Minor Red Cross activities in France have included assistance in the
care of mutilated soldiers, aid in re-educational work and care of the
blind, and maintenance of plants for the manufacture of splints,
anaesthetic, &c. An important work in connection with the prosecution
of medical research has been the carrying on of experiments to ascertain
the cause of trench fever, which in point of wastage is responsible for
more than any other sickness.
Since air raids on Paris and other French cities have become a regular
feature, the American Red Cross has established a day-and-night service
to respond to air raid alarms, perform rescue work, and remove the
injured to the hospitals. On many occasions the effectiveness of this
work has commanded widespread interest.
Among the newer developments is the establishment of a casualty service,
for the gathering of detail information regarding American soldiers who
are killed in battle, sick or wounded in the hospitals or taken prisoner
by the enemy. The information collected is transmitted to relatives at
home.
Prisoner relief is administered through a central office at Berne,
Switzerland, where ample supplies of food are stored for shipment to
German prison camps as the need requires. Recently plans were started to
have emergency rations stored in prison camps, so that American
prisoners could have the benefit of them on their arrival there. Through
the arrangements made all prisoners in enemy camps will receive rations
in plenty at frequent intervals, and special rations will be provided
for invalids.