The British Interned in Switzerland

by Henry Philip Picot

An examination of the building showed me that it was eminently suited for the purpose, and a visit to Fribourg made it clear that the medical faculty of the town, as well as the authorities, were deeply interested in the scheme. The "Médecin d'Armée" also adopted it with warm approval, but told me that the funds allocated to him by the Allies would not admit of the capital expenditure involved. As we were at that time awaiting the arrival of a fresh British contingent from Germany, for whom further hospital accommodation was most desirable, the scheme made a strong appeal to me, and I felt no hesitation in placing it before the British Red Cross Society in London, with a request for a donation of frs. 30,000. This sum was immediately placed at my disposal, and in a very short time the ladies at Fribourg had the satisfaction of transferring to the "Médecin d'Armée" a hospital equipped from top to bottom, the total expenditure being about frs. 150,000 in all.

Here some forty of our soldiers lay side by side with the French and Belgians, and benefited greatly by the highly skilled work of Captain Dr. Clement and his able assistants. Mme. de Zürich de Reynolds was untiring in her interest in and kindness to our men, as well as their Allied comrades. I am happy to be able to cite this as one amongst the many instances of kindness and practical sympathy of our Swiss friends.

It gives me pleasure to record the fact that the Swiss surgeons often spoke to me of the cheeriness of our men whilst under treatment, their quiet acceptance of operative work, and their powers of endurance. One surgeon, when commenting on these temperamental qualities, accounted for them by the love of the British for the open air life, their addiction to sport, and the quality of their diet.

In preparing a comparative return of mortality in Switzerland during the years 1916 and 1917, I found, to my surprise, that the percentage of loss by death of Interned French and Belgians more than doubled that of the British. I understood from my French colleague, Comte de Manneville, that his figures by no means represented the total losses of his countrymen, as so many of them had, on arrival in Switzerland, been repatriated as "grands blessés." How many of them had died in France he could not tell, but doubtless a considerable number, as the majority were in the last stages of tuberculosis. That fell disease appears to have been more common to the French than to the British whilst in captivity in Germany.

The mortality amongst the British in Switzerland from all causes during the years 1916 and 1917, out of an average of about 2,000 men, amounted to fourteen only, most of whom died of tuberculosis, pneumonia, or accident—a gratifying record as far as Swiss surgeons are concerned, when the sum total of their surgical work is taken into account.

Many of the Leysin patients had been sent out of Germany by the Itinerant Commissions on the mere suspicion of tuberculosis, and these men failed to understand that their condition could be in any way dangerous. The restrictions imposed as regards smoking, drinking, and exercise, the lying out in the open in a recumbent attitude, exposed to sun and air for six to eight hours per diem, and the general want of freedom thereby involved, proved extremely trying to them, and they were, I am afraid, often a thorn in the side of the medical officers. On one occasion they persuaded the doctors to give them permission to play a friendly game of football with other enthusiasts of the camp, with results disastrous to certain of their number, who realized, perhaps for the first time, that unusual strain could only lead to hemorrhage or other evils of a cognate nature.

A large proportion of the sick were drafted to Château d'Oex, or Mürren, as completely cured, after a residence at Leysin from six months to a year. The percentage of incurables was small, and there is no doubt in my mind that the treatment, as practised in the Swiss Sanatoria, is of immense advantage to those not far advanced in the disease.

As regards an important branch of treatment, viz., that of dentistry, provision was made by the "Médecin d'Armée" as part of the ordinary medical work. This, however, owing to the strain imposed by the mobilization of the Swiss Army, proved totally inadequate, and it was a great relief to me when, in June, 1916, I received a letter from Mr. Joseph A. Woods, M.D.S., L.D.S., offering me his personal service in Switzerland. He wrote to me as follows:—

"My proposition would be to go to some suitable centre for, say, one month. I would take all necessary instruments and supplies and would attend to any Interned who would care and need to have such treatment. The whole service would be entirely gratuitous, whether to officers or men, and, as far as possible, I would, in addition to operative treatment, fit artificial dentures or make splints or other appliances in any cases of jaw injuries. I would be personally responsible for the expenses. I should, of course, accept any regulations or conditions which may be in force and would loyally fall in with them."

This generous proposition naturally commended itself to me, and with the approval of the "Médecin d'Armée," and the sanction of the War Office, Mr. Woods was appointed Head Dental Surgeon to the British Interned. He immediately closed down his private practice at Liverpool, and exactly three weeks later reached Berne, bringing with him a large stock of instruments and general dental supplies. It was a good thing he did so, for all such stocks had run very low in Switzerland, and the problem of supply has since then become increasingly difficult. Mr. Woods, at my request, made Mürren his centre, and within a few days most of the officers and 200 men were on his register as prospective patients. His original offer to remain one month was extended to three, and then as the work increased, owing to fresh arrivals from Germany, he decided, on my representations, to remain for a much longer period, and in fact only left the country when the camps were closed down on the repatriation of all Ps. of W. in the autumn of 1918, having thus completed two years and four months voluntary service with British troops in Switzerland. The camps at Interlaken (where he fitted up an additional surgery), Gunten, Meiringen, Seebourg, Leysin and Château d'Oex, also came within his purview at one time or another. Leysin and Château d'Oex were subsequently, in August, 1917, placed in dental charge of Mr. W. I. Law, L.D.S., where the work was almost as heavy as at Mürren. Mr. Law's expenses were defrayed by the North-Midland Branch of the British Dental Association, supplemented by a donation from the B.R.C.S., London. The services of Mr. Woods were entirely honorary: all expenses, both professional and personal, were met by him, and no fees or charges of any sort were accepted under any circumstances.