Turkish Prisoners in Egypt Part 7

Salik Sidki, judge of Mecca, entrusted us with a letter of thanks to the English authorities, in recognition of the care which he received at the hospital where he underwent a severe operation for a chronic affection of the pylorus.

_Prisoners' Wishes._--Some officers complained of not being allowed to go to Alexandria to make their purchases; but in the circ.u.mstances such a request could not be gratified. On the other hand, a certain number of officers have obtained permission to go to Cairo and spend a few days with their wives interned in the Citadel; it is evident that this favour is only accorded in exceptional cases and cannot be made general. To extend it equally to sons, brothers and other relations, as some of the prisoners desire, is clearly impossible.

The officers were offered two hours' walk every morning outside the camp, in parties of 26, under the supervision of an unarmed soldier, on condition of their giving their parole not to escape. This they refused, declaring that a conditional proposal was no privilege. They can, however, stroll about freely inside the limits of the camp, which is very extensive.

We received several complaints concerning rain having recently found its way into the barracks. But the extreme rarity of such an occurrence makes it of no importance.

_Pay._--Officers' pay is fixed by the War Office. That of lieutenants comes to 5 francs daily, that of captains to 5 francs 75, that of superior officers is proportionate to their rank.

The orderlies, being privates, are not paid. Some of them receive pay from their officers, others get nothing. Most of them have some money, but nevertheless we have decided to remit 20 to the camp commandant for the poorest soldiers' small needs.

_Correspondence._--Prisoners may write as often as they like, but seldom take advantage of the privilege, and as a rule receive few letters, which take from 40 to 45 days in reaching them. Few money orders come to the camp.

_Religion and Amus.e.m.e.nts._--The prisoners have every chance of wors.h.i.+pping according to their own creed. The imaums can use a building arranged as a mosque and lighted by electricity. There is one mosque inside the camp enclosure.

The camp contains 40 musical instruments; a piano has been hired for the officers.

The prisoners play football, tennis, cards and chess. Many amuse themselves with reading.

~8. Bilbeis Camp.~

_(Visited on January 16, 1917.)_

Bilbeis Camp is situated 65 kilometres (40-1/2 miles) to the north-east of Cairo, on the confines of the cultivated land of the Delta. Founded in the month of August, 1916, it now contains 540 prisoners grouped as follows:

_First Division._--One hundred and thirty-five Bedouins from the East and the Sinai peninsula, and civilians coming from El Arish; 9 Arab soldiers of the Ottoman army; 5 Turkish soldiers from Syria; 30 Egyptians.

_Second Division._--One hundred and seventy-five Senoussi and soldiers from Tripoli; 185 Bedouins from the West, and civilian prisoners of divers nationalities.

Among these prisoners are included several young boys who have relatives among the interned. The characteristic of this camp is the diversity of nationalities herein represented. Though the number of Turks is restricted, we thought it wise to visit this camp in order to a.s.sure ourselves that the treatment of the prisoners is the same as in other Egyptian camps.

The camp commandant is Colonel Collins.

The camp is surrounded by a barbed wire fence.

The prisoners are lodged under canvas, 8 men to a tent. At the present time two great barracks of timber framework and reeds are being erected, each large enough to contain 250 men. Their dimensions ensure perfect ventilation. The sandy soil shows no trace of damp. Between the tents little gardens are laid out wherein, thanks to the abundant water, the prisoners can grow flowers and vegetables.

The camp is lighted by paraffin reflector lamps.

_Bedding._--Mats of plaited rush. Two blankets per man.

_Exercise._--The dimensions of the camp leave large clear s.p.a.ces where the prisoners can walk at their pleasure.

_Food._--Cooking is done by the prisoners themselves, provisions being supplied by the administration. The quant.i.ties are the same as in the other camps. The menu consists of: meat, bread, b.u.t.ter, cheese, lentils, fresh vegetables, onions, rice, etc. The prisoners whom we interrogated, either personally or through the medium of an interpreter, declared that they were well fed. A little canteen, set up in a tent apart, provides them with such small luxuries as tea, sugar, and so on, at a moderate price. The prisoners get tobacco regularly. Each man has a plate, an enamelled bowl, and a spoon.

_Dress._--The prisoners have all received a complete outfit. Their clothing was clean and warm. The mending of linen and outer garments is done by tailor prisoners, working in a tent provided for the purpose.

Their headdress is the fez or a red cap.

_Hygiene._--Drinking water is distributed everywhere throughout the camp by means of pipes well supplied with taps. Water for was.h.i.+ng purposes is abundantly distributed to the lavatories, douches and bathing-places.

The prisoners do their was.h.i.+ng in well-fitted wash-houses; a movable furnace facilitates the weekly disinfection of all the prisoners'

effects.

The latrines, on the Turkish system, consist of movable tubs, emptied each day by means of a "shadouf," and then disinfected with cresol and whitewash. There are no smells in the camp.

_Medical Attention._--Dr. Ibrahim Zabaji, a Syrian refugee doctor, undertakes the medical charge. His work is supervised twice a week by Lieut.-Colonel Garner and Captain Scrimgeour.

There are 3 Turkish orderlies and 1 Coptic orderly.

The infirmary is clean and well appointed. It is sub-divided into 4 quarters: the consulting room, dispensary, sick ward and isolation ward.

The beds are iron with wire springs, the mattresses stuffed with vegetable fibre, the number of blankets not limited.

All the men have been vaccinated against smallpox and cholera. We learned from the infirmary registers that 30-40 men attend daily at 8 o'clock, the doctor's visiting hour.

The advanced age of many of the prisoners, who are suffering from chronic affections, accounts for this large attendance.

The day we visited the infirmary it contained 8 patients: 3 cases of malaria, 3 cases of bronchial pneumonia, and 2 cases of dysentery.

As soon as they arrived in camp 25 men were attacked with tertian malaria; 15 are cured, 10 are still being treated with quinine. Of 7 attacked with dysentery 5 are now cured.

Ten men were suffering from trachoma and are still being treated with protargol.

There has been no typhoid fever, nor typhus, nor any other epidemic in the camp.

The serious cases are sent to the Egyptian hospital at Zagazig, where they are looked after by native doctors. There are 4 prisoners now in hospital: 1 eye case, 1 of tuberculosis, 1 of bronchitis, and 2 feverish patients under observation.

Six prisoners have died in the hospital since the camp was established here. One had tumour on the brain, 2 chronic enteritis, 1 tuberculosis, and 1 an intestinal obstruction. The dead were buried with military honours and according to the rites of their religion.

_Work._--With the exception of fatigue duties, nothing is required from the prisoners besides a little light work in the gardens near the camp.

Some of them make small articles which are sold for their benefit.