Evening star., 1915-09-13
Necessary Operations Due to
Modern Methods of Fighting
Subject of Addresses.
U. S. MILITARY SURGEONS
BEGIN ANNUAL MEETING
Gunshot Wounds in Head One Of
Most Notable Features Of Present
Conflict, Says Col. Frank.

Modern warfare neccssitates a very
wounds in the head. according to Col.
Jacob Frank, medical corps, Illinois
National Guard. Col. Frank was ad-
dressing the delegates to the twenty
fourth annual meeting of the Associa-
ton of Military Surgeons of the Unit
ed States. which opened its sessions
in the ballroom of the Raleigh Hotel at
. o'clock today. The sessions which
will close Wednesday afternoon, will
be filled with discussions of modern
military surgery in the light of knowl-
edge of methods now being used in the
European war.
Even grave injuries TO the skull and
brain are not necessarily fatal, Col.
Frank told the delegates With care
ful surgery and proper subsequent
treatment Il great number of recover.es
may be expected.
The present war in Europe" Col.
Frank said, has established the fact
that we Will have to deal with a
large number of gunshot wounds in the
head in The future. Very meager de-
tails have come from Europe of the
exact mode of treatment of fractures
without injury to the soft structures
beneath, but | am constrained to be-
lieve that irrespective of the charac acter
and extent of these injuries the treat
ment will not ma terially differ from
that which has been in vogue in civil
practice.
First Aid Only Partly Protects.
''The usual first aid in gunshot wounds
of the head is at best only partly pro-
tective. Hemorrhage is generally very
profuse, and the frst-aid packets do
n raj ffician ial fo
vent oozing through the dressings
More effective bandaging will be pos
sible at the dressing stations. but radi-
cal surgery should be undertaken only
at properly equipped institutions, such
as our field or evacuation HOSPITALS
at must be borne in mind that even
grave injuries of the SKULL meninges
and brain are not necessarily fatal and
that by proper and careful surgery a
relatively large percentage of recov-
cries may be expected"
Col. Frank pointed out to the dele
gates that proper after care was very
important, and that absolute quiet was
necessary for patients suffering from
head injuries. He pointed out, too, that
patient with brain injuries could en-
dure travel less after an operation.
Much depends upon the surgical
sense of the individual surgeon" he
continued. but | cannot plead strong
ly enough for a conservative policy.
When patients are doing comparatively
welr mistakes have been made in GER
tain foreign armies by promptly hunt
ing with probe or forceps for lodged
missiles. This is permissible only when
the missile is easy of access, which is
seldom the case, or when it proves
the direct cause of severe symptoms.
Even then all probing and blind manip-
ulating should be avoided"
DR.. Frank also spoke of the expen-
sive machinery available for opera
tions upon the head, but he said that
all that was necessary was an equip
ment of trephine, a hammer, a few
sharp chisels and forceps.
Field Service During Strike.
Capt. o. D. Westcott, Medical Corps,
Colorado National Guard, addressed the
convention on field service in the Colo