Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-05-28
Medical Care Of
WashingtOn's Soldiers

BY George Washingtons army look 10
a man in the position of Major Cen
eral Nj. w. Ireland, surgeon general
of the United States army? 1t might
be supposed thpt the ranking officer
in the medical service of today would
look back with a kind sympathetic
tolerance on the methods available to
Washington's surgeons.
Quite the contrary is true. The SYM
pathy is there, but it is a sympathy o
entire respect If you ask Gen. Ireland
you will find him full of admiration
for the manner in which the surgeons
under Washington met the problems
with the means permitted by their
times.
1T is we'll to remember" says Gen
eral Ireland, as quoted by the Division
of Information and Publication of tn
George Washington Bicentennlal Com
mission, that Washington's surgeons
were, for their day highly trained
men They stood in the forefront oil
their profession. Most OF them had re-
ceived the finishing touches to their
education at the best schools Of Europe.
| So far as the science of medicine was
then developed, they were masters, and
bore themselves with credit before the
difficulties they faced.
IN those days, we must remember,
the handling of food was primitive
and without our resources III refriger :
alton. In addition to that what food
supply the Revolutionary forces had
was always meager Often Washington
soldiers were served with food badly
spoiled, which they were forced te
/ eat because it was that or nothing. Nc
one can read without wrench OF the
heart of the quality OF provendel
served to the patriots at Valley Forge :
when the garrison had anything at al
to eat!
aUnder such conditions said Gen
Ireland, digestive disorders were IN
eyitabIe. Washington had frequently
to complain of what was then calico
i the bloody fIux' 1t was term uset
then to cover what today we divid
into a dozen varieties of dysentery
together with ptomaine poisoning am
appendicitis To Washington's surgeon
they were all phases of single dis
order ].
AT that the General continued, !"
doubt if Washington lost a higher per
centaqe Of electives through lines
than were lost to the Allies during IN
recent war. If Washington had dlftl
culties in his day, we have had eve
Greater ones in ours. He also enloye
certain advantages. II must be remem
bered that Washington recruited n
army from a race of farmers an
woodsmen. husky outdoor men, use
to exposure, food shortages, and ever
variety of hardship The millions "
drafted for the recent war were take
from the crowded and badly-ventl
lated conditions of office and factor,
Against the epidemics OF digestiV
troubles that raked Washington
forces. our soldiers were swept by y
fluenza and meningitis. And | doul
If the future historian will lind !
COPING with these problems much pc
ter than Washington's surgeons handle
their trials.
"Where the modern army surgeon
IN luck said Gen. Ireland, rs II U
field Of surgery itself. During the Key
olution anaesthesia was Of course u
known. Operations were then ammo
as painful to the surgeon as they we
to his patient Many wound % I,
would be an easy problem TO q
modern surgeon was then regarded
hopeless. Yet the surgical feats success,
fully attempted by Washington,;s m n.,
cal corps were really remarkable. In
ACCOMPLISHED much in avoiding sep
poisoning. The germ theory was s.
many years in the future yet nsti !,
warned Washington's surgeons OF !
dangers of toxic poisons. Their on
defense against them was the sea
inc iron, but it did it's work IN
crude way. And Napoleon's surgeo
n their day also used, for, the pu
!, nose Of controlling hemorrhage'
i hot oil employed by washington
All in all" General Ireland 60
!, Guided. "Washngton's doctors p
formed splendid Job; OF course 70
had tough and excellent material
work with, but with backward me-
n cal science what it then was, they
y exceedingly well in keeping the IS :
olutionary Army in condition Y
would match we'll with the armies
+oJav -