The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-26
How Funston Keeps Eye on Its
Soldier Patients.
RED CROSS AND Y. N. ACTIVE
Entertainment, Comforts for
All Who Have Disease.
Whisky and Asperin First
Medicine to Sick.

Wild rumors and vague guesses AZ
to the true condition Of affairs at Camp
Funston quarantined for influenza.
have fioated about Topeka and Kansas
during tho last three weeks. 1t is now
possible to give an outline OF the way
the Camp Funston hospitals and in
firmarieS are run in combating the
disease. This story is not ofiicial. but
it is thought that it is reliable.
The story is conferred in one of the
big infirmaries at Camp Funston--an
infirmary of $50 beds divided into five
wards.
In this hospital there are ten doc
tors who visit each ward every day.
The whole hospital is in charge-so
far as the nursing is concerned-of
there are five wardmasters. one for
each ward. and ten corps boys, two
Tor each ward. In addition there Is a
clerk for each ward.
The usual procedure when a patient
is received at this hospital is largely
that used at the Washburn Army
Training Corps infirmary. When the
patient is received he is at once given
hot bath and alcohol massage, and
is put to bed. He is put on liquid
diet until his temperature goes down
to a point where 1t is possible to give
him solid foods. The first medicine
given the newly received patient is
what is known in army parlance as
the routine treatment"-two ounces
OF whisky and ten grains of asperin.
After this the patient is kept under
continual observation and treated ac-
cording to his Individual needs.
Rcd Cross and Y. NJ. &. A.
Each patient in the hospital is fur
nished with a pair of pajamas, a bath
robe, and a pair of slippers by the
American Red Cross. Four or five
times each week Y. NJ. c. A. secre-
taries pass thru the wards passing out
writing paper, stamps, pencils, and the
dozens Of little comforts which a sick
soldier SO much appreciates and
which he could not get If it were not
for help. Then once or twice each
week, the secretaries OF the Jewish
welfare mission come thru the wards
giving to each patient large and
Juicy orange.
In addition and about once a week
the beds are pulled to the side and a
concert or show is given at one end
of the room by one or more of the war
charities.
1t is stated that whenever a flu
patient contracts the pneumonia or
any other complication of the disease
that that patient is Immediately re-
moved to the base hospital at Fort
Riley. According to figures received
in Topeka between seven and ten per
! cent of the flu cases received in the
infirmary are afterward transferred
to the base hospital as complications
! Of flu
In the infirmary itseif. flu patients
are kept confined for ten days after
their temperature has receded to nor
| NAL. At first flu patients were kept
only three days after normal tempera-
ture was recorded, the time was soon
raised to six days and at present the
minimum time limit is ten days.
According to the information receiv-
ed at Topeka the flu epidemic at Fun
| ston has been conquered and the re-
| ceiving wards at the various hospitals
and infirmaries report fewer and few
| er arrivals every day.