Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1917-10-24
A WORD FROM WACO
SERGEANT FISCER TELLS OF
HOSPITAL WORK IN BIG
CAMP DUTIES ARDUOUS.

Camp Macarthur, Waco, Tex, Oct.
l2.-EdltOr Herald [ write a few
words to let you know about Camn
Macarthur. The camp itself is local
ed about three to four miles distant
from the city Of Waco, and is an ideal
army camp. The government has al
most $4,000 acres Of land in this one
reservation, each company and regi-
ment being given so much ground for
tentage. The entire camp is one huge
tent for seemingly miles around
all one can see is an endless chain of
tents and wooden shacks.
While talking to you on nv last
visit at home you expressed the de-
sire to hear about the medical depart
ment OF such an encampment. | will
explain in as few words as possible
just what our department is like and
what are our duties.
Each camp of this size has its base
hospital. This hospital accommodates
ABOUT 800 patients and is directed by
regulars" as we call them. The
medical force Of such a hospital is
made up of some 200 enlisted men.
nurses and reserve medical corps
doctors. 1t is their duty to take and
care for all men who need hospital
treatment. Operations of all kinds
are performed here almost daily. San
itatiOn and hospital facilities are all
OF the very best that the government
can obtain; you know when Uncle
Sam starts out to do thing he does
it in the best possible way The
buildings of the base hospital are all
made Of wood and built up some four
feet from the ground; in this manner
doing away with dampness and Civ
ing better ventilation The hospital
is equipped with steel beds and linen.
most OF which came from the various
Red Cross organizations A very
elaborate laboratory has been install
ed where all micrOscOpical and clinic
al medicine is done and diagnoses of
all kinds are given from this one
branch of the hospital That is one
type Of hospital. Now our special de-
partment, ''the field hospital, has it's
special work to do and account for.
We are mobile unit, composed of
some eighty enlisted men and six Of
fcers-one major and five lieuteuants
At camp like this, we have nothing
to do with caring for the sick other
than ailments and injuries in our
own ranks. The government realizes
that in order to have proficient and
capable field unit she must first get
her field hospital men in the best pos
sible physical condition. For much
depends on such a unit. In active
Campaigning we have to follow in the
wake of the division and be ready at
a minutes notice to pitch our tents
and prepare for our part Of the work.
We are supposed to be stationed
a O1I+ fO11Y 71oi1oC hoclx of 40 third
lines, in the so-called safety zone'
It is here that the first surgery is per-
formed on the wounded. There is a
somewhat erroneous impression in
that some think a field hospital is
only a first-aid dressing station. This
should be corrected. The first aid
dressing stations are for the most
part underground, a short distance
from the trenches. The field ambu-
lances bring the men from these sta
lions back to us, and so on back until
the patient reaches the base hospital
that is, Of course, if his condition be
so serious as to demand treatment in
the base hospital Our company Will
be motorized to the extent of twelve
huge motor trucks. These are to be
used in the transportation of cur pa
TENTS. We are supposed to have tent
age enough for $50 patients. On the
present battlefields much of the field
hospital surgery is done underground
and in any shelter that is Obtainable.
At present all field hospitals are en-
gaging in hospital drill, lectures and
long endurance hikes. Every morn
ing we go on five-mile hike, and on
Saturdays our schedule calls for four
teen miles On such hikes each man
carries from 80 to 45 pounds Of his
equipment, which includes his blan-
ket, his shelter half, stakes and ropes,
besides his first aid jacket, knife and
canteen. The soldiers in the United
Stats army are fast getting into a
great physical condition; no one
thinks anything of the long hikes.
Everyone here is anxious to get into
action, and all are anxiously awaiting
Ithe orders to move.
received the Herald and am al
ways looking for its next edition to
know how and what people are doing
in Lancaster I enjoy it; such things
from home are very welcome ia the
army. Sergt. r. +. Fischer, 4
Wisconsin Field Hospital No. 2