NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
Paras. 367-73.
Hospital equipments
above will be furnished by each member of the I. M. D. to the O. C.
unit in the field in which serving. In the event of death on field
service the pocket case should be returned to the nearest advanced
depôt of medical stores.
367. X-ray equipment.—X-ray equipment will be obtained on
indent from the X-Ray Institute, Dehra Dun. Indents will be for-
warded to the A. D. M. S. concerned for his countersignature after
scrutiny by the local X-ray specialist.
368. Disposal of X-ray stores. —X-ray stores for disposal will be
examined by a board of medical officers, of which board the X-ray
specialist will be a member and disposed of in accordance with orders
from the Superintendent, X-Ray Institute, Dehra Dun.
FIELD MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.
369. Definition.—Mobilization or field medical equipment in-
cludes the medical equipment of field medical units, and the field
medical equipment of headquarters, regimental and other units.
370. Storage.—Mobilization medical equipment of field medical
units is stored in medical mobilization stores; that of other units at
military hospitals. Equipment will be stored in a dry and well aired
room and preserved as much as possible from exposure to the sun,
extremes of temperature, vermin and insects.
371. Custody of the field medical equipment of units. —This though
stored in military hospitals is on charge of the unit to which it belongs.
The O. C. unit on whose charge this equipment is borne is respon-
sible for ascertaining from the O. C. hospital that the equipment is
complete and in good order and for reporting to this effect to the
District Commander. See Equipment Regulations, India, para. 182,
sub-paras. 4 and 5.
The date of receipt of the panniers, and the date of the last inspec-
tion should be noted on a slip pasted inside the pannier. Sets of
equipment should be labelled on the outside with the name of the unit
to which they belong.
372. Examination of field medical equipment. —Field medical
equipment will be frequently examined by the officer charged with
its custody. He will look carefully for any signs of deterioration,
in the volatile, deliquescent, and perishable preparations, tablets,
pills and rubber goods, etc., contained in medical panniers, and in
the contents of other packages. See also para. 112.
373. Care of articles liable to deteriorate. —Steel and plated articles
liable to rust are best preserved by occasionally wiping them over
with a perfectly dry piece of soft, but not fluffy, rag made slightly
greasy with vaseline, care being taken not to dull the edges of the
knives. The valves of aspirators will be specially examined, and the
plungers cleaned and oiled, when necessary. All rubber goods should
be very carefully stored and preserved by frequent manipulation.
90
Hospital equipment.
Paras. 374-75.
Articles for which special storage arrangements may be necessary,
e.g. , rubber goods, will be removed from the panniers, etc. and stored
separately.
374. Removal of articles from equipment. —Articles for "turn over."
will not be disposed of until a new supply has been obtained to replace
them. Field medical equipment will at all times be ready for issue
and will be reserved exclusively for the unit to which it is allotted.
375. Turn-over of field medical equipment. —(i) Under the orders
of the A. D. M. S. articles of field medical equipment likely to
deteriorate in store will be periodically turned over by expenditure
in military hospitals after they have been replaced by fresh stock.
The A. D. M. S. district or independent brigade when scrutinising
indents from medical stores will, whenever possible, substitute for
articles demanded similar preparations from the turned over stock of
field medical units.
(ii) Lists of the articles, and amounts of the same, proposed for
turn-over, will be prepared by D. A. Ds. M. S. (Mob.) and Os. C. mili-
tary hospitals having field medical equipment of units in their charge
and submitted in duplicate to the A. D. M. S. district on a date to be
fixed by the latter. The A. D. M. S. will then issue orders for the
turn-over of the articles.
(iii) The following procedure will be adopted as regards the turn-
over of pills and tablets. D. A. Ds. M. S. (Mob.) and Os. C. hospitals
will, as the date for the submission of their annual indent approaches,
examine all pills and tablets in the field medical equipment in their
charge and set aside :-
(a) all pills and tablets which show any physical change, except
P. V. M. S. items 269 and 280 for which see Appendix
X X V I ;
(b) all tablets containing Adrenalin, Aspirin, Digitalin or Di-
gitalis, Strophanthin and Trinitrin;
(c) such quantity of the remainder that it is estimated can be
consumed in military hospitals during the ensuing twelve
months.
