Evening star., 1937-10-03
i. S. Radios Medical Aid
To All the Ships Afloat
Eternal Vigilance of Public Health
Service Has Saved Many Lives
And Relieved Suffering.

alongside the school ship and its ply
sician administered the serum in time
to prevent the malady from spreading
to other passengers.
During the first six months Of 1886
the staccato rhythm of short wave
radios at sea was silences IS times by
messages requesting medical aid These
messages are varied and sometimes
startling. At one time several hours
before boat was due to dock, unique
distress signal was received.
"EIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL" the
message read, swallowed safety
pin-open in throat Boat not to dock
until $3.50 pm. Wound causing much
pain. Please send information" For.
10 breathless minutes dead silence fol-
lowed Then the United States Marine
Hospital, located at Staten Island, an
swered: Give nothing by mouth. Put
in at nearest port. Must have imme-
diate attention. Give is grain NOR
phine hypodermic." When the ship
docked an ambulance was awaiting the
patient. A few minutes later the pin
was removed in a competent hospital.
Last Spring MEDICO arranged an
even more complicated maneuver to
save life at sea. A seaman with a
ruptured appendix was aboard the
S. S. Isenstein. two days out of Ant
werp for New York. The boat was
plowing through choppy seas which
shook her from stem to stern, and 10
days of rough going lay ahead. This
ship carried surgeon. but a man
could hardly stand. much less perform,
an operation on the small boat tossed
about by rough waters.
Through radio cooperation the
physician learned that the giant liner,
the S. S. Europa. was near. The
sailor was transported to more stable
operating room on the larger ship
and the appendix was removed. Later
the man was transferred to a Ger
man hospital where he completely
recovered. This incident aptly illus
trates the fine spirit existing in radio
medical service.
There was no special reason or
time" DR.. Olesen says. "for the in
auguration of medical service by radio
1T arose through necessity. AS soon
as facilities we're available for radio
communication with the shore there
was demand for this means of med
ical advice. 1t is perfectly logical for
ships to radio for help in times Of
need. 1t is purely matter Of hu-
manity"
The Government has given medical
treatment to merchant marine sailors
since 1898. when the Public Health
Service was established. II a mer-
chant marine ship, which carries no
physician, was delivering coal and
one of its crew broke leg or an arm.
it would be natural for the ships
captain to radio headquarters for
medical advice.
AT ONE time a seaman aboard a
collier, miles of the Atlantic
Coast, was stricken with appendici-
tbs. MEDICO contacted Coast Guard
amphibian which rushed to the sick
mans aid and brought him to shore
where an operation was performed
and his life saved.
The Rev. Archibald Mansfield, su-
perintendent Of the Seamen's Church
institute OF New York, first proposed
the M. D. Radio Service to the Public
Health, IN May, 1921. Capt. Robert
Huntington, superintendent of the
Merchant Marine Academy, was ap-
pointed to receive and send the mes
sages. To him goes the credit for con.
ceiving the idea which occurred to
him when requests were picked up BY
(see MEDICAL AID. Page F-s)