Had either one or two anaesthetics this a.m.,
can't remember which. Air of expectancy about
the place, but morning passed off quietly.
Must be the spring.
Had two new Russians to-day, both like
rakes, one obviously dying of Tb with half his
right lung gone, the other quite sick with bronchitis
and possibly pneumonia.
Alan and I had another long talk this
evening, others still very reserved, won't join in.
Germans report an unsuccessful English attack
on St. Nazaire.
Received my tin box with all contents intact.
Some little time ago I wrote to Mr. Troy in London
to send me a service - or forage-cap — superfluous
now.
Sunday
March
29
Confession, Mass & Communion at 7.30. Went back
to bed subsequently and slept until about 11 a.m..
During the afternoon played skittles and kicked a
football about and that was about the sum-total of
the day's activities.

March
30

A day's good clean fun to.day. It started at 
about 9.45 when Chefarzt summonded the
French doctors to his office. That was when the
absence of Vanderbecq and Vialard was noticed.
A little later it was intensified when the absence
of Weston, Hetherington, & Stoker became known, and
we all had to toe the mat. Considering the
circumstances the Chefarzt contained himself very
well. It is to be regretted that we were unable 
to answer questions, which were repeated by an
officer from the Stalag office after he had examined
our rooms. He was very courteous. The business
caused quite a stir in the lower dovecotes and
one N.C.O. was almost in tears at the loss of a 
"cobber".
Nett result, official estimate is that the three
left on Sunday, that all walks are cancelled
and that there is Appel at 8 a.m. & p.m. IA
is now completely under Wiltshire & me, he taking
about 60-70 cases, and I 40 and anaesthetics.
Report that the two French officers were retaken on
a train going west. — Concert, alleged to be cancelled.
Capt. Annan RAMC was lunching with us when the
flap started, and the Chefarzt flung him out on 
his ear and ticked off his posten.
[*3*]

March
31
Two dopes this morning, then started to check over
my new cases, and soon afterwards was told by
Fosy that I was to leave anaesthetics and devote
my entire energies to IA. I contend that I can quite
easily handle both and have asked Elbaz to
approach the Chefarzt to request him to change his
decision.
Reports that British attacks on Boulogne, Cherbourg,
and St. Nazaire have been successful and gaining
and retaining a footing at those three points.
We were told to-day that our three lads have
been retaken in northern Germany - ? true.
Wrote letters to Glad & parents, card to Ines.