They will then indent on medical store depôts for the replace-
ment of (a), (b) and ( c) above by fresh stock and on its receipt return
( a) to the medical store depôt and turn-over (b) and (c) to military
hospitals under the orders of the A. D. M. S. Any stock of (b) re-
maining after the requirements of hospitals have been met will be
destroyed.
(iv) At the time of turn-over, D. A. Ds. M. S. (Mob.) will prepare
an estimate of the amount of drugs and tablets that will be required
in replacement during the next turn-over. This estimate will be
forwarded to the medical store depôt six months in advance in order
to enable the depôt to be ready to meet large demands.
(v) A statement showing the period of turn-over for drugs, etc.
for the guidance of medical officers, will be found in Appendix XXVI.
91
Paras. 376-79.
Hospital equipment.
SUPPLY OF ARTIFICIAL LIMBS, EYES, AND SURGICAL APPLI-
ANCES, EXCLUDING ARTIFICIAL DENTURES.
376. Surgical appliances may be supplied at the public expense as
follows :—
(a) Artificial limbs and eyes —to British officers of the British
and Indian services, British soldiers, and Indian officers
and soldiers, who have, whilst serving, lost a limb or an eye;
also to W. Os. of the R.I.M.; provided that such loss is the
result of wound, injury or disease attributable to military
duty.
(b) Trusses, crutches, elastic stokings, and other surgical applian-
ces—to British officers of the British and Indian services,
British soldiers, families of British soldiers; and to Indian
officers and soldiers; provided that they are entitled to
medical attendance, and that in the case of officers the dis-
ability was the result of wound, injury or disease attri-
butable to military duty.
(c) Abdominal belts. —Abdominal belts to authorised public
followers who receive on field service wounds necessitating
the use of such appliances or injuries to the abdomens.
377. Repair, replacement and method of supply. —The surgical
appliances mentioned above will be replaced or repaired whilst
a s o l d i e r c o n t i n u e s t o s e r v e w i t h t h e c o l o u r s , o r t h e s o l d i e r ' s w i f e a n d
children continue to be entitled to medical attendance. After a sol-
dier's discharge any appliances already provided for himself may be
replaced or repaired at the discretion of the A. D. M. S. district or
independent brigade concerned but such repairs and renewals will,
as a rule, be restricted to soldiers who have been discharged as invalids.
In no case should the concession be allowed unless it is shown by a
court of enquiry that the loss or damage arose from circumstances
beyond the applicant's control. The concession noted in this para-
graph does not apply to officers of the British or Indian services,
who have themselves to meet the cost of replacement and repairs.
378. Special provisions for disabilities sustained during the war
of 4th August 1914 to 31st August 1921.—The regulations governing
the supply of surgical appliances in these circumstances will be as
laid down in A. Is. I. published from time to time.
PROVISION OF SPECTACLES.
379. Supply of spectacles to serving soldiers. —Spectacles may be
supplied at public expense to British other ranks, including depart-
mental and unattached list, British other ranks of the Army in India
in military employ and the warrant officers of the assistant surgeon
branch of the I. M. D., provided that the soldier's sight is so defective
as materially to interfere with his efficiency and his vision can be so
improved by the provision of suitable spectacles as to render him
efficient.
92
Hospital equipment.
Paras. 380-83.
Only one pair of spectacles will be issued at public expense, in the
first instance, but a soldier whose spectacles are broken or damaged
on duty, in circumstances beyond his control may have them replaced
at public expense.
The following categories do not as a rule require glasses:—
(i) Men with myopia of one D. and under.
(ii) Men with hypermetropia of two D. and under, who are
below the age of 30 years.
