The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-03-11

Chicago. March 11.-Nothing is
too good for United States soldiers
sent to army hospitals Tor treat
ment, according to Major w. a.
Shields, in charge of the army's cen
trail department medical supply de-
pot here, who has just given The
Associated Press a detailed account
of the methods employed in safe
guarding the health of the men in
khaki.
Major Shields said that medical
officers at the various army hospit-
ais have only to ask for what they
want for the treatment OF the men
and it goes to them.
"An officer at Fort Sheridan re-
Gently asked for a special type OF
operating table" said Major Shields.
at was not a standard table and is
used only rarely Although it had
to be made to order and cost con-
siderably more than the ordinary
table, it was rushed at once to the
hospital y
Many army surgeons, he stated,
ask for certain uncommon instru-
mentS, sometimes for use i'll one
particular case only, yet the medical
supply officers spare no efforts to
obtain them.
Carrying out the departmental
policy of thoroughness in the treat
ment of the men, only the most san
itarv, most modern and most ef-
ficient equipment is sent out. This
rule applies to everything, from the
furniture used in the institutions to
the dishes from which the patients
eat Major Shields said that all
hospitals are supplied with high
grade silyer-platcd knives, forks and
spoons, fine quality linens, the best
food, sleeping quarters as pleasant
and convenient as money can pro-
vide, and that everything else is on
the same high plane
100000 Feet Bandages.
Although the depot has to furnish
no supplies for wounded men as
vet, the hospitals Of the central de
partment have received more than
100000 feet of cloth bandages-
enough to extend from New York
TO the Texas coast. When the
American forces are actually engag-
ed in trench warfare in any consid-
cradle numbers, and wounded men
begin to pour into American hospit-
ais, Major Shields said, it is prob
able that the medical supply depot
will be overtaXed to supply needed
bandages. Because of this fact OF
ficials are investigating paper ban
dages which are said to be equal!
as serviceable as the kind now il
general use. Paper bandages have
been in use in Germany for som,
time almost exclusively owing to tn,
inability Of that country to get ma
terial for cloth bandages.
Major Shields expressed conf
dence that the department will no
be embarrassed because of the scar
city of any needed drug or mediicn
used at army hospitals. German
drugs have been duplicated b.
American medical investigators witt
the result that the department j
adequately equipped to care for it
men, either wounded or i'll.
Practically no whisky is used il
army hospitals, Major Shields sale
It's use, he declared, is being dis
couraged because the reaction
causes makes its use a stimulant IN
desirable, according to the medici
officer. He said, however, that
small quantity OF whisky is carrie
at the depot and will be supple
should any medical officer call fc
it. In this connection Major Shield
spoke of the Vera Cruz expedito
in 1914 when he acted as medici
supply officer for General Funston
During the month that we wei
there" he said, 81 issued just or
quart of whisky
Much Alcohol Used.
On the other hand, alcohol is or
of the most widely used medic
supplies kept at the depot. 1t
shipped to cantonment camps j
fifty-gallon drums and is used
great quantities for baths and
rubbing.
Electricity is being made to do i
share in the care of the soldier
Many modern hospital applianc
are operated by electricity in add
tion to the part it is playing in II