Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-16
ENTENTE SURGEONS
PERFORM MARVELS
Recent Big Battles Show Prog
ress Made in Caring
for Wounded.
BROKEN LIMBS MENDED FAST
Injured Men Are Segregated in
Classes According to Nature
of Their Wounds.
tRy Associated Prcss.1


FRENCH FRONT. June 15.-Marvels
are being performed by the surgeons
attached to the various entente armies.
By exercising their skill they have
restored to the lighting strength OF the
allied nations each year since the be-
ginning OF the war whole divisions
of men who in other wars would have
died of their wounds or would have
been crippled for life.
The recent gigantic battles. as the
result OF which more wounded men
than ever before have received sur
gicai treatment within short space
OF time, have demonstrated the i'm
mcnse strides made not only in sur
gerry. but in the methods of removing
the wounded from the battle fields and
transporting them to hospitals So et-
fective is the cooperation between
surgeons and physicians at the front
and those at the hospitals in the rear
that an immensely larger proportion OF
the wounded recover than was the case
at the beginning OF the war.
Men whose legs or arms have been
fractured by shells now are restored
TO their regiments in a minimum OF
time. This is due mostly to the fact
that they receive prompt antiseptic
treatment and surgical attention,
which prevents blood poisoning and the
stirening of articulation. Their re-
covery is rapid in the hospitals behind
the lines. where they can be treated
under comfortable conditions far from
the nerre-wracking sound OF the guns.
Soldiers have been inspired with con-
idence in the army surgeons in the
great battles around Verdun and in the
great German offensive which BEGAN
in March.
Promptness In the treatment OF
wounded men has been obtained by
segregating them In classes according
TO the nature Of their wounds. This
was not generally done at the begin
ming OF the war. The plan then in
vogue was to erect large hospitals rs
near the lighting lines a possible. say,
ten or twelve miles from the front
and to send all cases there for treat
ment. When big battles occurred
these hospitals were ovcrcrowded, and,
owing to the delay in operating. there
were many cases OF Erang rene. tctanus
and other infections that resulted
fatally.
The enemy did not hesitate to BON.
bard the hospitals either with the artii-
lery or from airplanes. Sometimes
trrinload of wounded men would ar
rive only to find all the beds occupied,
and that they must move on 10 an
other hospital
Most Of this difficulty now has been
| overcome. When wounded men reach
the first dressing station or field am
bulance they are divided into cate
gorics. Those slightly wounded are
rapidly dressed and sent TO GONZALES
cent hospitals. Those cripples are senr
TO cripple depots. Men who have been
sassed go TO special hospitals. and
those most dangerously wounded are
transferred to hospitals nearby to re-
main until they recover or die.
Those suffering from severe but not
dangerous wounds receive prompt
treatment in the advanced amoulances,
where operations are performed ana
wounds disinfected before the men are
sent to permanent hospitals
BY these divisions OF the wounded
into classes. 1t Is asserted that great
rapidity of surgical intervention IS
nchleVeu as each specialist deals only
win cases needing his kind Of skill.
lhen the patient is removed to the hos
pltal at a distance of not moro than
journey Il ten or twelve hours,
"herc he receives attention from an.
other specialist working in close CO.
operation with his colleague in the ad
vanced ambulance.
This system OF secragation ~,
wounded and cooperation of doctors
Is said to have produced marvellous re.
suits.