(iii) Men with a slight degree of astigmatism, even though occa-
sional headaches are complained of.
(iv) Men with one amblyopic eye, and the other with normal
vision.
(v) Men who are seldom likely to be called upon to proceed
on field service, such as, men in the Army Clothing De-
partment, military farms, military prisons, etc.
380. Applications for the supply of spectacles. —Applications for
spectacles will be submitted to the A. D. M. S., district or independent
brigade concerned for sanction, supported by the certificates and
estimates, etc., specified below, on I. A. F. (Medical) 4.
(a) A certificate that the individual's sight is so defective as
materially to interfere with his efficiency.
(b) A certificate that his vision can be so improved by the provi-
sion of suitable spectacles as to render him efficient.
(c) A report by the specialist in ophthalmology showing the
acuity of vision, near and distant, with and without glasses,
for each eye separately.
(d) A certificate from the O. C. the unit that the individual is
efficient in his military duties (duties affected by defective
vision being disregarded) and that his retention in the ser-
vice is desirable.
(e) A statement showing the cost involved.
381. Errors in near vision. —In each case where spectacles are
required to correct an error in near vision no supply should be sanc-
tioned unless it is shown that the duties of the individual require him
to use his near, rather than distant vision.
382. Records of issue. —A copy of the prescription for glasses and
measurements of frame and a note when an issue is made will be
inserted in the soldier's field service pay book (A. B. 64, Part I) and
medical history sheet.
383. Strength of lenses.—The following instructions regarding the
strength of lenses authorised for issue to soldiers will be strictly adhered
to and no spectacles outside these limits will be supplied.
(a) No simple spherical lens will be supplied of a less strength
than 0.50 dioptre, or of a greater strength than 10.00
dioptres.
93
Paras. 384-85.
Hospital equipment.
( b) No simple cylindrical lens will be supplied of a less strength
than 0.50 dioptre, or a greater strength than 6.00 diop-
tres.
(c) No sphero-cylindrical lens will be supplied having before or
after transposition:—
(i) One of its component parts less than 0.50 dioptre and
the other component part less than 1.00 dioptre.
(ii) A combined strength greater than 12.00 dioptres, or
(iii) A cylindrical strength greater than 6.00 dioptres.
(d) No sphero-cylindrical lens will be supplied having a con-
cave-spherical surface combined with a convex-cylindrical
surface. All such combinations are capable of being
transposed into a lens having a convex-spherical surface
combined with a concave-cylindrical surface.
(e) No quarter-dioptre lenses will be supplied above 3.00 dioptres,
and no half-dioptre lenses above 6.00 dioptres. No lenses
with intervals of less than quarter-dioptre will be supplied.
384. Legibility of prescriptions. —All prescriptions for spectacles
are invariably to be completed in every detail and with due regard
to legibility.
385. Contract rates for spectacles. —Contract rates for spectacles
should be arranged for by A. Ds. M. S. districts or independent
brigades with a reliable firm of opticians.
Spectacles may be supplied to a soldier at contract rates on repay-
ment, if he is willing to bear the cost by a deduction from his pay,
in circumstances other than those in which a free issue of spectacles
can be made to him.
Correspondence.
Paras. 386-93.
SECTION VIII.—CORRESPONDENCE, REPORTS, RETURNS
AND STATISTICS.
•
Correspondence, Reports & Returns.
386. Correspondence.—The instructions laid down in Regulations
for the Army in India, Chapter XIV regarding correspondence,
reports and returns and the reference of questions to higher authority
will be strictly complied with.
337. Stationery, etc. —Stationery, army forms, books, etc., will be
demanded in accordance with the instructions contained in Regula-
tions for the Army in India, para. 797.
338. Reports and Returns. —The reports and returns pertaining to,
and the forms in use in the M. M. S. are detailed in Appendices XI
and XII. Orders relating to their preparation, if not included in these
regulations, will be found on the prescribed forms.
