The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-20
HE SCHOOL OF FIRE
HI--The Medicos Take the Field.
Bv Frederie j. Haskin.

zsee9s1aus1ssececHcete,saclsn
A doctor serving with troops In the
nteld is a soldier. Sanitary troops
are as essential. part of Q military
Organization as artillery or cavalry,
and they must march, camp, endure
IRE and perform all the other func-
lions of a soldier. except the actual
| 6ghtinge
This fact was somewhat forcibly
impressed upon the members of the
medical reserve corps. VINO gathered
| at Tobyhanna to learn that the du-
ties of any army surgeon. The med
tical reserve corps, 1t may be ex-
planned, is a body of American doctors
who have indicated their Willingness
to serve as army surgeons IN time OF
war. This body of about fifteen hun
Edred men includes a number OF the
h most distinguished specialists and
practitioners in the United States. For
their training in the military phase Of
their duties, camps have been estab-
tlished in connection with militia
schools at Tobyhanna. Pa. Sparta,
Wis, and San Antonio, Texas.
At these schools the medfcos, as
they are always called in the army,
have decidedly new experience. AT
lTobyhanna, for example, Major Page,
Of the regular army, who had charge
of the doctors. rounded his dfsting-
uished pupils out at reveil1e, and
made them go through the setting
up exercises every morning. The
sight of these distinguished gentl-
men, many OF them OF portly girth
land impressive whiskers, going
through calisthenics before sunrise.
was an impressive example OF military
discipline.
The training of the doctors consist
ed in series of lectures, setting
forth the duties OF sanitary troops
ia the field, and of most unique
drill, in which all the conditions and
lexigencies of actual battle were re-
produced In minute detan.
On q Blackboard.
The drill was. technicaliy called a
problem" and like all otner prob
lens worked out at Tobyhanna. was
first set forth and explained on a
that an action was to take place be-
tween the blues and the reos. Tho
batteries of the reds heso u strong
position on the hilltops across the
mil1pond. The batteries of the blues
were to dislodge them, II possible. A
severe action. with neavy firing,
would take place, and the medicos
would be compelled to establish
field dressing station and a field hos
pital, and to take care OF the large
mum Der of wounded.
The problem having been explained
the medicos went into the field as a
part of the star of the Held officer.
This officer then gave orders for bat
teries "C'' and I'd" to take up their
position behind stone wa:s this side
of the mi1lpond and open nre with
blank ammunition) upon the imag-
mary reds. An orderly dashed back
to camp, the battery was assembled
and rushed into position at a gallop.
The guns were carefuIiy concealed
with brush. so that they would be in
visible to the hostile aeropranes. Then
the order to fire was given and
series Of salvos of blank ammunition
were fred, creating very realistic
atmosphere of battle.
Meantime, three small detaklmenss
of the regular troops uncer eommano
of sergeants had arrived just beyond
the firing line. Each OF these men
wore small tag, as though he were
going to be shipped somewhere by the
next freight. Upon this tag was In
scribed q hypothetical wound. Thus
one of them might be labeled "frac-
tured femur," "a skull wound from
shrapnel." or "a rife bail through the
left shoulder"
Goncaa1fne, VUo,,nS7o>1