Evening star., 1902-08-23
SURGERY IN THE FIELD.
A German Draws Professional Morals
From Transvaal Experiences.

Berlin Correspondence Of the London Standard.
DR.. Johann ReineclIe, who acted as
field surgeon to the Beers during the war,
has had the degree of doctor OF medicine
conferred upon him by Berlin University.
He chose as the subject for hi, doctors
dissertation Some Critical Notes on the
Treatment OF Sick and Wounded DIR.
Reinecke says ;hat during the war con-
servative surgery stood the test Of prac-
tice better than all eise, and continued:
If l were asked to lay down a guiding
rule for young field surgeons operating in
war l should answer, "a rational uro-
cedure founded on Prof. BrrGmanns doc
trine, that wounds inflicted by small metal
projectiles are not to be considered as in
Iected, but as LESSONS pure and simple
The surgeon ought, therefore, to suppress
his scientific curiosity, ana not touch the
wound with the probe or with his hands,
but clean ii with soap spirit and apply an
aseptic handaSe. In the case OF broken
bones and injured joints care i to be taken
that the respe ctive eXtremities are immo-
bhlzed. Care in carrying the patients to
the nearest field hospital is also important
as well as, if possible, absolute regose for
the first four or five days. There viii, OF
course, always be exceptions where cir
cumstances will necessitate an immediate
operation, but they are very rare. The
medical successes achieved during the war
have placed ii beyond doubt that the first
bandaging is of decisive Importance, es-
pecially in cases of grave injuries to the
head abdomen, joints and bones.
For this conservative method OF surgi-
cal treatment the Beers were lust the prop-
er material. They bore even serious in
juries with stoical calm. one Johannes
burg commander who. in the battle at
Peters Hill, on February - 1900 had been
shot through the left lung above the heart
and also through the right upper arm, was
taken to a neighbOring hospital soon after
he was wounded. The following night the
Boers retired. and next morning an Eng
llSh patrol came and its officer took down
the names of the wounded Beers to order
their transport 20 Ladysmith This. how
ever was not to the liking of the Johannes
burg commander. He got up at night, in
Spanned a wagon with four mules. and
placed young field cornet who was cover
ed with wounds, on the cart. The COM
mander had to drive the wagon ana to hold
the whip himself After a weeks travel
ing, during which time they were obliged
to make a long detour to evade another
English patrol, they arrived at DR. Rein
ecke's field hospital on Van Reonen's Pass.
The strain Of the journey had apparently
not done them any special harm. as. owing
to the excellence of the first bandaging
the process of healing had gone unin-
terruptedly."
DR.. Reinecke says that the effect Of the
lyddite bombs WAS disappointingly small,
Probably the explosive power of lyddite,
when used in a high and very dry at
mosphere, is much inferior to It's effect
when used in the damp atmosphere of the
seacoast, where the trials were originally
made in England. When lyddite did take
effect, however, the results were most
curious. On January Il. 1900 foggy day,
two Free Staters were killed near the
Tugela by the explosion OF such a bomb
without showing the slightest injury. At
other times Beers were thrown down un-
conscious, remaining Tor longer or short
er period in a deathlike condition. They
gradually regained consciousness, and were
extremely eXcitable On their recovery. suf-
fering from terrible headache as well as
from pains in the spine and cNtremities,
lacking appetite and sleep, and having a
discolored tongue. The ears of the victims
are especially liable to be affected