The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-07-12
THE FIELD HOSPITAL
Treatment of Wounded Planned by
Army Surgeons
mn. service Is Provided with Every
convenience for the Care ana
Comfort of Uncle SANS
soldiers.

T. ,ha United States army the hospi-
tal corps is divided into two oe'aen-
ments. one for service in the neld nospi-
tals the other to man the ambulances
- l;tters for the removal OF the
u,ornded from the field. The plan OF
field hospital, as outlined by COL for-
wood. assistant surgeon general, pro
yides for four lines, separated py u,s-
tances which will be determined Oy 'ne
character of the battlefield. Inc mrs.
line of hospital service is coincluehV
,,;tb tbe line of battle, and includes the
repimental surgeons, orderlies ana
comnany bearers. On the second line
are the first dressing stations, at the
nearest point beyond range OF the enc
mv's fire. Here ambulance surgeons at
tend TO the wounds, and ambulances
md litter bearers of the hospital corps
convey the wounded to the third line
This is called the ambulance station
Reception, operating and dressing tents
are erected, where the wounded can Dc
attended until they can be removed 10
the division hospitals atthe base OF sup
plies.
None of the hospital corps serves IN
the line of battle. The wounded are
conveyed to the first dressing stations
nv pr;yates from the ranks. The army
regulations provide that four prlvales
from each company shall be designated
as company bearers. They are taught
how to handle wounded men and in
first aid, in addition to their regular
duties as armed combatants. they
fight in the line until their services are
required to attend the wounded, whom
they convey to the first dressing places
There the injured are turned over to
the hospital corps, and the company
bearers return to their places. They
are under the direction of their owr
officers, and have nothing to do with
the dressing of wounds. Their only
care is to convey the wounded beyond
the reach of the enemy's fire.
At the first dressing stations, where
the wounded receive their first atten
ton, aside from such hasty bandaginl
as the regimental surgeons may be abl'
to provide, there is a completely
equipped field hospital in miniature
In the United States army the mali
medical stores are carried in arm!
wagons, but as these cannot keep VI
with the line OF battle, it is proposet
that pack mules be employed to carr.
supplies to these dressing stations.
medical case or pannier, so built as 4
fit the back of the mule, contains al
: the materials required, variety 0
7 antiseptics, medicines for the relief o
{ pain, bandages, splints, plasters, an,
operating instruments. A. cook accom-
panies each of the divisions, carrying
a case of portable cooking utensils. \
soon as this detachment reaches il
station tents are put up, the medica
: cases are opened, and their content
: placed in readiness for use; an operat
| ing table is improvised by placing tw
: of the folding panniers together, s
that they will afford a place on whic
. to lay the wounded while the surgeo
is working over them, while the coo
!, sets up his tent and makes ready I
prepare light nourishment.
Inv NANoSAAS PldtIo
be only temporary stopping places 70
the wounded. As soon as their imm,
date wants are attended to they ar
conveyed back to the ambulance sti
I tons in light bamboo stretchers carrie
Q by the litter bearers of the hospit;
corps. Thence the ambulances carr
them back to the division hospital
The hospitals proper are near enoug
the base of action so that they NAV /
t transported in army wagons and al
r equipped with full outfit of medic;
: and surgical supplies, comfortable CT
beds, and other conveniences which al
necessarily lacking in the field. Hel
the wounded are supposed TO rest unit
they can be transferred to permaner
D hospitals or to the hospital ships, &
will probably be the case in the Cuba
campaign. In case the army moves $
rapidly that the army wagons cam,
o keep up, or the country is so rough tn,
they cannot easily make their way.
Tying detachment of the field hospit,
+ Will be organized, consisting of iirl
J. ambulance and medical wagons, whic
can go wherever troops can marc,
They will carry everything that IL
heavier supply trains contain, only
smaller quantities.-N. Y. Sun.