Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-01-16
ing general of the port, William v.
JudsOn.
Every Facility for Medical Care.

JudsOn.
Every Facility for Medical Care.
The following facts were obtained
from Colonel Kennedy and are official:
Sick and wounded soldiers are
brought from Europe on army trans
ports having every hospital facility.
Each transport has normally good
sized hospital, which may be expanded
to accommodate any number of men.
Every patient has more than enough
room. One of the great liners con-
verted into troopship may have
carried 10000 men to France, but as
a hospital ship it brings back only
thousand or so. The medical attend
ance for the returning soldiers has
been uniformly satisfactory.
The transport arrives off quaran-
tine. 1t is boarded there by two medi-
cal officers detailed for this purpose
by the port surgeon. They ascertain
the number and classes of the Sick,
the pier and hour at which the ship
will dock. One of them stays aboard,
arranging Tor ueDarkatlon.
The other returns to the quarantine
station and telephones his information
to the office of the surgeon of the port
in HOboken. The surgeon then sends
a harbor boat with a party of medical
officers and men to the designated
pier. He also notifies the Red Cross,
which turns up at the pier with all the
supplies, food and drink needed by the
soldiers about to land, and something
to spare for emergencies. If soldier
has been sent over with nothing but
hospital clothes the Red Cross in
stantly provides him with blanket
robe, linen, wool boots and crutcheS
if he needs them, from the boats
equipment
Relatives Are Notified.
Debarkation continues without In
terruption until completed unless 1t
extends into the night. The patients
are transferred without delay to the
designated delalrkation hospital, the
Red Cross attendants remaining on
the pier or transport and dispensing
refreshmt nts az required. In the hos
pi.sl the sick or wounded men are
classified rapidly, as to the nature OF
their disabilities, the reconstruction
hospital to which they are to b sent
and their home address.
'Every courtesy" said Colonel Ken
ic nvt
other relatives. At the debarkatiOn
hospital lield director of the Red
Cross gets the name and address of
. the patient and his nearest relative.
He then writes letter to the relative,
notifying him of the arrival and con-
dition of the patient and whether or
not it is advisable for the relative to
come.
sunless the case is very serious
one the letter also says that the
patient will soon be transferred to
hospital in the interior, of which ac-
ton later notice will be given. No pa
tients are discharged from the debar-
kation hospitals. They are sent to the
hospital nearest their homes that Is
equipped for the treatment Of their
particular trouble.
"As soon as the classification is COM
pleted at the debarkation hospital
report of the numbers in each class
and the reconstruction hospitals to
which transfer is recommended Is
wired to Washington. Authority be-
ing received, transportation is ar
ranged for.
Red Cross Furnishes Food.
"The Red Cross canteen service fur
nishes food and drink during the
transfer from hospital to train and
until the train leaves. So far as prac-
ticable the patients are carried from
the port to the distant hospital on
especially fitted hospital trains which
have hospital beds, mess kitchen, an
operating car, offices and other con-
veniences. II the. numher nf men IA