The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-10

performance of their duty they will not
be cast aside as useless membranes.
Anyone familiar with the construc-
ton of a modern battleship will read
lily see the impossibility of caring Tor
wounded men as in the days of wooden
ships. The object of making closed
compartments is to have them closed
in. time of action. The object of bat
tie plates is to have them screwed on
in time of battle. by as much as these
precautions are neglected, by 50 much
is the efficiency of the fighting machine
decreased. In the tops, in the super
structure, and in some of the living
spaces men may be reached and cared
for, but never again in modern warfare
will the sick bay be the place where
all the wounded will be brought during
an action, where the signal staff
will expend all Of their energies.
1t il more than probable that future
sea fights will be short bloody,
and be fought at short range. With
modern rapid fire guns, all exposed
parts of a vessel would soon be cleared
Of the living occupants and heavy
armor would be the only protection.
h personal danger confronting the
surgeon will be greater than ever ne
fore. 1t will be his object to DO the
greatest good to the greatest number.
Except in limited numbers. his patients
cannot be brought to him; he must go
TO them. He will scarcely ever be able
to perform a capital operation during
an action; time will not permit. He
must be here, there and everywhere.
II he can find a sheltered place any
where in the ship where he will not be
in the way of a gun, a torpedo tube. u
trolley or an ammunition hoist. let MIN
there establish a central station and a
line Of communication with all acces-
sible parts of the ship. No particular
part Of the ship can be here designated
as this central station: IL must vary IN
accordance with the construction OF the
vessel. 1t should be the place where
there would be tile greatest protection,
with the greatest accessibility. In case
of a lull in, or Immediately after. an
action, the wounded should be taken
there and such operations as are prac-
ticable performed.
In vessels where there is not free
communication fore and aft, there
should be two such stations with at
least one surgeon assigned to each
During an action many men will fan
in places where, IL two or more OF their
comrades were detailed as carriers. IL
would disable the lighting force on the
gun inc give the enemy a greater
chance of victory. We must reconcile
ourselves to the fact that the primary
object of combat is to v%anquish the ad-
versary, must accommodate our
selves to the situation.
Some means of communication, vocal
or electrical, shout be established be-
tween each compartment or fighting
space and the central station. so that
the surgeon can be informed where his
services are required, IL the ounded
cannot be speedily removed.
Meanwhile the importance of first aid
IL clearly manifest. The first aid can
only be rendered by comrades The
thorough instruction Of the whole ships
company in the efficient OF thus
administering first aid cannot be too
strongly urged.
One of the FIRST duties of the surgical
stan OF q newly commissioned vessel
should be the drilling of the crew In
the proper methods of controlling
hemorrhaee from different parts Of the
body, the removal OF foreign bodies
from wounds, and the placing In prop
er positions injured or broken limbs
They should also be taught how "a
carry a man up or down through mar
row matches. over obstacles. or through