The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-05-05
JAPANESE HOSPITAL SHIPS.
Thoroughly Modern Provision for
Wounded Soldiers.

4
Thoroughly Modern Provision for
Wounded Soldiers.
Not only in her weapons and meth
DDS of warfare, but also in her ar
rangements for the care OF the
wounded, Japan has shown wonder
fully progressive spirit during the
pending war. A fresh Illustration OF
the fact is furnished by a correspond
emit, who writes from Kobe to The
Medical Record, of New York. His
description of one of the Japanese
hospital ships, which transfer the
wounded from hospitals at Port Ar
thur and Dalny to those in Japan, will
be best appreciated by surgeons and
trained nurses, but cannot fail to in
terest many other people as well:
The Kobe Maru is fair type ct
this class of vessel. On approaching
the vessel it is seen that she is paint
ed white, with broad band of green
about two feet wide which extends
completely around the hull of the YES
sci about midway between the rail
and the waterline. A large Geneva
cross ,red) is painted on each side
of the smokestack. With these char
acteristic distinguishing marks the
vessel should be assured of not being
mistaken for a combatant vessel or
a merchantmen.
Arriving on board, It is found chat
the vessel is fairly modern steamer
of about 5000 tons, which by a few
changes has been converted into a
hospital ship. The vessel was for.
merly in the passenger service OF the
Nippur Yusen Kaisha Company. The
sick are all quartered upon the deck.
The privates are placed in suitable
sized compartments in hunks. which
are three tiers high. The total ca
pacity is $50. For the sick officers
the ordinary staterooms are used.
The hunks are constructed of iron
and furnished with good springs and
mattresses. \
The amount of air space head ap-
pears to be inadequate, but this is
compensated for in way by the ordi-
nary ship ventilators. No forced
draught or other mechanical means
of changing the air Is used. OF
course, it is proper to take into con-
sideration that the distances to be
run are not very great, at most not
over three days, and no doubt during
the majority of the voyages the wea-
Their conditions would be such that
the portfolios could be kept open, and
thus a supply of fresh air assured.
A neat operating room, furnished
with modern furniture, is located on
the same deck. The number and kind
of surgical instruments are sufficient
to perform almost any operation. The
sterilizers are connected with the
ships steam supply, thus obviating
the necessity of separate heating
apparatus. The room receives excel
lent light from an overhead skylignt.
A dark room is especially fitted up
for X-ray work, for which there is a
good machine ON board An isola-
ton hospital for contagious cases is
fitted up on the deck below that used
for regular hospital purposes.
No female attendants of any kind
are employed on board. The Japa-
nese medical men do not seem to be
very favorably impressed with female
nurses for army or navy purposes.
Six medical officers are assigned to
each vessel of like capacity. All fric-
ton is avoided by the senior medical
officer being in absolute charge OF tine
vessel in all matters except the sv-
tdal sailing of the vessel. The medi-
cal officer simply orders the master
of the ship to proceed to slch ports
as ne may desire. which orders must
be carried into effect at the earliest
practicable moment.
The sanitary arrangements are
very good, all sinks, closets, etc., be-
ing of modern design, and they gen.
orally bear the name of some foreign
maker. Everything is kept scrupu-
ously clean, and from all appearances
it would seem that the vessels are
well managed.