389. R. A. F. returns.—Instructions with regard to the prepara-
tion of statistical returns for R. A. F. personnel treated in military
hospitals are laid down in Section XIII.
390. Dental returns.—See under Dental Treatment (Section X).
3 9 1 . S e c t i o n a n d n o n - d i e t e d h o s p i t a l r e t u r n s . —Section and non-
dieted military hospitals will not submit separate reports and returns.
Details of these will be incorporated in the reports and returns of the
parent hospital.
Statistics.
392. Diagnosis. —This will be made strictly in accordance with the
instructions contained in the latest edition of the Nomenclature of
Diseases.
393. Uniformity in returns. —To ensure uniformity in statistical
returns, the following procedure will be adopted:
—
(a) Diseases due to a known infective agent will invariably be
returned under the heading "Diseases due to infection,"
the local condition being specified, e.g. , jaundice (bac-
terial or spirochaetal) will be returned under this heading
and not under diseases of the digestive system.
(b) Cases of fracture, stating whether simple, compound, im
pacted, or comminuted, and
and cases of contusion and sprain
will be returned under the heading "Local Injuries" the
region affected being named.
(c) Diseases due to animal parasites which are not included in
the group of diseases due to infection will be shown under
"Animal Parasites". The system or organ principally
affected will be stated.
95
Paras. 394-95.
Correspondence.
(d) An additional group, " Morbid conditions due to flying " will
be added ; this will include the following :—
Sickness at high altitudes.
Fainting in the air.
Exhaustion.
Vomiting.
Vertigo.
(e) When pneumonia occurs as a complication of existing in-
fluenza, the original diagnosis should be adhered to even
though, when death occurs, pneumonia may be the imme-
diate cause of death.
(f) Gunshot wounds should be returned under " Local Injuries,"
a note being made as to whether the wound was " in
action," " homicidal," " suicidal," " accidental " or
" effects of old gunshot wound ".
(g) Diseases due to " Effects of Heat " will be recorded as
follows :
—
(i) Effects of Heat (Burn).
(ii) Effects of Heat (Scald).
(iii) Effects of Heat (Heatstroke).
(iv) Effects of Heat (Sunstroke).
(v) Effects of Heat (Heat exhaustion).
Numbers (iii) and (iv) will be reserved for the well-known
variety in which there are usually hyperpyrexia (with or
without cerebral symptoms) and unconsciousness.
Number (v) will be reserved for the type of case which is
really a form of syncope from which men are apt to suffer
when marching in a hot climate and in which the usual
symptoms are sickness, dizziness and headache, accom-
panied by varying degrees of collapse and sometimes slight
pyrexia.
( h )
C a s e s w i l l n o t b e r e t u r n e d u n d e r t h e h e a d i n g o f " D e b i l i t y . "
(i) In cases of venereal disease fresh infections will always be
shown in red, and relapse cases in black ink.
(j) Cases admitted to hospital for observation or treatment as
" carriers" will be shewn as " No appreciable disease "
a note being made to show the disease for which they are
" Carriers".
394. Retention of copies of statistical returns.—Office copies of
hospital returns of health of troops should be retained and not des-
troyed without reference to the D. M. S.
395. Hospital treatment A. and D. books.—( a) Books to be kept.—
Separate A. and D. Books for hospital treatment will be kept for
96
Correspondence.
Para. 395.
the following classes (except when the numbers are small, in which case
one or more books will be used and divided as necessary) :
—
A. Officers of the Regular Army (including officers of the Auxiliary
Force, Territorial Force and Reservists when embodied).
B. Members of the M. N. S.
C. Soldiers of the Regular Army (including soldiers of the Auxiliary
Force, Territorial Force and Reservists when embodied).
D. British women and children.
E. Followers.
F. Auxiliary Force, Territorial Force and Reservists undergoing
training.
G. Invalids retained after date of discharge from the service and
soldiers and followers discharged from the service and ad-
mitted for further treatment on account of disabilities
contracted on field service or for provision of artificial limbs.
