The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-09-15

an enemy, is almost at an end. 1t Is SAID
by the military men who have been watch
ing things with eagle eyes, that the maneu-
yers have been of exceptional advantage to
the men and to their commanders.
Well, they ought to be, for they have
cost heap. If the money has been well
spent nobody ought TO kick. Some PEG
pie are, but then some people will not be
happy in heaven. because there will be
nothing to kick about. 1t will no doubt
astonish a great many to know that IN the
beginning the SUPERINTENDENT OF the
United States Army was the big man.
That after the General of the Army had
selected what seemed to him TO be an ex-
celent site for these great maneuverS. the
Surgeon-General had TO go over the 5000
acres of land and set the sign of his appro-
val upon it before the General could def
nitely settle the question.
The dressing of wounds and the care of
wounded and diseased men is a small part
of Surgeons work in the Army. His
great task is always TO see that the camps
of the army are pitched with proper re-
gard to the health of the men who live in
it. He must be on his guard constantly
to prevent deadly germs and microbes get
ting into the camp. and 10 keep the men
from coming in contact with disease.
This is an extremely difficult matter.
Disease terminates. some way, IN large,
well-kept cities where garbage is carefully
removed. great sewers and large quanti-
ties of water carry away all waste matter,
and scientific Invention holds possession
of the homes where "a. m. l." are proudly
advertised. In these homes men and
women live modera tely-well-conducted
lives according TO method and with regard
TO sanitary precautions In spite of all
this. typhoid. low fevers. and nervous dis
orders are often epidemic. In big camp
where $4,000 to 10000 men congregate. let
loose from all restraint. the Surgeon car
ries a mountain on his shoulders. He has
two awful foes to fght-typhoid fever and
pneumonia. the very worst scourges of
military camps in the old army. During
the Spanish War. even. with all our i'm
proved methods on 40 years ago, thou
sands of men sickened with one or the
other of these diseases. and. if they did not
die. were wrecked for life thereby.
In view of all this. the Medical Corps
Tor the Manassas maneuverS was made
the largest the United States has ever
supported in the field in time of peace.
The force was divided into three camps,
and includes about 100 officers and $50 en-
listed men of the Medical Department of
the United States Army. These men were
augmented in large numbers by those
brought in by the Militia of the various
States engaged in the maneuvers. They
are apportioned among the regular troops.
and are included in the staff of two divi-
Sion hospitals. two field hospitals with
each division two ambulance companies
ments and separate organizations.
THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS
of the two divisions. were on the ground
for two three weeks and carefully went
over every inch of the camps to examine
the lay of the ground. They examined and
tested every stream of water, every spring.
and every well. Each of these was pla-
carded. A great roar went up from the
farmers. but they could not help them
selves. The War Department was paying
them big money as rent for the lands, and
for the month they belonged to that branch
of the Government, and it could do as it
sources We're placarded good" 'very
good" Indifferent" bad" The ''indiffer-
ent' and the bad was what riled the
farmers. who did not like for their fine"
springs to- be labelled thus. They had to
submit, however.
The division and field hospitals are fit
ted out in the most modern style. To each
division hospital is attached an operating
tent with modern operating table of plate
glass and a sterilizer of the most approved
type. Each hospital is provided with an
dcetylene plant and clusters of gas jets.
so that an abundance of the purest white
rays can. be had at all times. Sanitary
spitbOxes, made of paper, and saturated
with antiseptic solution. are furnished
in large numbers. so that they may be
DNTHPG. lie cots III the rents Stan0 Well
up from the ground. and each is furnished
with two suits of pajamas for the patient
who occupies it, each ser of bed clothing.
pajamas. etc. being steriliZed and kept in
sterile covers. Each cot is covered with
mosquito bars.
For the field work the Surgeons are pro-
vided force of SO ambnlances and train
of four travOis and eight pack mules for
each division. The travos are frames that
are packed on mules. One or two men can
be carried in them. The frames are shaped
like cots and are siung on the backs of
the mules IN much the same manner as a
pack. Such means of transportation for
the wounded has been used in Europe i'll
actual warfare. Int the system that has
been selected for test here IS as great an
improvement over the old method as the
modern hospital over that Of ancient days.
SOMETHING AS TO AMBULANcEs.
1t is an interesting fact that 80 years
ago, prior to and durin. the crimea am
-buiance wagons did not exist in the British
army. The origin of the word is French,
and originally meant a walking or NOV
able hospital. Since the CrimeaR war the
word ambulance has meant a wagon for
the conveyance of sick and wounded sol
diers. During the Crimean war, Eng
lands wounded were carried from the field
by the sailors i'll hammocks. in ordinary
transport wagons. and in ainbuances bor-
any trained stretcher hearers. field hospi-
tails or hospital ships. The bands
men alone were available TO carry
away their wounded comrades, and
the regimental Surgeons dressed their
wounds on the field. The crying
evils of such a system, or lack Of it, led
Lord Herbert 70 effect considerable i'm
proyement in field bos pital work in
7S57-5S
Before the war of the rebellion closed
we thought we had things in the way Of
hospital service down pretty fine. but the
methods pursued at the Manassas maneu-
yers are as a parler to the butler's pantry.
and Chief Surgeon John l.. Phillips de-
clares that there is not a single element of
the work that may not be carried out in
active service on real battlefield where
the wounded come in in scores.
The manner Of getting wounded men off
the field is entirely different from the old
way, too. There are lots of tags which
The handing officer is supposed to car
~ around in his pocket, and when a man
is wounded, he hunts the tag which de-
scribes the wound and has it attached Ia
the man, who Is carried of the field. AT