were no longer paid and most of the teachers abandoned their posts. Only a few remained with their charges, who were soon reduced to roaming the woods half naked, living on roots and berries, uncared for and unprotected. Winter came the Siberian winter. Many of the children were only three years old. What hardships they had to bear can hardly be imagined, especially when it is recalled that famine and the horrors of war were added to their physical and moral sufferings. Finally the Government authorities of Omsk transmitted to the Commission of the American Red Cross in Siberia the desperate appeal for help of the few nurses and teachers who had remained with these children. Colonies were established by the Commission. to the East of the Ural mountains and there the children received hospitality until military events obliged them to be evacuated-a very difficult proceeding in a country absolutely without resources. After many vicissitudes and long hardships, this tragic caravan was finally transported to Vladivostok in three special trains. Eight hundred of these children have arrived in Europe by way of San Francisco and the Panama Canal. Every effort must now be made to restore them to their parents, of whom many, it is believed, are refugees in various countries owing to events in Russia. The League of Red Cross Societies has published lists giving the names of the children and of their parents, as well as the addresses of the latter at the time of separation. These lists, of which 30,000 copies have been printed, are being sent to the Central Red Cross Committees, to Government and Civil authorities, Embassies and Consulates in all countries of Europe, the United States, Canada, Egypt and Persia, as well as to Consular Agents in the Balkans and in Scandinavia, to Russian and Greek Churches, to charitable institutes, to leading newspapers in Europe and America, and, finally, to persons who through their situation are specially qualified to help in bringing the children in touch with their parents1. These lists as well as all particulars regarding the children themselves can be obtained on application to the Headquarters of the League of Red Cross Societies in Geneva, Department of Publicity and Publication, 2, rue de la Scie. The lists issued up to date are not yet complete and a supplementary list will shortly be published. The tragedy of these children, as here outlined, is in itself sufficiently eloquent not to need any further emphasis or any special appeal to readers of the Bulletin to do whatever is in their power in order that, as far as possible, a happy issue may be found both for the sufferings of the children and the moral distress of the parents. The Bulletin desires to express its gratitude to the Secretary of the Union Internationale de Secours aux Enfants which has kindly consented to join the printed lists mentioned above to the copies of its Bulletin sent out to its readers. NEWS OF THE RED CROSS SOCIETIES. AUSTRALIA. "The Typhus Peril". We quote the following passage from a pamphlet "The Typhus Peril" published by the "Imperial War Relief Fund". This passage concerns the appeal of the Governor General of Australia: "The intention is to co-ordinate the Empire's effort, and weld it into one united endeavour to end the tragic conditions which threaten to decimate the populations of Europe, and permanently lower their standard of civilisation. 1 invite the people of Australia to join the rest of the Empire in this great work of saving war-stricken Europe." Red Cross Farm Colony for Tuberculosis Patients. The Australian Red Cross Society has launched a comprehensive scheme for the completion of the cure of returned soldiers suffering from tuberculosis. According to the reports just received, it includes the establishment of a farm colony in the Murrumbidgee irrigation area and the placing of approved tenants under the care of local branches in suitable country districts. The men appointed to be taken care of under the scheme will be those in whom tuberculosis has been arrested and is no longer in an infectious stage, but in whom the cure would not remain permanent unless they were kept in a good dry climate with suitable light open-air work until danger of relapse is past. The farm in the irrigation area comprises approximately 100 acres and its location has been selected on medical advice. Contracts have been made for the erection of the necessary appointments, which will include accommodation for single men, cottages for married men and recreation rooms. Doctors and nursing service will be in residence. While the cure is being thus completed, the men will be trained in farming with the expectation that, when they are fit for discharge, they will be able to work farms of their own. CANADA. New Appointments to the Staff of the Canadian Red Cross. The continuance of the work of the Canadian Red Cross Society as a peace-time organization, in accordance with Article 25 of the Covenant of the League of Nations," for the improvement of health, the prevention of disease, and the mitigation of suffering throughout the world", has made it necessary to reorganize the staff of the Society. Lieut.