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MG 1 vol 2124 number 117

HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
Archibald MacMechan, F.R.S.C.
Director
Halifax, N. S.

PERSONAL TESTIMONY.
Miss Constance Bell.

On the morning of December 6th, when she realized something of the destruction of property and life that had taken place, Miss Bell went to the Victoria General Hospital to see what she could do to help. As she went up the driveway in the hospital grounds she saw the “queerest collection of vehicles imaginable”. Every sort of conveyance, from beautiful touring cars to flat-waggons. Just at the door of the hospital was a big flat-waggon with what she thought was bags of vegetables on it. [The were] As she reached the place men began to remove the bags that were covering injured people. Some of the people on the waggon were dead she was quite sure. Miss Bell worked all that day washing people and helping the doctors and nurses with dressings. Two American surgeons from an American ship in port and two orderlies from the same ship worked all day and were “wonderful”.
Miss Bell worked with a man who was clad only in his underclothes. He did not seem to be hurt and she had just noticed his attire and wondered about it when he apologized and said that he hadn’t been able to find his clothes. She asked him where he came from and was told that he was a patient in the hospital who had had to give up his bed for one of the injured victims. She found later that he was a very sick man who had given his bed voluntarily and who, as far as his own health was concerned, should not have helped. “He was splendid”. Miss Bell worked until very late at night, but did not know what time she went home. Next day she stayed at [bo]

MG 1 vol 2124 number 117 [written at top of page]