Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-06-15
Maryels Performed
by Surgeons Attached
to Entente Armies

TCorrespondence Associated Press.]
French Front May 20 Marvels are
being performed by the surgeons at
tached to the Various ertente armies
By exercising their sk:ll they have
restored to The fighting strength OF
the allied nations each year since the
beginning Of the war. whole divisions
of men whom other wars would have
died of their wounds or would have
been crippled for life.
The recent gigantic battles, as the
result of whica,2 more wounded meh
than ever before have received surgi-
cal treatment within short space OF
time. have demonstrated the immense
surgical treatment within short
space of time, have demonstrated the
immense strides made not only In
surgery but in the methods OF reTnoV-
ing the wounded from the battle fields
and Transporting them to hospitals.
So effective is the CO. operation De-
tween surgeons and physicians at the
front and those7at the hospitals in the
rear that an immensely larger proper
tion of the wounded recover than was
the case at rhe beginning OF the war.
Men whose legs or arms have been
fractured by shells now are restored
to their regiments in minimum OF
time. This is due mostly to the TACT
that they receive prompt antiseptc
treatment and surgical attention
which prevents blood poisoning and
stiffening Of articulation Their re-
coyery is rapid In the hospitals behind
the lines where they can be treated
under comfor able. conditions far from
the nerve wreckng sound Of the gums.
Soldiers haze been inspired with
confidence in the army surgeons in the
great battles around Vcrdun and III
the great German offensive which be-
gan in March.
Promptness II. the treatment OF
wounded men has been obtained by
sesresating them in classes according
to the nature Of their wounds. This
was not generally done at the begin
ring Of the var. The plan then in
vogue was to erect fargo hospitals as
near the fighting lines as possible, say
ten or twelve miles from the front,
and to send al cases there for treat
ment. When big battles occurred these
hospitals were over crowded and ow-
ing to the delay IN operating there
were many cases Of Eangrene. tetan1fs
and other infections that resulted IA.
tally.
The enemy ala not hesitate to bonn
bard the hospitals either with the ar
tillery or from airplanes. Sometimes
a trainload of wounded men would az
rive only to And all the beds occupied
and that they must move on to an
other hospital.
Most Of this difficulty now has bean
overcome When wounded men feacA
the first dressing station or field am
bulance they arc divided into cateeor-
les Those slightly wounded are rap
idly dressed and sent to oonvalescsnt
hospitals. Those crippled are sent to
cripple depoas. Men who have bee.s
gassed go to special hospital and those
dangerously wounded arc Transferred
to hositals nearby TO remain until they
recover or die.
Thore suffering from severe but not
dangerous wounds receive prompt
treatment in the advanced anSbuiances
where operations arc performed and
wounds disintected before the men are
sent to permanent hospitals.
BY these divisions OF the wounded
into classes, i, Is asserted, that great
rapidly Of surgical Intervention Is
achieved as each specialist deals only
with cases needing mis- kind OF skill.
Then the patient - removed to tho
hospital at q distance Of not more
than a journey OF ten or twelve hours,
where no receives attention from an
other specialist working In close CO.
operation with lis colleague in the ad-
vanced ambulance.
This systetn Of segregation o.
wounded ANA co-operatioii OF doctors
is said to have produced marvellous re-
suits 50