The Origin of the Red Cross: "Un souvenir de Solferino"Dunant, Henry
History
The Origin of the Red Cross: "Un souvenir de Solferino"
Dunant, Henry
Red Cross and Red Crescent; Solferino, Battle of, Solferino, Italy, 1859
These measures were taken with so much courage that, after a few days,
one was able to admire the good order and regular management of these
hurriedly arranged hospitals. The population of Brescia, which was
forty thousand, was suddenly almost doubled by the great number of
wounded and sick. The physicians, numbering one hundred and forty,
displayed great self-devotion during the whole duration of their
fatiguing service. They were helped by the medical students and some
volunteers. Aid committees being organized, a special commission was
appointed to receive donations of bedding, linen and provisions of all
kinds; another commission administered the depot or central store house.
In the large rooms of the hospitals, the officers are ordinarily
separated from the soldiers. The Austrians are not mixed with the
allies. The series of beds are all alike, on the shelf above the bed of
each soldier, his uniform and military cap indicate to which branch of
the service he belongs.
They have commenced to refuse permission for the crowd to enter, it
embarrasses and hinders the nurses.
At the side of soldiers, with resigned faces, are others who murmur
and complain. The idea of an amputation scarcely frightens the French
soldier, because of his careless nature, but he is impatient and
irritable; the Austrian, of a less thoughtless disposition, is more
inclined to be melancholy in his isolation.
I find in these hospital wards some of our wounded from Castiglione.
They are better cared for now, but their torments are not ended.
Here, is one of the heroes of the Imperial Flying Guard, wounded at
Solferino. Shot in the leg, he passed several days at Castiglione,
where I dressed his wounds for the first time. He is stretched on a
straw mattress; the expression of his face denotes profound suffering;
his eyes are hollow and shining; his great pallor gives evidence that
purulent fever has set in to complicate and increase the gravity of his
condition; his lips are dry; his voice trembles; the assurance of the
brave man has given place to fear and timidity; care even unnerves him;
he is afraid to have any one approach his poor injured leg which the
gangrene has already attacked.
A French surgeon, who makes the amputations, passes by his bed; the
sick man, whose touch is like burning iron, seizes his hand and presses
it in his own.
"Do not hurt me! My suffering is terrible!" he cries.
But one must act, and without delay. Twenty other wounded must be
operated on during the same morning, and one hundred and fifty are
waiting for bandages. One has not time to pity a single case nor to
await the end of his hesitation. The surgeon, cool and resolute,
replies: "Let me do it." Then he rapidly lifts the covering. The broken
leg is swollen double its natural size; from three places flows a
quantity of fetid pus, purple stains prove that as an artery has been
broken, the sole remedy, if there is one, is amputation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account