The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-09-30

model to all Of us, and he will remain a
cherished memory as long as the medical
air service exists. The director of mill
tary aeronautics expressed his regret that
he did not have the privilege of pinning
the wings upon this fight surgeon who
was so well qualified to receive them, |
and he would have done so had Ma or I
Ream lived.
The need for this knowledge on the |
part of the flight surgeon is increased |
by the fact that in the future, when |
called upon, he will be required to make |
trips in~the new flying ambulance, One
of these has been installed at each OF |
the flying schools in this country, and at
some of the schools they are already |
in operation.
The fiying ambulance carries regu
lation army streteher. 1t is placed III the
fuselage, back of the observers seat
lengthwse. The top of the fuselage oven
the stretcher is removable. When the
patient is strapped in he is as comforta,
BILE as he would be on a stretcher any
where; the top of the fuselage may be
placed over the patient or not, as the
conditions require.
THE flying ambulance. it will be seen
affords great saving in the time re
quircd to give aid to a pilot who has
| been injured in crash. This is espe
cially true when the accident takes place
at some distance from the field. In adj
dition to the flight surgeon, skillful
pilot is attached to each flying ambu
lance When notice of an accident is
received the two make the trip at once
to the scene The fight surgeon has
whatever things are necessary to render
first aid and to perform minor opera
tions. If the injury is found not to be
too serious to move, the man is strapped
on the stretcher. and in a shorter time
than would be possible by any other
method the patient is transported to the
nearest hospital.
Gin the study of the medical points
of flying it was early seen that the type
of hving to be done, whether reconnoi>
sance pursuit work, day or night bomb
ing. had close connection with the tenn
permanent and physical characteristics
and makeup of the pilot. and that in
attaining the greatest efficiency per man
t close study was necessary in placing the
) cadet in the kind of flying best suited
: to him. in carrying out this aim many
e delicate factors must be weighed.
, "Therc are, of course, the obvious ones
7 4 lIdt q man Weighing Nv po'iAdo NpolN
not be suited for flying a pursuit plane
! where weight should be reduced to Z
Q minimum; that unless a pilot had ex
), cellent sight, he would not be fitted 70
a night bombing. that a man who coult
2 not stand high attitudes ought not t.
e be used in flying a plane at great alti
IS tudes In order to assist in making thes
o classifcations under the most scientifi
Z methods. a research laboratory has bee
Y established at many flying fields. If
i surgeon observes something that cause
is him to doubt the fitness of a cadet fo
ID the class to which he has been assigne
ID he may refer the hier to the researc
1t laboratory for Reconsideration. Wer
not this watchfulness observed, the out
e cropping sign of unfitness might increas
m to a stage where sickness or an accider
Is would be the result. Wherever the can
II. can be developed until it is preventive
it great deal has been gained, for in hyin
il might be said that an ounce of pr
+ vention is worth more than a pound
in cure.
Sc The first test of a fier should tai
ed place on the ground. the final test
er the air. All these problems will
ch worked out to the greatest possib
on nicely by the air service division of Il
,ir surgeon generals office Much has a
X, ready been accomplished in this wor
to and the results now being obtained wa
Ie rant us in the expectation that ace
Or, dents in flying due to the physical inf
of ness of the pilot will be reduced to
minimum. While this is important
he this side of the water. il is of far grea
d. er Importance on the other side, whel
he on the basis of standards resulting fro
zen Investigations already made, pilots mig
to attempt To fly when on the point of c
to haustion. 1t is economy as well as mi
up tary efficiency to save the lives of pile
Az and observers
o's The tests we have established affc
i protection at every point and should
ore reinsurance to parents who have SC
i in the air service. In the first pla
they would never have got in if tn
ur had not shown mental and physical gu
-" liicatious to face the calls made on the
Then, in every advance they make, tie
Ike are made to see that they are guided
of what they are best qualified to do.
red by standards now determined tn
,si are three classes of pilots. In Glass j
ted are those who can stand an altitude
ill | 10000 feet without undue fatigue.
con men in this class are designated to
\ pursuit planes when they arrive at
not front provided future tests do not
let luce them from this class In class
on | are the men who can endure hving
Ger an altitude of from $4,000 to 10000 f,
not In Glass the range is from 5000
to $1,000 feet, and Glass c has a maxim
ties Of 5000 feet The men in these elias
ant are closely watched and tested fir
the time to time, and according to the
hts. servations are moved up or down,
sur only for their own good, but for
the good of the service.
New heart, lung, eye. and ear tt
irst are now required of men who have '
ng~. their wings to find out at what heig
vice they are in a condition to fly and
en- establish generally their physical
life mental fitness. These tests were wor
uty out by the medical research laborat
lost at Hazelhurst field, Mineola, \. Y.
wed special apparatus has been devised
King applying the standards determined Il
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