The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-22

Second-trOm the line or battle Inc
wounded are carried to the first dressing
stations, say about /. 900 yards to the
rear of the combatants. where the wound
ed and those caring for them may moi
De unnecessarily exposed to fire II pos
sible this station should be near water
Here are the surgeons tents. ambulance
surgeons and litter bearers of the hospita
corps. stewards and cooks also PACK
animals with panniers. Such wounded
as require immediate operative procedure
are designated by a colored badge at
tached TO their clothing by the first medi-
cal officer into whose hands they come
and on arriving at the first dressing sta
ton the wounded so designated will re-
ceive the first surgical attention.
The third or ambulance station, will be
established at some place of security
about 900 yards behind the line of bat
tie, or in some Convenient building near
the field near water and fuel. Here is
the largest tent for the reception OF
the wounded from the first dressing sta
lions, and adjoining this tent are the
operating and dressing tents. with operat-
ing tables and light cooking apparatus.
Here are stationed the medical wagons
and ambulances awaiting Instructions for
the collection and distribution of the
wounded. Such members of the hospital
corps as have shown their proficiency in
matters surgical are retained at this
station as assistants to the surgeons.
At the fourth station. or division field
hospital. is the field folding furniture. bed
ding. medical supplies, etc. The division
field hospital is established by the med
zeal director after consultation with the
commanding general in the vicinity of
dwellings. water. fuel. large barns, hay
and straw.
In case a dressing or hospital station
is abandoned or captured by the enemy,
it is decided in advance by the medical
directors of armies what medical officers
and members of the hospital corps shall
remain with it, Such at present is the
organization of the medical department
in our army on a war footing.
But is it not right to suppose that the
present number of helpers to the wounded
should be increased owing to the in
creased numbers of wounded as result
of the use OF the new military rifle. With
the use of the old rifle experience teaches
us that the estimate above mentioned is
sufficient to care for the wounded.
AS to the deadliness of the new rifle
only the experience of future wars can
determine, but some conclusions can be
drawn from past statistics. The vast
majority of all wounds received leave
few from carbines, rifles and revolvers.
while those from the artillery arm,
bayonets and sabres formed but a portion
various wars show also that the in
jured noted in hospitals suffered from
bullet wounds.
In the Crimean war the percentage of
the gunshot wounds by rifle bullets was
60 per cent. In the war of the rebellion
50 per cent were inflicted by rife bullets.
In the FrancoP ruSsan war those who
received bullet wounds among the
French was S0.19. and among the German
army 81 per cent. Thus il is seen. that
the casualties of battles has been es-
pecially high from the bullets of hand
weapons. Now, the perfected rifle of to-
day is weapon of smaller calibre and
lesser weight of the cartridge. That the
specific weight of the projectile should
not be materially lessened. thereby lessen
ing the energy, II was found necessary to
increase the hardness of the lead with
10 per cent antimony. On account of the
enormous velocity of the shorter curves
of the modern gun il was also necessary
to cover these bullets with jacket of the
composition of steel, nickel and copper
in order that they would take the rifiing.
And as a result of these factors the
ballistician has perfected rife of greater
velocity, consequently hatter trajectory,
more rapid rotation. greater dangerous
space and increased power of penetration
To give you an idea of the difference
between the old and the new. let me
quote a few figures from the excellent
paper of DR.. Girard, of Fort Douglas:
The initial velocity of the Springfield
rife is Lbs feet, while me new Is nearly
:. 100 feet, with a rotation of $500 5000
per second instead of 40. AT thou
sand yards the velocity of the new rifle
Is $50 feet to 255 feet with the Springfield.
The extreme range of the ringfield is
:. 500 yards at which the velocity is zero.
of 1900 has a velocity of 80 yards per
second, sufficient to cause n severe in
jury.
Now Longmore in his last edition of
of killed and wounded in certain bat
ties from Blenheim Q70D. which was
fought in the days of smooth boreS, down
to the Franco German war QS70-7D. which
witnesses the use of a more perfect mill
tary gun.
Strange as it may Seem a careful study
of the data thus given shows that the
percentage of wounded and the ratio of
killed to wounded have diminished rather
than increased since the days of Blen-
helm, and, as Captain LaGarde tU- s. A.
says. as these engagement were fought
during a period coincident with the de-
Velopment of velocity, range and nene-
tration of the proJectiles OF military
hand weapons, we are forced to the
have not kept pace with the improve
ments in the new rifle. and it is doubt
full if an increase in the helpers to the
wounded Is necessary from this source
in the future.
1t is not especially difficult to account
for this diminution in the casualties OF
battle. for as the new rifle has rendered
greater deadliness, etc, to its Drojectile
the tactician has more than offset this
by altering the old tactics from close
to an extended order. by avoiding front
when flank movements viii ac
the desired end and other eX-
DedientS.
1t is also argued that the use of smoke
less powder will operate to increase the
of wounded by affording a
clear field for the marksman. But it IS
a fact well known 10 military men that
the Microscopic property of the intro
of this new powder as well as
its poor preservation qualities produces
great inaccuracy in the mid and remote
ranges. To counteract the use of smoke
less powder il Is proposed to generate
smoke in different parts of the field in
order to conceal the Vancouver of
troops. To discard the snowy uniforms
and for target use materials bearing but
little contrast to those of the field.
And more important than all is the
character of the wounds inflicted by these
steel-armored bullets, and the knowl-
edge the surgeon of today has in the
deal of time material and labor to the re-
lief corps The old leaden bullets of
large calibre always produced commune
ton and splintering of the bones, which
were attended with marked shock and
serious at best while the steel-armored
bullets are less destructive and their ele-
ment of shock absent or only family
marked. Thus is lacking that enormous
destruction of the soft tissues so extern |
siVe with the old leaden bullet.
Coupled with the lessened destructive !
ness of the small calibre bullet is the per- |
feet technique in dressings of the surgeon /
IF today Where blood poisoning and |
was the rule in all wounds of /
only a few years ago. II is the exception |
Today. with our aseptic and antiseptic I
methods. to witness a single drop OF puSs /
y wounds. Where the dressing had to 4
De changed daily and twice daily. often !
adding to the shock, it is seldom that |
wound is properly dressed. has to change |
hat dressing oftener than once a week. !
What saving of time ard material. ]
o say nothing of the saving of pain. /
With all these facts before us does it |
lot seem that in the wars of the future !
hat the percentage or 9unshot wounds
will be less that those who will require
operative surgical procedures less than
heretofore and that an increase in the
lumber of the helpers to the wounded |
will not be needed