The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01

hospital field director of the Red
Cross gets the name and address OF
the patient and his nearest relative
He then writes letter to the relative
notifying him OF the arrival and con-
dition OF the patient and whether or
not IL Is advisable for the relative TO
come.
Unless the case IS n very serious
one the letter also says that the
patient will soon be transferred to a
hospital in the interior, OF which action
later notice will be given. No patients
are discharged from the debarkation
hospitals. They are sent to the hos
pital nearest their homes that is
equipped for the treatment of their
particular trouble. For example there
are Government hospitals for the
treatment OF tuberculosis in New
Haven, in the North Carlonia noun
tains. at Fort Bayard, New Mexico; at
whipple Barracks, Ariz., and else
where"
As soon as the classification is COM
pleted at the debarkation hospital a
report Of the numbers In each class
and the reconstruction hospitals to
which transfer Is recommended is
wired TO Washington. Authority be-
ing received, transportation is ar
ranged for.
Red Cross Furnishes Food.
The Red Cross canteen service fur
nishes food and drink during the
transfer from hospital TO train and
until the train leaves. So far as prac-
ticable the patients are carried from
the port to the distant hospital on
especially fitted hospital trains which
have hospital beds, a mess kitchen, an
operating car. Offices and other con-
veniences. II the number OF men is
too great for hospital train stand
ard Pullmans or Pullman sleepers are
used.
When the patients are transported
on these cars" said Col. Kennedy
feeding them becomes a more COM
pick problem than on hospital trains
To meet this problem special organl-
zation OF medical personnel is in op-
GRAFTON whose training is directed spe-
officially along those lines
mo patients are allowed to travel
without proper medical attendance
and mono who are unable TO stand
the travel. The medical officer is &C
companied by such help as may be
required. He is furnished with such
medical supplies as may be needed,
cooked food and money to buy food
required.
Arrangement is made with the Red
Cross canteen service for assistance
all along the route. Two days before
the movement Ia begun full informa-
ton is given to the canteen head
quarters OF the Red Cross in New
York. 1t sends notice to its canteen
stations, so each knows just when the
train is due. the number OF patients,
the number OF ambulant and litter
cases and OF those unable to leave the
car.
Reserve Meal Held on TraInr.
an this manner complete coopera-
ton Is provided between the medical
and the Red Cross services from the
time the patients leave the hospital at
the port until they are transferred to
the designated reconstruction hospi-
tai To guard against unexpected de-
lays from accidents or other causes
each medical officer in charge of the
train detachment is required to have
food for at least one meal for all his
patients held on the train In reserve"
In the army hospital in the Oil
Greenhut Building fifty medical Off
GERS and 200 men are being trained all
the time for this one task OF seeing
that the cross-country journey is made
just as easy as 1t possibly can DO
made. Nobody pretends that the sys-
tenn here outlined never wavers from
perfection in practice, but the men
who devised It and the workers upon
whose fidelity and judgment its OPP.
GRAFTON depends are agreed that the
system is good. Complaints have been
remarkably few.
The Government and the Red Cross
want the families OF soldiers to know
how conscientiously and intelllgently
the problem OF the invaded soldier
in transit is being handled. Hence
this story.