The film was shown before the convention of Rotary International held in Kansas City in late June 1918, with the result that many of the constituent clubs arranged meetings at which the film was shown in their communities, usually for men and boys over 16.
A typical example of such showings and the reaction to them is the experience of the Rotary Club of Dallas, Tex. Showings were first planned for September or early October, but the spread of the appalling influenza epidemic in city, country, and camps brought a ban on public gatherings and forced postponement until late November. The reaction to the film when finally shown is thus described in a report from W. C. Temple, secretary of the Dallas Rotary Club, upon returning the film to the Army Medical Museum: 28[1]
The first showing, by invitation only, was made to about one hundred and fifty men. We did this to feel out the local situation, and after those invited had witnessed the film, they were unanimous in their opinion that it should be shown to as many males as possible, so we gave another showing of the picture, giving the matter publicity through the local press, at which time the film was shown to something like two thousand men and boys over fifteen years of age * * *. In my opinion this is just such education work as should be carried on throughout this country.
Pictures as Training Methods
Most of the motion pictures made by the Instruction Laboratory, however, were of an instructional nature, as the name of the organization implied, and were aimed at perfecting procedures and standardizing training methods. For example, Colonel Owen corresponded with both Brig. Gen. H. P. Birmingham, in command of the great Medical Officers Training Center at Camp Greenleaf, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., and Col. W. N. Bispham, commanding the Medical Officers Training Camp at Fort Riley, Kans., advising them of the availability of moving-picture production crews at the Museum and inquiring as to the desirability of having them make pictures of such training features as an ambulance company or a field hospital breaking camp, moving on the road, setting up a dressing station or a field hospital, bringing in and caring for the wounded, and making camp.
Colonel Bispham responded with a letter approving the project, and on 1 May 1918, wired Colonel Owen asking for a man to make the pictures about the middle of that month. Lt. Robert Ross was sent to Fort Riley where, despite weather and lighting difficulties, he shot a satisfactory picture which was completed by mid-June. 29[2]
