American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-01-22
LETTERS FROM POWER
COUNTY SOLDIERS.

Fort Riley. Kansas. January Il. 19l S
Mr. o. H. Barber American Falls. Ida
ho-Dear Mr.. Barber: / heard tonight
that there was going 10 be no mail.
and with partial reluctance had SET
tied down TO read Blackstone's Com
mentaries l had worked all day max
ing out applications -or soldiers in
surance and was quite tired. But
when the orderly brought in your good
letter, l forgot all about being tired
So here / am.
You may think it strange that man
in the medical corps would be read
ing law. 1t is strange. Al school I
studied the natural sciences, includ-
ing chemistry anatomy and human
physiology. l went TO school here and
have studied the same under
experienced doctors. But l was tenn
porarily assigned 10 do odd Jobs in
the Record Office. and now l am do
ing regular office work And / find
that in making out my reports there
Is nothing which helps me so much in
breyity and cOnciseness as Black
stone.
1t may interest the people al home
to know how one of their boys are
handled when he is sick. When the
bugler blows sick call all men who are
sick report TO the company doctor
He examines them and marks them in
one of three classes. Those Who he
thinks are "camouflag ging.' he marks
duty They 90 on and do their reg
ular routine work. Those who be
thinks are in need of work. he marks
quarters. and they are put 10 sweep
ing out the barracks When they are
through they may rest and sleep if
they wish. Those who really are sick
and need care are marked hospital"
and are sent there in an ambulance
for medical treatment. II may be OF
interest TO know that they are tagged
just the same as you would tag a piece
of express 10 ship On this tag is the
care given the patient and the symp-
toms he has shown. The ambulance
driver is not allowed 70 assist the pa
tient in any way. Ii he needs an at
tendant one is appointed by the COM
pany segeant. When he arrives at
the hospital. he is taken 70 the wait
ing room and waits his turn They are
examined in turn by the officer of the
day. who makes dia gnosis of the
case and assigns them 10 the section
which handles the patients who have
The ailments which il appears that
this particular man has Before going
out the patient gives his address 10 the
orderly in the receiving office He
also gives his religion and his company
number Then he reaches his des-
tination Ii il happens that the doc
tor incorrectly diagnosis the case he
is sent 10 the section where he be-
longs. And this is frequently done.
When the patient gets Well enough
10 do little work he is put to work
in the kitchen-K P.-or 10 policing
/ the ward. In due time he is returned
to duty
There Is always q great deal OF diff
/ ticulty in setting the mail 10 the pa
/ tients The company does not know
/ where the man is and he can only
mark the letters hospital" and forward
them. or may hold them till the man
returns. In case he forwards them
/ they are sent 10 the postoffice of the
hospital and then il is forwarded "a
/ the man. But in the case the man
I has been transferred 10 another sec
+ tiOn. and the orderly in charge OF
mail is careless-as is often the case
the mail may lie around for TWO
weeks before it is sent 70 the proper
place. Perhaps by this time the man
has been returned 10 duty. Then
granting the orderly is as efficient in
handling the mail Of his section as was
the orderly Of the previous section
1t Is a month in getting back 70 the