Bert C. Ball Letter to Dr. Hans Peter Andersen - December 31, 1917
Transcript
[December 31, 1917] Dear Hans, I just started this epistle when the stove pipe crumbled into a heap of joints & smut Most of the latter falling on my writing pad. Things look as if a German whiz bang has stopped in the immediate vicinity but never the less the yard work will carry on. While Sgt Mitchel is compiling all that is known about some medical [MS illegible: 1 wd] and Sgt Suking is elsewhere, the lance [ms illegible: 1 wd] will attempt a brief resume of the news that is permissable to be written. The boys are getting along fine doing quite a bit of work but considerably handicapped with facilities. Such conditions cannot be altered however. Hans we had a very good Thanksgiving and an equally good Xmas dinner. Although other days the bill of fare is the same, we rarely go hungry. Many have created a ravenous appetite for the said army grub, - Hard tack, bully beef (corned beef) and beans also jam. It doesn't seem to be the quality any more, merely the quantity. Had a brief conversation with Cpt Thomas shortly after his arrival, and received the glad news that you were doing fine in your work. I was certainly glad to hear that you were back in the study wheel of again. The Capt. is very proud of this group of men that he escorted across the briny deep.
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Hans got a letter from the Night & Day Bank and they informed me that they had not cashed a chide by you or me, so I shall forward one to them soon. You can probably get some by the time you receive this. I am sending several others at the same time. By jinks I certainly owe you an apology for not having paid you sooner. Have you any news about the boys at the Frat? I heard they were quite successful with their rush parties. They went about things a different manner to what we did at a previous time. Swede sent quite a lot of news recently. We don't write often- not allowed to write much that is of interest - hence we don't get much mail. All mail is censored here before its departure which is a very good idea. While things have been quite during past few weeks it is not regretted as the weather has been fierce. A fair amount of snow has decorated the camp over Xmas holidays (which were not holidays). It was quite cold. When we had to get up in the wee small hours to receive a convoy, it naturally impressed one with the fact that it was quite an unusual Xmas. Few wounded but mostly sick have been coming down. The boys in my ward (surgical) now consist of 4 fractured femurs, 3 thigh amputations, 3 fractured tibias, 1 foot amputation with toe amp. of the other foot, from trench-feet, 3
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Gun shot wounds of the ankle (G.SW. ankle) & about the worst injury to handle I have run up against, 1 arm amputation, 6 fractured humeri, 2 G.S.W. back, 2 G.S.W. buttocks, one of which passed thru [ms illegible: 2 wds] fistula, and a few minor wounds. All fractured i.e. practically all, are comp. comminuted plus an infection. My wards are about half ful at present. Most of the cases are dressed every day. Hence you can see we are kept quite busy. We spent our afternoons in the operating room, scrubbing up and giving anaesthetics using [ms illegible: 1 wd] at present, but have been using Ether up till about 3 weeks ago. However we haven't broken into the big league as surgeons, occasionaly we remove an F.B. (foreign body) or some other minor op. unassisted. The New Year rushes in tomorrow and is looked forward to with great eagerness - and immense amt. of optimism. As usual every body thinks '18 is the first year of this great adventure. Hans it certainly is a big thing. One stands and marvels at some of the stupendous things he sees done. If the time continues to pass as it has during the past 6 mos another year will be gone before we will be into the real midst of the big fray. I must quit for to night. Good luck - and a rapping success to you during the ensuing new year. Your pal Bert. C. Ball New add, Base Hosp, 21. U.S.A.
Details
| Title | Bert C. Ball Letter to Dr. Hans Peter Andersen - December 31, 1917 |
| Creator | Ball, Bert C. |
| Source | Ball, Bert C. Bert C. Ball letter to Dr. Hans Peter Andersen. 31 December 1917. Andersen, Hans Peter, Papers, 1909-1920. R0832. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO. |
| Description | In this December 31, 1917, letter to his Washington University colleague Dr. Hans Andersen, Bert C. Ball discussed his work at Base Hospital 21. Ball, a Missouri native, served as a ward orderly in France during World War I. |
| Subject LCSH | World War, 1914-1918; United States. Army. Base Hospital 21; World War, 1914-1918--Medical care; United States. Army. Medical Corps. |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | R0832 |
| Contributing Institution | The State Historical Society of Missouri |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the State Historical Society of Missouri: 1020 Lowry Street, Columbia, Missouri, 65201-7298. (573) 882-7083. |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Date Original | December 31, 1917 |
| Language | English |