Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-11-12


corps-both on the battlefield and In
the various hospitals to which an IN
jured man is taken. The Red Cross
workers follow Immediately behind the
fighting line AS soldiers fall they go
In between the lines as rapidly as pos
sible, pick them up give them tenn
porary dressing and bandaging II
such has not already been applied, and
then the carriers take them to the first
temporary hospital where further aid
is administered if required.
Every regiment has connected with
1t a medical officer When 1t goes into
action he takes command OF the re5i-
mental stretcher-bearers. These men
carry no weapons and wear Red Cross
armlets Often it is necessary for them
to exercise much ingenuity in getting
the wounded in condition to be moved.
For splints they utilize muskets, bay
onets, scabbards, lances, leather and
felt from saddles Wool, flannel, hay
or moss make good padding while for
fastening splints may be used hand
kerchiefs, stockings, garters, suspend
ers, cord clothing cut from soldier
and straps of all descriptions, such as
stirrup leather.
Carriers are provided with simple,
light stretchers for the transportation
of the wounded. To place an injured
person on a stretcher and carry him
properly requires three men-tWo to
carry it, the third to steady the burden
and to change places with bearer II
necessary. These bearers are trained
to move according to fixed words oil
command, by which means they aC'
quire wonderful precision and quick
ness. Sometimes stretcher is NOT
available, and here again must ingenu'
ity be called into play. TWO poles
make good framework. Lacking
poles, there are always plenty of lance
staffs or muskets These, pushed
through the sleeves of two military
coats buttoncd together, form an eX'
cellent stretcher; as do also two or
three knapsacks fastened between two
muskets by their straps. Sometimes
even grths, stirrup straps, musket
straps and brides are stretched, net
like, across two poles
Taken to Base Hospitals.
The progress of wounded man from
the field to the permanent hospital,
where he remains either until he IL
well enough to re-enter the ranks uf
to be sent home, usually involves no
less thar five transfers, sometimes
more. Once carried to the nearest
place Of safety, as soon as possible
after an army proceeds soldiers are
next taken-usually by ambulance-tC
a great central place, where they arc
sorted according to the seriousness OF
their injuries. The next move is to
temporary field hospital, equipped with
every modern device and where neccS.
sary operations are performed. Decl
sions regarding amputation are made
quickly, but it is used only as last
resort. Conservative surgery is the
rule. In shot wounds sometimes a
bullet does not penetrate the tissue
deeply. If a shot happens to &C
through tissue containing unimportani
likely to follow. Formerly it was be
lieved best to try to get a bullet Out
at once. Today there is no probing OF
tissues and no removal of rags OF
shreds or parts foreign to wound
Simply the uniform is cut away, sur
rounding parts are kept as clean as
possible without washing and the en-
tire surface of the wound painted with
tincture of iodine.
Recent wars have proved that 1t Is
wise to disturb an ordinary wound as
little as possible, as one made by o
modern projectile will heal almost at
once if left alone, provided dirt and
air have been excluded. Shots from ar
tillery guns, however are of a terrible
nature, frequently tearing the limbs
If the tissue is badly torn there is AT
first not much hemorrhage-th blood
vessels separating, shrinking within
themselves and forming a Clot so that
bleeding stops. Great care must be
taken IN the transportation of soldiers
thus wounded that a second hemor
rhage does not occur.
Off for More Patients.
After the necessary operations have
been performed the corps which ac.
companies the fighting army leaves
this temporary hospital and follows Oh
to establish a similar hospital after the
next battle the wounded being left in
the hands of another corps of doctors
and nurses. These field hospitals are
supposed to provide accommodations
for 100 men, although often their re-
sources are heavily over-taXed, which
results in hardship and discomfort TO
patients-who lie on straw spread on
the floor and covered with waterproof
sheets and blankets. They live on
their field rations, suitably cooked and
supplemented by various supplies.
From field hospitals soldiers are
passed as quickly as possible to sta
tion hospitals on the lines of commu-
nication, where they are supplied with
beds and proper hospital clothing
From here they are taken by ambu-
lance train to a general hospital at the
advanced base of operations, and later
to a city or town hospital, where they
remain until able to return to their
homes or, if recuperation is complete,
to military service.
In the British army the final transfer
of the wounded man is usually to a
hospital ship, since most of Englands
fighting is done over seas. These ships
are fitted with comfortable swinging
cots in airy wards. 1t is planned that
each division of an army shall have
one such ship, with from 200 to 250