The following summary will give some idea of the magnitude of his work:—
| Total number of patients treated | 1,229 |
| Visits | 6,033 |
| Operations | 9,725 |
| Restorations (dentures), etc. | 673 |
Mr. Woods laid himself out to give as full dental treatment as though he were in his own private consulting-room at home, and to avoid the suggestion or appearance of merely giving the bare essentials of dental treatment. The fact that 99 per cent. of the officers, and about 80 per cent. of the men, consulted him, shows how entirely he obtained the confidence of all ranks, and how necessary a dental service was. He was able, by a series of lectures and demonstrations, to impress upon all his patients the extreme importance of dental hygiene.
Writing on the subject of his work, he mentions that, like all other members of his profession, he had been anxious since the outbreak of the war to be of service to his fellow-countrymen, and when he saw that Ps. of W. were being transferred to Switzerland, he felt an overpowering desire to offer a dental service to them. That this loving desire has received a wonderful fulfilment, the foregoing record amply shows, a fulfilment towards which he was so well assisted by Mrs. Woods, who gave up all her time and strength in the furtherance of her husband's task. It is a pleasure to add that Mr. Woods received the heartiest support of Captain Dr. Llopart, the Directing Medical Officer at Mürren, and of the Swiss Dental Service.
As regards the provision of artificial limbs, it is casting no slur on the Swiss medical authorities and Swiss artisans to say that they were unable to meet the demands of the Interned. In Switzerland, as in other countries, trained artisans skilled in this class of work were lacking, and the type of limb in use was in no wise suitable for the demands of modern life; in short, good artificial limbs were unprocurable in the country, and though some of the men were fitted out locally, the majority preferred to wait in the hope that a more suitably-designed limb would have been evolved before their return to England. A few officers were supplied with artificial legs by a Lyons firm, with which they were satisfied at the time, but whether these compared favourably with the home product I have not heard. Lady Dorothy Dalrymple did useful service at Château d'Oex in supplying peg-legs, which proved most useful.
A few words here as to the expenses caused by the administration and the medical care of the Interned will not be out of place. The foreign Governments concerned engaged to pay to the Swiss Government, in liquidation of these expenses, 50 centimes per diem for every officer and man interned, with an additional sum of 50 centimes for those under treatment for tuberculosis. This payment covered charges for the pay and allowances of all Swiss officers and men engaged in the service of the Interned; hospital expenses of every kind and nature except food; hire of offices and expenses of installation; allowances to Interned men working in the administrative offices of the Interned, or employed as masseurs, etc.; also the laundry of officers and men.
It was only by the exercise of a careful economy that the expenditure was maintained within the limits agreed upon, but I understand that, as the Internment developed, the funds placed at the disposal of the Swiss Government were found sufficient for the purpose.
CHAPTER IX
MEDICAL AND SURGICAL TREATMENT OF THE INTERNED
—INSPECTION BY LIEUT.-COLONEL SIR R. JONES, R.A.M.C.
Our men had not long been settled at Château d'Oex when they were inspected by Colonel Hauser, who mentioned to me his surprise at finding an unusually high percentage in need of surgical treatment, the percentage being much higher than in the case of the French, Belgian, or German Interned. He appeared to be satisfied at the time with the adequacy of the medical and surgical arrangements at our disposal, but expressed some concern at a feeling, common to both officers and men, that their surgical treatment was being unduly delayed. He said that the same feeling had prevailed amongst the French and Belgians at an earlier date of the Internment, but that this was based upon a totally erroneous impression. Patients, in their anxiety for an early restoration to health and activity, often failed to realize the danger of premature operative work, and he had been forced to direct his surgeons to exercise due caution. Recrudescent purulent outbreaks had already occurred amongst the French, with fatal consequences, as the result of premature work, and he was determined that his surgeons should not in the future be led away by any signs of impatience on the part of the Interned. He begged me to believe that his officers were acting in the interests of each individual officer and man, and that if operations were deferred, there was good reason for the decision taken. He had evidently warned Major Mercanton, the "Chef de Région," of the necessity for caution in certain classes of surgical work, for, whilst accompanying the first train conveying the men from Montreux to Château d'Oex, I was present when a conversation on this subject took place between the latter and Captain de la Chaux, the D.M.O. of the camp. Major Mercanton warned his subordinates of the advisability of proceeding slowly in the first instance. Apart from the necessity of dealing with urgent cases as they might arise, he recommended a rest of at least a month, in order that the effect of good food and change of climate might be watched before any operative work was undertaken. He also dwelt at length on the danger of blood-poisoning due to the foci of bacteria. I felt at the time that whatever minor evils might result from excessive caution, the greater evil of premature surgery would, within the limits of human judgment, be avoided.