12th September 1918 Thursday
Dodgy Dentistry Suspect Diagnosis and Buried Food!
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“On Thursday morning, 12th September, I saw a large number of sick, mostly Russians. As I had no interpreter with me, had great difficulty in diagnosing their complaints. Three wanted teeth extracted, but by the time the third man’s turn came he had got the ‘wind-up’ at hearing the agonised yells of the other two, and he wouldn’t face the music at any price!
A young woman drove in from Ripalova (about eight versts off on the other side of the river) to consult me. As far as I could make out by means of signs, I thought that she had a pain in the stomach, so gave her a dose of chlorodyne, which pleased her so much, that she immediately produced an empty bottle from her pocket, which I filled up with a very weak mixture of chlorodyne and water. She departed mightily pleased.
I evacuated one Royal Scot and two Russian soldiers to Siskoe. The Royal Scot was suffering very badly from rheumatism. One of the Ruskies was half-mad. He had been in an asylum for many years, and had been liberated at the time of the Revolution. The other Rusky was practically blind.
Sergt. Samuels, our interpreter, held a mass meeting of drosky drivers in the forenoon, and told them that they would be shot if they attempted to run away from us. That’s the stuff to give ‘em!
We managed to purchase thirty-four eggs, and eight round cheeses like footballs for our little mess. The eggs cost a rouble each.
We found a lot of stores – flour, tea etc. – which had been buried in a field just outside the village by Col. Haselden to prevent them falling into the hands of the Bolsheviks.”
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