Oneofmyfirstcareswastohavetreesplantedinthelimitedgroundsofmylaboratory.Ifeelitverynecessaryfortheeyestohavethecomfortoffreshleavesinspringandsummertime.SoItriedtomakethingspleasantforthosewhoweretoworkinthenewbuilding.Weplantedafewlimetreesandplanetrees,asmanyastherewasroomfor,anddidnotforgetflowerbedsandroses.IwellrememberthefirstdayofbombardmentofPariswiththebigGermangun;wehadgone,intheearlymorning,totheflower-market,andspentallthatdaybusywithourplantation,whileafewshellsfellinthevicinity.
Inspiteofthegreatdifficulties,thenewlaboratorywasorganizedlittlebylittle,andIhadthesatisfactionofhavingitquitereadyforthebeginningoftheschool-year-,theperiodofdemobilization.Inthespringof,IorganizedspecialcoursesforsomeAmericansoldierstudents,whoalsostudiedwithmuchzealthepracticalexercisesdirectedbymydaughter.
Theentireperiodofthewarwasforme,asformanyothers,aperiodofgreatfatigue.Itookalmostnovacation,exceptforafewdays,nowandthen,whenIwenttoseemydaughtersontheirholidays.Myolderdaughterwouldscarcelytakeany,andIwasobligedtosendherawaysometimestopreserveherhealth.ShewascontinuingherstudiesintheSorbonne,andbesides,assaidbefore,washelpingmewithmywarwork,whiletheyoungerdaughterwasstillinthepreparatorycollege.NeitherofthemwishedtoleaveParisduringthebombardment.
Aftermorethanfouryearsofawarwhichcausedravageswithoutprecedent,thearmisticecameatlast,intheautumnof,followedbylaboriouseffortstore?stablishpeace,whichisnotyetgeneralnorcomplete.ItwasagreatrelieftoFrancetoseetheendofthatdarkperiodofcruellosses.Butthegriefsaretoorecentandlifestilltoohardforcalmandhappinessyettoberestored.
Nevertheless,agreatjoycametomeasaconsequenceofthevictoryobtainedbythesacrificeofsomanyhumanlives.Ihadlived,thoughIhadscarcelyexpectedit,toseethereparationofmorethanacenturyofinjusticethathadbeendonetoPoland,mynativecountry,andthathadkeptherinslavery,herterritoriesandpeopledividedamongherenemies.ItwasadeservedresurrectionforthePolishnation,whichshowedherselffaithfultohernationalmemoriesduringthelongperiodofoppression,almostwithouthope.Thedreamthatappearedsodifficulttorealize,althoughsodear,becamearealityfollowingthestormthatsweptoverEurope.InthesenewconditionsIwenttoWarsawandsawmyfamilyagain,aftermanyyearsofseparation,inthecapitaloffreePoland.ButhowdifficultaretheconditionsoflifeofthenewPolishrepublic,andhowcomplicatedistheproblemofreorganizationaftersomanyyearsofabnormallife!
InFrance,partlydevastatedandsufferingfromthelossofsomanyofhercitizens,thedifficultiescreatedbythewararenotyeteffaced,andthereturntonormalworkisbeingattainedonlygradually.ThescientificlaboratoriesfeelthisstateofaffairsandthesameconditionprevailsfortheRadiumInstitute.
Thevariousradiologicorganizationscreatedduringthewarstillpartiallyexist.TheRadiographicNurses'SchoolhasbeenmaintainedattherequestoftheBoardofHealth.Theemanationservice,whichcouldnotbeabandoned,isalsocontinuedinaconsiderablyenlargedform.IthaspassedunderthedirectionofDoctorRegaud,DirectorofthePasteurLaboratoryoftheRadiumInstitute,andisdevelopingintoagreatnationalserviceofradiumtherapy.
Theworkofthelaboratoryhasbeenreorganized,withthereturnofthemobilizedpersonnelandthestudents.Butintherestrainedcircumstancesunderwhichthecountrystillexists,thelaboratorylackswaysandmeansforitsefficientdevelopment.Particularlyarewantedanindependenthospitalforradiumtherapy(whichiscalledCurietherapyinFrance),andanexperimentalstation,outsideofParis,forexperimentsongreatquantitiesofmaterial,suchasareneededfortheprogressofourknowledgeofradioactiveelements.