-Col. Noel Marshall, who has devoted all his time to Red Cross work since the outbreak of war, remains as Chairman of the Central Council, resigning his position as Chairman of the Executive Committee. Mrs. H. P. Plumptre, who acted as Honorary Secretary throughout the war, has given up that position to devote her time to the development of the Ontario Division. Dr. James W. Robertson, of Ottawa, has been appointed Chairman of the Executive Committee, and Dr. Albert H. Abbott has been appointed General Secretary. The peace-time work of the Red Cross Society will be, as the above quotation from the Covenant of the League of Nations indicates, in connection with public health. The Society will act in the closest co-operation with the Provincial Departments of Health, and will supplement the activities of these Departments where it is considered advisable, at the same time maintaining its standing as a purely voluntary organization, in no sense subordinate to Government agencies. As a beginning in this service, Professor J. G. Fitzgerald, of the University of Toronto, has been appointed Honorary Adviser on Public Health, and Dr. Ruggles George has been appointed Director of Information on Public Health. In New South Wales. University Course in Public Health Nursing established in Ontario. The Ontario Division of the Red Cross Society has completed arrangements with the University of Toronto for the establishment of a Department of Instruction in Public Health Nursing in connection with the Faculty of Medicine. This course requires the attendance of graduate nurses at the University for one academic year. It is hoped that fifty qualified nurses will be registered for this course by the end of September. Details regarding the course of instruction have just been made public, and it is evident that these will prove attractive to many nurses who see in this service an extension of the usefulness of qualified nurses to the community. The Ontario Red Cross is providing ten scholarhips of $350.00 each; five of which are to be assigned to nurses who have served Overseas. Although Public Health nurses, specially trained for the work which they have to do, are not available in sufficient numbers to provide for an immediate extension of Public Health nursing service, it would be unadvisable for the Red Cross to attempt to influence public sentiment in the creation of a demand for Public Health nurses, as it is bound to do, if it did not at the same time do something to see that such nurses would be available when required. As Public Health is essentially under the jurisdiction of the Provincial authorities, and as there are Universities located in the capital and other cities of the Provinces, the various Provincial Branches of the Red Cross Society have been in consultation with local Universities and Provincial Health Departments concerning such co-operation as may lead to the establishment of courses of instruction in Public Health Nursing for the purpose of extending the training of regularly qualified nurses in this direction. Arrangements have already been made for such courses at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, and at the University of British Columbia. Appeal for Imperial War Relief Fund. decided to make an appeal to the people of Canada on behalf of the Imperial The Canadian Red Cross has War Relief Fund during Armistice week, next November, and preliminary steps have already been taken to acquaint the public with the extent of the need and the nature of the appeal. Dr. James W. Robertson, Chairman of the Canadian R. C., has conferred with the Governor-General regarding what measures may be taken to make the appeal successful. With the approval of the Prime Minister of Canada it has been decided to refer the matter to the Canadian R. C. Although the present moment is not very favourable for a campaign for money, in view of the attitude of the public in general in regard to such campaigns after the many which have taken place during recent years, it is felt that once the nation understands that the Imperial War Relief Fund has for its purpose to combat disease and distress and that the danger of the former is a universal one, the appeal will meet with success. In an article supplied to the Canadian Press, the Canadian R. C. warns the public that there is danger of typhus breaking all bounds this winter and overwhelming Europe. Already twelve nations are very near the end of their resources to fight disease and practically powerless to help themselves. Typhus, which was already a serious menace in 1916, is now seven or eight times as formidable. For the first time, says the appeal, India, the Dominions and the Crown Colonies of Great Britain are being asked to unite with the Mother Country in a campaign to save fellow beings both in Europe and in Asia. The Imperial War Relief Fund is designed to coordinate the efforts of all existing agencies and to promote an impressive British effort on behalf of the distressed areas in Central Europe and the Near East. The work is to be carried out in close cooperation with the League of Red Cross Societies which will be mainly responsible for the application of the Fund in the various countries. Membership Campaign and Publicity. The Canadian Red Cross Society is actually planning the membership campaign, which will be held in May 1921. On parallel lines with the publicity which is to be carried on for such an undertaking, the Canadian Red Cross is planning a certain amount of publicity for 8 educational work; the object of this is that the general public should understand that public health work,-no matter how efficiently organized by Governments, Medical experts or Sanitary engineers, etc., cannot accomplish as much as it should accomplish, unless there is a syn pathetic attitude on the part of the public, and also a frank recognition of the fact that public health work has many aspects, which can only bear fruit provided people in their homes carry out health regulations in the spirit as well as in the letter. CHILI. Reorganisation of the Chilian Red Cross. On the occasion of the official recognition of the entry of the Chilian Red Cross into the League of Red Cross Societies last May, the Secretary General of the League expressed to the various groups of the Chilian Red Cross the hope that a committee would be constituted which might be considered as the sole representative of all Chilian local Red Cross organisations. Through the mediation of the Government the wish expressed by the League has been fully realised. By decree of the Ministry of War a committee has been appointed and charged with studying the most suitable method of organising a powerful Chilian Red Cross National Society, whilst respecting the autonomy of existing Red Cross groups. The following are extracts from the report submitted by the Committee. The Chilian people have at all times been