The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-31
SURGICAL HISTORY OF THE WAR

each it will require all the ammunition
of four men to wound one of the enemy.
In future wars, according to the Opln-
ions of experts, the casualties VIII not
rise above 20 per cent, one-fourth OF
the men hit being killed outright. A
division of 10000 men at this rate would
have 500 killed, 500 so severely wounded
as to require to be carried off the field,
and 1000 slightly injured, most of whom
would be able to walk to the dressing
stations to be treated. The great ma
jority of wounds, as heretofore. will be
inflicted by small arms. The percentage
of small arms wounds in the civil war
was 80; in the Franco-German conflict
it was "a. Saber and bayonet wounds
will furnish l to 2 per cent. of the in
juries. However, in siege operations
the percentage of hurts by large pro-
jectiles is always likely to be great
and has been known to rise as high as
so per cent.
Not only is modern warfare less
sanguinary, but it entails less suffering
on the part of -combatants. 1t is
said that even yet Germany has not
quite recovered from the effects of the
famous 30 years war. which brought
such widespread desolation to a great
part of Europe. During that conflict
battles occurred only once in about
three years, whereas in the Franco
Prussian struggle important engage
ments took place every second day on
an average. 1t is a tendency of warfare
under modern conditions to precipitate
results. battles following each other at
close intervals, so that the end is soon
reached and peace arrives. 1t is worth
mentioning in this connection that, con-
trary to the popular impression. the
number of troops engaged in modern
battles is not greater than in that of
ancient times. At Platea 100000 Per
slams fought against 900 Greeks, and
more than 100000 men were enSag-
ed at Arbela. In the bloody battle of
Leipsic more than 4S6, 900 took part and
the numbers engaged a Solferino were
100000, at Gettysburg 10000 and at
Metz 100000
The ratio of killed to wounded has
not become greater in modern military
conflicts than in those former days.
At thunderstorm it was one to l $40; at
Leipsc it was one to 2; among the
British III the Crimea it was one to
40; among the French in the Cri-
mea it was one to $40; among the
Prussians at kOnigsgratz it was one
! to Gle among the Austrians at KOn-
| igsgratz it was one to 8; among the
| Germans in 1S50-71 it was one to 40;
| in our own civil war it was one to T.
| and in the Spanish american strug-
, gle it was one to ) 6-10.
In the late Spanish war the casual
| ties before Santiago from July 10 u
| were little over II per cent There
! were present for duty S5S officers and
| 1883 men. Twenty-Five officers and
222 men were killed, and 93 officers and
! 1883 men were wounded. In the Cri-
! mea the British loss was slightly over
| u per cent: at Gettysburg the loss
! among 117000 Union troops was 10 10
! per cent. but among $4,000 confeder-
-l--rt
/ the casualties were : $40 per cent, and
at Sedan the French lost 10 per cent
The figures here quoted We're com
! piled for the war department by Dr.
| George NJ. 1<obCr. He saws that undcl
! present conditions of warfare the sur
gcOns may expect to find among every
! 100 wounded two or three fraC cures o
. The thigh. three or four of the leg, three
or four of the upper arm, three or four
cf the forearm, one or two of the knee