The Reform Club gave a dinner to two of its
members, Sir William MacCormac and Mr. Treves, on Saturday last, in recognition of their distinguished services in South Africa. Lord Rosebery presided with his usual urbanity, and was congratulated on his Boer-like mobility by Lord Russell, who also expressed the hope that the chairman would not shirk the call to assume responsibility whenever it came. But the real interest of the evening was centred in the speeches of the two eminent surgeons. Sir William MacCormac—who was present at Sedan—unhesitatingly declared that in no previous war had so much been done to secure the comfort and the recovery of the wounded. He incidentally gave some remark- able figures in illustration of the extraordinarily small losses of the Boers. But the speech of the occasion was that of Mr. Treves, who thrilled his hearers by his glowing tribute to the splendid courage and unselfishness of the common soldier. He told them, in particular, of one whose thigh was shattered by a Mauser bullet, but who thrice gave up his bed to other men, explaining away his action on the ground that he was "such a restless man." Mr. Treves, who gave General Buller high praise for his keen and practical interest in the surgical aspect of the campaign, concluded a most moving speech by vigorously denouncing the smart ladies who went out to the seat of war simply in search of a new sensation. The censure is, we believe, thoroughly deserved, and comes with all the greater force from Mr. Treves, in that he has spoken elsewhere with enthusiasm of the work done by the trained and even amateur nurses.
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