The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-31
MODERN EQUIPMENT
FOR AMBULANCES,
Chief DispeDsary Physician
Scherck Advocates Permanent
Staff to Answer Calls.
NEW SYSTEM SAVES LIVES.
Record of Last Month Shows Many
Cases Where Patients Are Re-
yivcd by Doctors Accom-
panying Wagons.

Doctor II. J. scherck. Chief Dispensary
Physician. who Is advocating that stan
physicians accompany all ambulances In an
swerlns calls. has compiled table of all
runs which have been made during the
major part Of the last NORTH that -he ex-
pertinent has been in operation.
The storm on August 5. which did so much
damage. particularly at the Worlds FAIR
Grounds was the immediate cause Of :he
order given by Doctor Scherck. although he
had been contemplating II for some time
previous to that date. The service rendered
by the staff physicians on the afternoon If
the fifth resulted in Doctor sscherck's de-
cislon to make the experiment.
Between August 8 and . ninety calls
have been answered by ambulances accom-
panied by a staff physician. In many Of
these cases prompt attention given to the
patient not only resulted in inineia-e ie-
lief. but Doctor Scherck cites several cases
where he says that life was saved.
These last instances are especi lilly true in
the cases Of quick-acting po!sons. when 4
ride in an ambulance of from twenty min
utes to half hour back to the dispensary
without medical attention would have re-
suited in the patients death.
The same holds true Of accidents which
result in fractures, scalp WOUNDS and the
like. II these cases can be treated in II
temporary way even on the spot where the
accident took place. more serious results
can be averted, Doctor Scherck says.
In the record which Doctor scherck has
tration and heat exhaustion. For these re-
lief was administered as soon as the physi-
clan arrived, which gave early stimulation
q NJ t1A fo-<
tremely rigorous action upon the arrival Of
the ambulance at the dispensary, but placed
the patient in fair way for recovery.
HEMORRHAGE STOPPED.
There are also many cases of wounds
which brought on hemorrhage. In every
instance the hemorrhage was first arrested
by the immediate attention Of the staff ply
sician and upon arrival at the dispensary
was completely controlled.
One notable result Of the experiment dur
ing the time 1t has been in vogue Is that the
customary notation. died on the way to the
ords showing the disposition of the different
cases.
This fact alone. Doctor scherc. says. JUS
permanent one. With the Worlds Fair
coming next year, 1t stands to reason, he
says. that. with the great increase in popu-
constantly changing one. there will he
proportionate increase in the ambulance
calls.
He believes that the emergency relief af-
forded BY the city should be on par. at
least, with that Of any other city, and would
be one Of her best advertisements to the
thousands of visitors who will be in st.
Louis next. year.
At present the physicians Of the vaccine
department of the dispensary have been
pressed into this hi. emergency service, which =,
extent. as there are only seven physicians
who are performing this double duty.
NEEDS MORE PHYSICIANS.
Doctor Scherck says that with an increase
of ten physicians for emergency work the
would be well equipped. This
would enable him to place the vaccine doc
Another Improvement which Doctor
Scherck is anxious to make Is the equip
ment of the ambulances themselves with
the necessary medicines spints and band
ages which MAY be used for emergency
work.
This would result. Doctor Scherck says in
a great saving to the city. for there are
great number Of persons who have a horror
of a hospital and an operating-room.
The SAVING would come about In this way:
The record OF the last month shows that
there have been several cases where the
patient has received the temporary relief
by the stan physician and been taken d.
rectly to his home.
Under the old method of going at once to
the dispensary and there receiving the tenn
porary relief which under TIE present sys-
cases in which the patient was not able to
tell where his home was on arrival at the
dispensary. and there was nothing to do
hut convey him to the City Hospital when
treatment at Oiace would have precluded the
usual routine and resulted in relieving the
city of caring for him.
II often happens that patient will have
relatives or friends who are well able and
would rather have the care Of their own
sick: but on account OF not receiving iin-
mediate attention the case has progressed
at the City Hospital that he cannot he
moved; sometimes for as long a period as
6 II II Is tnis class OF cases which Doctor
Scherck Is particularly anxious to relieve
the city OF, and he says that the solution Of
the problem is permanent stan OF ni;vsi-
Gums Gums Tor the emergency work, both day and