distinguished for their humanitarian sentiments. The Covenant of the League of Nations, to which Chili has adhered, regards the organisation of a national Red Cross as incumbent on all member states. Chili possessed a Red Cross organisation several years before the War of 1914, a Red Cross institution having been established at Punta Arenas in 1903, and subsequently in the towns of Tocopilla, Antofagasta and Valparaiso in 1910, Osorno in 1912, Santiago in 1914, Puerto Natales in 1916, Valdavia and Rancagua in 1916 and at Conception in 1919. It is much to be regretted that, taking into account its traditions of humanity and justice, Chili was not represented at the General Council of the League of Red Cross Societies, which took place at Geneva in March 1920. This was due to the existence in Chili of several Red Cross organisations working independantly and without central organisation. The creation of the Central Committee was inspired by the necessity of an official organ duly recognised by the Government and which shall represent the Chilian Red Cross abroad. The Committee fully appreciates the work of the Punta Arenas Committee, the town from which the Red Cross movement in Chili originated, but for political, administrative and geographical reasons, recommends that the headquarters of the Chilian Red Cross should be established in the capital of the Republic. As a result of the above report, the Government published the following decree : REPUBLIC OF CHILI Ministry of War DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH Santiago, 14 th June, 1920. "In view of the report of the Committee and considering the resolutions adopted by the League of Red Cross Societies, founded in Paris on May 5th, 1915; in consideration of the requests made to the Government for the sole purpose of the organisation of the Chilian Red Cross, taking into account the principles of the International Red Cross Committee of Geneva and the provisions contained in Art. 25 of the Covenant of the League of Nations, approved by the Government of Chili, the Republic of Chili decrees that : 1 See Bulletin of the League of Red Cross Societies, N°10, page 4. Art. I. The Chilian Red Cross shall be constituted by the union of the various Red Cross committees and sub-committees already instituted in the country and of those which shall subsequently be organised in pursuance of the aims established by the Geneva Convention. Art. 2. A Central Committee of the Chilian Red Cross shall be created and charged with the execution of the programmes adopted by the International Conferences dealing with the assistance and welfare of humanity in times of war, in times of peace or in case of public disaster. Art. 3. This Committee shall be composed of 5 ex-officio members: The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, the Director of the Army Health Department, the Director General of Public Health, the Director of Public Welfare in Santiago and the Chief of the Sanitary Department of the Ministry of the Interior; of 5 regional delegates, one for each of the 4 military zones, to be elected by the Red Cross Societies of the Department corresponding to the zone, and of a special delegate of the Red Cross in Punta Arenas. Further, 9 members appointed by the President of the Republic, among whom shall be included a retired officer holding the rank of general or vice-admiral. Elected members shall hold office for a period of 3 years and are eligible for re-election. Art. 4. Committees. This Committee shall be authorized to organise local Red Cross (Signed) SANFUentes. In conformity with this decree (July 1, No. 1627), the Central Committee of the Chilian Red Cross with headquarters at Santiago will be composed as follows: - Ex-officio members: the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Gregorio Amunategui; the Director General of the Army Health Department, Dr. Luis Abalos; the Director General of Public Health, Dr. Ramon Corbalan Melgarejo ; the Director General of Public Welfare in Santiago, Dr. Alejandro del Rio; the Chief of the Sanitary Department of the Ministry of the Interior, Dr. Pedro Lautaro Ferrer Rodriguez. Elected Members. Vice-Admiral Don Jorge Montt (retired); General don Jose Maria Bari (retired); Don Marcial Martinez de Ferrari; don Roberto Huneeus Gana; Don Manuel Foster Recabarren, Don German Riesco, Don Armando Quezada Acharan; Don Miguel Urrutia and don Enrique Zanartu Prieto. CUBA. Circular of the Health Department. In order to facilitate the development of the Cuban Red Cross, which is now in full progress, the Director of the Health Department has addressed the following circular to all local Health Authorities : «The Minister of Public Health, under date of May 31 of this year, decided to call the attention of all local Public Health Authorities to the necessity of conforming strictly with the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the circular of May 10, 1909, published in the Official Journal of April 28 of the same year, which stipulate: § 2. That the following institutions, Sanatoria for Consumptives, the hospital of Las Animas, the national laboratory, the quarantine department, the anti-tuberculosis dispensaries, the national hospitals and asylums, as well as the municipal directors of social hygiene, depending on this Ministry, shall give the Cuban Red Cross their entire moral, material and official assistance in order to facilitate the establishing of the Red Cross throughout the country; § 3. That the local Public Health Authorities shall apply the regulations adopted regarding charitable institutions, advising them especially to assist in forming provincial and municipal committees of the Cuban Red Cross in order to encourage humanitarian enterprises which have been officially recognized by the State; § 4. « That all departments of this Ministry shall recognize the officers and members of the Red Cross, as well as their insignia and uniforms which have been officially sanctioned, and shall assist them in the accomplishment of their duties; |