Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-28
MODERN WAR SURGERY.
Tho X-Ray an Invaluable Aid-Buliets MAY
Enter at One End of Man and Lodge a,
the Other-Some kcmar a BILE In stancos

Ah0 A-nay an Invaluable Ald-Rullet6 May
Enter at One End Of a Man and Lodge at
the Other-some Remarkable Instances.
New York Journal
The 13 men brought to New York by
the Relief constitute the last batch of
surgical cases that remained in Cuba
They were the men who received the
worst injuries, which, Major Torney says,
accounts for the number of deaths which
have occurred since the vessel left Cuba.
With the exception of those whose
wounds preclude recovery-and they are
not many-all tho patients on the Relief
are doing well. The cases are rega N1ed
as being the most interesting yet brought
to this country and the vessels surgeons
have been fairly besieged by medical
men, who wanted to study the effects of
gunshot injuries and judge of the dag
nostic value Of the X-ray In war service.
The medical staff of the Relief Is unit
in saying that the X-ray apparatus has
been invaluable They say that except
for minor wounds, it has practically abol-
ished the probe, and thereby renders the
work Of the surgeon both more rapid and
more accurate. Dr. Gray, the government
expert, who accompanied the Relief both
as X-ray operator and microscopic, re-
CARDS the outfit as practically lndspens-
able in warfare. Owing to the exceeding
ly high velocity of modern rifle bullets and
their great penetration it is impossible to
locate a bullet in the body, either symp-
tomatically or by inspection. To probe
for the bullet would often intlct moro
injury than to leave 1t alone, even If 1t
were always possible to probe. A Mauser
bullet which hits man in the shoulder
T.
lodge in his calf. but without the X-ray
it would be impossible to discover the
ball
One weak spot, however, has been dis
covered in the apparatus. 1t is impossible
to use a static machine in climate so
moist as that OF Cuba. On the Relief this
fact made no difference, as the boat had
its own electrical plant. In a field hos
pital, however, reliance for the supply of
electricity would have TO be placed Ell
Their in a static machine or in a storage
battery. The experience of the Relief
shows that static machine cannot be
counted upon. There was a very fine one
aboard the boat but moisture destroyed
its utility storage battery was found
to work perfectly. but It's extreme weight
is a draw back in field service.
DR.. Gray will take with HIM to Wash
ington in a few days collection Of ska
graphs which, better than anything else,
will show the value of the x-ray in active
army service. One of the photographs,
| for instance shows that a Mauser bullet
struck Louis Carlisle, of the Seventy-first
regiment, in the shoulder. The X-ray pic
ture showed the surgeon that the place
to cut for that bullet was in the lumbar
he
that the bullet had shattered the spine
and had lodged amid the debris. In the
| old days the bullet would never have
| been found and Carlisle either would
have died or been paralyzed. AS 1t is
| ne Is getting well rapidly.
George Parker. of Company e, of the
| Twenty-fourth infantry. was picked up
| with his right leg smashed all TO bits, ap-
rarently. When the hemorrhage had been
| stopped and the blood washed away, they
| decided, that in all probability, Parker
| would have TO leave his leg In Cuba. AS
| a preliminary, however, they put him be-
| fore the Crooke's tube and looked at the
| injury through a Horoscope. 1t showed
| that two Mauser bullets were imbedded
| in the leg, and that the tibia was split
| almost throughout its length. It was also
| evident that, if the bullets were extract
ed, the leg would probably repair itself.
| This was done, and Parker will soon be
| able to walk on both legs.
In dozens of other cases the X-ray was
| found of value. 1t located a Krag-Jor-
genson bullet in the hand of a Spanish
| prisoner; the wound Of entrance was be-
| low the knee One of the regulars was
| brought in with a hole in his hip; the
( bullet which made 1t was found in the OBJ
| posite side: William A Cooper of Com
! pany A. of the Tenth cavalry, was shot in
| the left breast. Blood escaped into the
pleural cavity and caused marked diff
| Guilty in breathing. When this symptom
and some which followed had been reliev-
ed it was found that Cooper had a pain
In his knee. The X-ray was called into
| service and the bullet which entered his
| chest was found tucked away under his
| knee cap