The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-03-09

Major Shields OF the Central Depart
ment Spares no Expense I'm Sup
plying Medical Onccrs.


to army hospitals for treatment. ac-
cording TO Major w. A. Shields, in
charge OF the Army's Central Depart
ment medical supply depot here. who
has just given to The Associated
Press a detailed account of the meth
DDS employed in safeguarding the
health Of the men in khaki.
Major Shields said that medical Of
ficers at the various army hospitals
have only to ask for what they want
for the treatment of the men and it
goes to them.
"An officer at Fort Sheridan re-
Gently asked for a special type of op-
Grating table," said Major Shields.
1T was not standard table and is
used only rarely. Although II had to
be made To order and cost consider
ably more than the ordinary table. il
was rushed at once to the hospital"
Many army surgeons. he stated, ask
for certain uncommon instruments,
sometimes for use I'm one particular
case only. yet the medical supply Of
ficers spare no efforts to obtain
them.
Carrying out the departmental pol
icy OF thoroughness in the treatment
OF the men, only the most sanitary,
most modern and most efficient
equipment Is sent out. This rule APP
plies to everything. from the furniture
used In the institutions to the dishes
from which the patients eat. Major
Shields said that all hospitals are sup
piled with high grade silver plated
knives. forks and spoons. fine quality
linens. the best food. sleeping quar-
ters as pleasant and convenient as
money can provide. and that every.
thing else is on tho same high plane.
Although the depot has to furnish
no supplies for wounded men as yet,
the hospitals OF the Central Depart
ment have received more than s,OOO,-
900 feet Of cloth bandages-enough
TO extend from New York to the
Texas coast. When the American
forces are actually engaged in trench
warfare In any considerable numbers.
and wounded men begin to pour into
American hospitals. Major Shields
said. IL is probable that the medica
supply depot will be overtaxed to SUD-
nj
this fact officials are investigating pa
per bandages which are said to b,
equally as serviceable as the kIn6
now In general use. Paper bandages
have been In use In Germany 10,
some time almost exclusively OWNS
to the inability OF that country t.
get material for cloth bandages.
Major Shields expressed confidence
that the department will not be en-
barrassed because OF the scarcity @,
any needed drug or medicine used at
army hospitals. German drugs have
been duplicated by American medical
investigators with the result that the
department Is adequately equipped t,
care for its men, either wounded OF
iii.
Practically no whiskey is used in
army hospitals. Major Shields said
Its use. he declared. Is being dis
couraged because the reaction II
causes makes It's use as a stimulant
undesirable. according to the medical
officer. lie said. however, that o
small quantity OF whiskey Is carried
at the depot and will be supplied
should any medical officer call for II.
In this connection Major Shields spoke
of the Vera Cruz expedition in 1914
when he acted as medical supply OF.
hcer for General Funston.
During the month that we wer,
there" he said. IL issued just one
quart OF whiskey."
On the other hand alcohol Is ono
OF the most widely used medical sup
piles kept at the depot. 1t Is ship
ped to cantonment camps in 90 gallon
drums and Is used In great quantities
for baths and In rubbing
Electricity is being made TO do its
share In the care OF the soldiers
Many modern hospital appliances ar,
operated by electricity In addition to-
the part II is playing In the treatment
OF tuberculosis. X-ray photograph,
OF lungs OF soldiers suspected of bein,
tubercular are taken at the rate
hfty q day at each OF the canton
ment hospitals. by the use OF thes
lung pictures" the treatment of tu
bercnlosis has been greatly sImplihed
Fifty thousand X-ray plates have bee,