DuringtherapidsuccessionofeventsinAugust,,itwasclearlyprovedthatthepreparationfordefensewasinsufficient.PublicfeelingwasespeciallyarousedbytherealizationofthegravefailingswhichappearedintheorganizationoftheHealthService.Myownattentionwasparticularlydrawntothissituation,andIsoonfoundafieldofactivitywhich,onceenteredupon,absorbedthegreatestpartofmytimeandeffortsuntiltheendofthewar,andevenforsometimethereafter.Theworkwastheorganizationofradiologicandradio-therapeuticservicesforthemilitaryhospitals.ButIalsohadtomakethechange,duringthesedifficultwaryears,ofmylaboratoryintothenewbuildingoftheInstituteofRadiumandtocontinue,inthemeasurepossibletome,regularteaching,aswellastoinvestigatecertainproblems,especiallyinterestingthemilitaryservice.
ItiswellknownthattheX-raysoffersurgeonsanddoctorsextremelyusefulmeansfortheexaminationofthesickandwounded.Theymakepossiblethediscoveryandtheexactlocationofprojectileswhichhaveenteredthebody,andthisisagreathelpintheirextraction.Theseraysalsoreveallesionsofbonesandoftheinternalorgansandpermitonetofollowtheprogressofrecoveryfrominternalinjuries.TheuseoftheX-raysduringthewarsavedthelivesofmanywoundedmen;italsosavedmanyfromlongsufferingandlastinginfirmity.Toallthewoundeditgaveagreaterchanceofrecovery.
However,atthebeginningofthewar,theMilitaryBoardofHealthhadnoorganizationofradiology,whilethecivilorganizationwasalsobutlittledeveloped.Radiologicinstallationsexistedinonlyasmallnumberofimportantshospitals,andtherewereonlyafewspecialistsinthelargecities.ThenumerousnewhospitalsthatwereestablishedalloverFranceinthefirstmonthsofthewarhad,asarule,noinstallationfortheuseofX-rays.
TomeetthisneedIfirstgatheredtogetheralltheapparatusIcouldfindinthelaboratoriesandstores.WiththisequipmentIestablishedinAugustandSeptember,,severalstationsofradiology,theoperationofwhichwasassuredbyvolunteerhelperstowhomIgaveinstruction.ThesestationsrenderedgreatserviceduringthebattleoftheMarne.ButastheycouldnotsatisfytheneedsofallthehospitalsoftheParisregion,Ifittedup,withthehelpoftheRedCross,aradiologiccar.Itwassimplyatouringmotor-car,arrangedforthetransportofacompleteradiologicapparatus,togetherwithadynamothatwasworkedbytheengineofthecar,andfurnishedtheelectriccurrentnecessaryfortheproductionoftherays.Thiscarcouldcomeatthecallofanyofthehospitals,largeorsmall,inthesurroundingsofParis.Casesofurgentneedwerefrequent,forthesehospitalshadtotakecareofthewoundedwhocouldnotbetransportedtomoredistantplaces.
Thefirstresultsofthisworkshowedthatitwasnecessarytodomore.Thankstospecialdonationsandtothehelpofaveryefficientreliefcommitteecalled"lePatronageNationaldesBlesses,"Isucceededindevelopingmyinitiativetoaconsiderableextent.AbouttwohundredradiologicinstallationswereestablishedormateriallyimprovedthroughmyeffortsinthezoneoftheFrenchandBelgianarmies,andintheregionsofFrancenotoccupiedbythearmy.Iwasable,besides,toequipinmylaboratoryandgivetothearmytwentyradiologiccars.Theframesofthesecarsweredonatedby,variouspersonswhowishedtobehelpful;someofthemofferedalsotheequipment.Thecarswereofthegreatestservicetothearmy,particularlyimportantinthefirsttwoyearsofthewar,whentheregularmilitaryservicepossessedbutfewradiologicinstruments.LatertheBoardofHealthcreated,littlebylittle,aconsiderableradiologicserviceofitsown,astheutilityofthestationswasmoreclearlyrealizedowingtotheexamplegivenbyprivateinitiative.Buttheneedsofthearmiesweresogreat,thatmyco?perationcontinuednecessarytotheendofthewar,andevenafterwards.
Icouldnothaveaccomplishedthisworkwithoutseeingformyselftheneedsoftheambulancestationsandhospitals.ThankstothehelpoftheRedCrossandtotheagreementoftheBoardofHealth,IwasabletomakeseveraljourneystothearmyzonesandtotheotherpartsofFrance.SeveraltimesIvisitedtheambulancestationsofthearmiesofthenorthandintheBelgianzone,goingtoAmiens,Calais,Dunkirk,Furnes,andPoperinghe.IwenttoVerdun,Nancy,Luneville,Belfort,toCompiegne,andVillers-Cotterets.Intheregionsdistantfromthefront,Itookcareofmanyhospitalswhichhadtodoveryintensiveworkwithlittleaid.AndIkeepasapreciousrecollectionofthattime,manylettersofwarmrecognitionfromthosetowhomIbroughthelpintheirdifficulties.