Grants Pass daily courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1919-1931, 1919-01-11
HOW HEROES ARE
BEING CARED FOR
Lack for Nothing on Return to
This Country.
REA%URING TO HOME FOLK

Army Surgeons and Red cross Take
Soldiers In Hand at Port Of pebar-
kation---ReIatlves Are Notified After
Men Are pebarked From Transports
Wounded and Sick Are Being Sent
!. Home First. &
fifih
How are the sick and wounded SOL
dIers. coming back to America in In
creasing but happily not very large
numbers, being cared for In that try
Ing period between their arrival on
transports and their distribution
among our widely scattered recon-
struction hospitals? Is the govern
ment leaving anything to chance, omit
ting any service that might contribute
to the patients comfort or recovery?
There is a story in the answer to
these questions. II ought to be sup
plemented and illustrated by scenes
described, so that he who reads could
visualize, but cannot be until the war
department gives consent. But even
as Il stands II is story reassuring
to home folk wondering II all the way
across the Atlantic and through the
home port and on trains bound inland
or 10 the Pacific coast their boys are
getting the treatment they deserve
and Uncle Sam is pledged to give.
Sick to Come Home First.
A great majority of the soldiers
sailing 10 war passed through the port
OF New York, and through this port,
whether well or disabled, will great
majority return. The army port OF
emburkation is also the port of
debarkation. Machinery built for swift
dispatch Of troops to- Europe reverses
itself, as 1t were. and distributes
throughout America the soldiers whom
II aforetime gathered up and propelled
across the ocean.
But before the companies and regi-
ments Of the well, the unhurt, are
started back from France all the
wounded or sick will have come ahead
Of them. That Is the war depart
ment's policy, to bring home the sick
and wounded first. They are coming
now and have been for some time, and
after the shortest possible sojourn in
debarkation hospitals are segregated
and passed along to a reconstruction
hospital as close as possible to their
homes, there to be discharged If their
condition warrants 1t, or to be treated
for special disabilities, or to complete
the period Of convalescence.
To receive these incapacitated sol.
diers; to make smooth their hard
path; to be prepared for their coming
to make the distribution process swift,
sure and merciful; to see that every
thing is provided for until the distant
destination is reached-that Is the CO.
operative Job of the medical depart.
ment Of the port Of debarkation and
the American Red Cross. So this is
the story of how the job is done. OH.
cially It Is 'the plan of handling the
sick returned from overseas service
The New York port of embarkation
and debarkatIon--really includes all
the coast from Baltimore to Canada
but its work is directed from Hoboken
The surgeon of the port, who has
charge of the reception and care OF
lnvalided troops, is Col. James NJ. Ken.
nedy, medical corps, q. s. A. He Is
the sanitary adviser Of the command
Ing general Of the port. William "
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 a troopship may have
carried 10000 men to France, but as
hospital ship 1t brings back only {
thousand or so, The medical attend
ance for the returning soldiers ha.
been uniformly satisfactory.
The transport arrives off quaran
tine. 1t is boarded there by two medi
cal officers detailed for this purpos,
by the port surgeon. They ascertain
the number and classes of the sick
the pier and hour at which the shiI
Will dock. One Of them stays aboard
arranging for debarkation.
The other returns to the quarantine
station and telephones his information
, to the office Of the surgeon of the por
/ in Hoboken. The surgeon then send
harbor boat with a party Of medlca
officers and men to the designate,
pier. He also notifies the Red Gross
!, which turns up at the pier with all tn
! supplies. food and drink needed by tn
: soldiers about to land,> and something
to spare for emergencies. II a soldie
has. been sent over with nothing bu
y hospital clothes the Red Cross in
q stantly provides him with a blanke
robe, linen, wool boots, and crutche
Il he needs them, from the boat
equipment. g.s''' l's'' "
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