The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-03-30
THE FIELD HOSPITAL
Treatment Of Wounded Planned BY
Army Surgeons.
The Service II Provided With Every
Convenience for the Care an4
Comfort Of Uncle Sans
Soldiers.

In the United States army the hospi-
tai corps is divided into two detach-
ments, one for service in the field hOspi-
tails, the other to man the ambulances
and litters for the removal Of the
wounded from the field. The plan Of
field hospital, as outlined by Col. For
wood, assistant surgeon general, pro-
vides for four lines, separated by dis
tances which will be determined by the
character of the battlefield. The first
line of hospital service is coincident
with the line of battle, and includes the
regimental surgeons, orderlies and
company bearers On the second line
are the first dressing stations, at the
nearest point beyond range of the enc
my's fire. Here ambulance surgeons at
tend to the wounds, and ambulances
and litter bearers of the hospital corps
convey the wounded to the third line.
This is called the ambulance station
Reception, operating and dressing tents
are erected, where the wounded can be
attended until they can be removed to
the division hospitals at the base Of sup
plies.
None of the hospital corps serves in
the line of battle. The wounded are
conveyed to the first dressing stations
by priyates from the ranks. The army
regulations provide that four privates
from each company shall be designated
as company bearers They are taught
how to handle wounded men and in
first aid. in addition to their regular
duties as armed combatantx- They
! fight in the line until their services are
required to attend the wounded, whom
they convey to the first dressing places.
There the injured are turned over to
| the hospital corps, ard the company
bearers return to their places. They
are under the direction of their own
officers, and have nothing to do with
! the dressing of wounds. Their only
care is to convey the wounded beyond
the reach of the enemy's fire.
At the first dressing stations, where
! the wounded receive their first atten-
ton, aside from such hasty bandaging
as the regimental surgeons may be able
10 provide, there is completely
equipped field hospital in miniature.
In the United States army the main
medical stores are carried in army
wagons, but as these cannot keep up
with the line of battle, it is proposed
that pack mules be employed to carry
supplies to these dressing stations. A
medical case or pannier, SO built as to
fit the back of the mule, contains all
the materials required, variety OF
antiseptics, medicines for the relief of
pain, bandages- splints, plasters, and
operating instruments. A cook accom-
panies each of the divisions, carrying
case of portable cooking utensils. As
soon as this detachment reaches its
station tents are put up, the medical
cases are opened, and their contents
placed in readiness for use; an operat-
ing table is improvised by placing two
Of the folding PAINTERS together, SO
that they will afford place on which
| TO lay the wounded while the surgeon
is working over Them while the cook
/ sets up his tent and makes ready to
prepare light nourishment.
The dressing places are intended to
be only temporary stopping places for
the wounded. As soon as their imme-
date wants are attended to they are
conveyed back to the ambulance sta
lions in light bamboo stretehers carried
by the litter bearers of the hospital
corps. Thence the ambulances carry
them back to the division hospitals.
The hospitals proper are near enough
the base of action so that they may be
transported in army wagons and are
| equipped with full outfit of medical
and surgical supplies, comfortable cot
beds. ard other conveniences which are
necessarily lacking in the field. Here
the wounded are supposed to rest It'll
they can be transferred to permanent
hospitals or TO the hospital ships. Is
will probably be the case in the Cuban
campaign. In case the army moves SO
rapidly that the army wagons cannot
keep up. or the country is so rough that
they cannot easily make their way. a
flying detachment OF the field hospital
will be organized, consisting of light
ambulance and medical wagons, which
can go wherever troops can march.
They viii carry everything that the
heavier supply trains contain, only in
smaller quantities.-N. Y. Sun.