Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-12-21
NINE-TENTHS OF
WOUNDED MEN
SAVED ON FIELD
Almost Incredible Feats Are
Being Accomplished Daily
BY Surgeons

Correspondence Of The Associated Press
French Front, Dec Almost in
credible feats have been and are be-
ing accomplished every day of the
war by the surgeons who treat SOL
diers wounded on the battlefield.
These remarkable feats have in
creased in frequency as the stricken
men are more quickly gathered in by
the ambulances and brought to the
field hospitals for surgical interVen-
ton.
At the beginning of the war it was
not always possible to clear up q bat
tlcfield of the casualties in less than
three or four days, and on many oc-
casions wounded men waited even
longer before their injuries could be
handled. The result of this was that
large numbers of the wounded sue
cumbed to gangrene or blood poi
soning, or were rendered so feeble
from loss of blood that they were un-
able to undergo operations that were
vitality necessary. 1t was at this
timo regarded as a satisfactory result
when sixty per cent. of the wounded
b, ought into the hospitals recovered
eventually from their injuries.
Save Nine-Tcnths
This percentage of losses among
the wounded men would at present
be regarded with horror by the mill
tary surgeons, who now reckon with
perfect assurance on saving about
nine-tenths of the wounded men
coming under their treatment. Dur
ing the battle of Flanders the per-
centage of recoveries among wound
ed men Brought to the hospitals
amounted to eighty-six.
This striking figure was still fur
ther improved on the occasion of the
recent battle in which the French
wrested from the Germans the fort
of Malmaison and caused them to
evacuate the Chemin des Danes after
throwing away hundreds of thousands
of the Crown Princes best troops in
the effort to retain it. The French
surgeons reports after the conclu-
sion of the lighting and the treat
ment of alr the wounded show that
ninety men out of every hundred
brought to hospital recovered from
their hurts.
Speed in collecting the wounded is
the greatest factor in bringing about
this progress.
Americans have had much to do
with the speeding up of the ambu-
have been present at every point
where lighting has been severe and
their work has been highly praised
by the army commanders. Ameri-
cans have done much in providing
hospital accommodation near the
front as well as at the bases.
One instance of American effort in
providing for the accommodation and
treatment of the wounded is that
under the management of Miss Kath
leen Park. of New York, at her cha
teau of Annel. There she has worked
almost since the very beginning OF
the war While the battle for the
fort of Malmaison was in progress
the hospital dealt with a considera-
BILE number of wounded. who were
first bandaged on the battlefield and
then brought down the river Aisne
on board a barge fitted up as q float
ing hospital.
One Thing Needed
Miss Park says there is only one
thing needed to make her hospital
complete and that is what is known
as an "autochair," composed of
travelling surgical outfit carried in
five automobile wagons-one for the
operating room, one for the radio
logical examinations or wounds, one
for carrying bandages and supplies,
one for the staff and the fifth to
convey the tent Tor the beds on
which the men lie after the opera
tions and while waiting to be con-
veyed to the barge for transport to
the hospital base in the rear. If
she possessed this portable hospital
she is convinced that many lives
would be saved, since rapidity OF
treatment is the main factor in deal
ing with wounds.
Miss Park has working with her in
conjunction with the French mill
tary surgeons a number of Ameri-
can doctors, who all participated in
the handling of the French wounded
during the battle of Malmaison. Also
she has with her several American
trained nurses and helpers. Among
the doctors are Richard Boiling and
Robert Schrock, from New York;
George de Tarnovsky, from Chicago;
John ]. Moorhead, from the New
York Post Graduate Hospital; and
Doctors Paul r Sieber. ]. H Wag-
ner. Froidy, Jacobs. B. u. Cashmar
and II. G.. Clarke, of Pittsburgh. The
nurses comprise Misses Sweet Kill
grew and Holley, from the Detroit
Harper Hospital; Miss L B. Smith.
from New York Hospital, and Miss
Ptomley, from the Roosevelt Hos
pital of New York.
ENGLAND MORE SOBER