H. Personnel belonging to garrisons or forces overseas (not neces-
sarily on field service). Distinction will be made between
(a) transfers and (b) cases admitted while on leave from such
forces. In all cases particulars as to the force or garrison
concerned will be entered in " Observations " column.
I. Sick and wounded transferred from active service in the field,
the records of each campaign being kept distinct.
K. All other patients.
All cases of sickness will be recorded, which are admitted to a mili-
tary or a civil hospital.
(b) Serial numbers.—Each section (A to K above) will have its own
series of serial numbers commencing with 1 on the 1st January each year,
the number being preceded by the letter of the Section to which the case
belongs, e.g., A-1, C-1, etc.
Except as noted below each admission will be given a serial number
in black ink in the A. and D. Book, and each transfer a separate serial
number in red ink.
Sick transferred from other hospitals or from boardship will not be
entered as admissions but as transfers. All other cases will be entered
as admissions.
The following will not be given a serial number
:—
(1) Women admitted for parturition only.
(2) Particulars of deaths out of hospitals. These will be recorded
in red ink.
( c ) Patients discharged to attend for outdoor treatment.— When a
patient is discharged from hospital to attend for outdoor treatment,
his discharge will be completed in the hospital A. and D. Book and the
fact that be is to " attend " will be entered in the " Result " column.
97
Para. 396.
Correspondence.
(d) N. Y. D. venereal.—In the case of venereal sore, the words
" Venereal sore " will be entered in the " Diseases " column in pencil
until the diagnosis is definitely established when the correct disease
will be entered in ink.
(e) Errors in diagnosis.—When a disease has been wrongly
diagnosed, the original entry will be crossed out in such a way as to
remain legible and the new diagnosis inserted above in red ink.
(f) Patients suffering from two diseases.— When a patient is suffering
from two diseases, he will be admitted for the more serious one and the
existence of the second disease will be noted in the " Observations "
c o l u mn o f t h e A. a n d D. Bo o k . S h o u l d t h e s e c o n d d i s e a s e p e r s i s t a f t e r
his recovery from the one for which he was admitted, he will be shown
as discharged on the date he recovered from the first disease and re-
admitted on the following day for the other disease, both in the A. and
D. Book and in the monthly return.
(g) New disease supervening.—Should another disease supervene
upon that for which the patient was admitted, the fact will be noted in
the " Observations " column of the A. and D. Book. Should the new
disease persist after the patient has recovered from the first disease,
the patient will be shown as discharged on the date he recovered from
the first disease and as readmitted on the following day for the new
disease, both in the A. and D. Book and in the monthly return.
396. Barrack treatment A. and D. books.—( a) Books to be kept.—
Separate A. and D. Books for barrack treatment will be kept up for
the following classes :—
(i) Officers of the Regular Army (including officers of the Auxiliary
Force, Territorial Force and Reservists when embodied).
(ii) Members of the M. N. S.
(iii) Soldiers of the Regular Army (including soldiers of the Auxi-
liary Force, Territorial Force and Reservists when
embodied).
(iv) British women and children.
(v) Followers.
(vi) Auxiliary Force, Territorial and Reservists undergoing train-
ing.
All cases treated in barracks or quarters will be entered. The various
columns in the A. and D. Book will be completed as for admissions to
hospital, the " admission " and " discharge " columns being used for
" placed on " and " taken off " the sick list respectively, the number of
days each case is under treatment being recorded.
(b) Patients " detained" in hospital.—These will be shown in the
barrack treatment A. and D. Book during the period for which they are
detained.
(c) Patients marked " attend."—These will be shown in the barrack
treatment A. and D. Book for the whole period during which they
attend. A patient discharged from hospital to " attend " will be shown
in the barrack treatment A. and D. Book as a transfer received from
hospital and will be accounted for as a transfer in A. F. A-31-A.
98