Evening star., 1943-10-01
Drop Reported
In nWarLosses
From Shock
District Physicians
Told Of Progress in
Treating Injured

WHICH may cause even Slght III
jury to take grave turn, is claim
ing few lives in this war. Dr. Rob-
ert V. Funsten. professor of ortho-
pedics at the University of Virginia
department Of medicine, told dele
gates to the 18th annual scientific
assembly of the District Medical
Society, in session today at the
Mayfower Hotel.
More efficitna methods of deal
Ing with shock have been developed
DR.. Funsten explained and wound
ed men who can be reached prompt
ly usually respond to this treat
ment. 1t consists OF administering
blood plasma, if the shock is severe.
sedatlves and complete rest.
In the case OF fractures, he said,
II there is serious shock. it is best
TO sprinkle a sulfa preparation on
any open wound, to lmmobilize the
broken parts, and do nothing more
until the patient can be taken 10
q surgical station.
Few Shocks Prove Fatal.
"All fractures, Dr.. Funsten said
are accompanied by some degree of
shock, but few cases Of shock are
fatal under present methods of
treatment"
He added that all compound frac-
lures must be considered potentially
infected and dealt with accordingly
1t. Col. B. N. Carter of the Army
surgeon Generals office said de-
Velopment Of a toxoid to prevent gas
eangrene from wounds was under
way. He told the assembly that the
preventive still was in the expert
mental stage He indicated that it
was similar in composition to anti
tetanus serum.
While the United Nations have a
gas gangrene antitoxin, to be used
alter infection has set in, he pointed
out that there has been no preven-
tive agent.
Col. Garter said that mortality
among all wounded in this war al
ready has been reduced to lust
about half what it was in the First
World War"
Col. Raymond E. Scott of the Army
Medical Corps predicted that the
death rate among wounded in the
Sicilian campaign will show an even
lower rate than the IL to per cent
mortality OF the wounded in the
African campaign thus far reported
Weigh Wartime Problems.
In Sicily. he said, there were 'prac-
tlcally none Of the devastating
wounds caused by land mines. such
as those seen in Tunisia, because the
enemy did not have a chance to lay
them in Sicily
The second day of the scientific
assembly brought papers today on
the general theme Of Wartime
Medical Problems
DR.. Thomas Parran, surgeon gen.
eral of the Public Health Service.
was scheduled to read paper at .
the afternoon session on "Pandemlc
Another feature on the .
program was to be a talk by Capt !
Redmond Of the Army Nurse .
Corps on Nursing Experience on
Bataan."
House Minority Leader Martin will /
address public meeting at $50 pm. I
His subject will be America Must !
Not Be Shackled." Sessions will
continue tomorrow.
Among the scientific exhibits. wide
interest has been aroused by the .
tuberculosis display put on CO.
operatively by the Public Health ,
Service, the District Bureau of
tuberculosis and the District Tuber- /
culosis Association.
Dr. Willis c. Beasley of the Public
Health Service is showing new roll
film technique for use in mass /
X-raying The film is larger than
those currently used and allows |
more effective diagnosis. yet it is .
not expensive. he explained.
Need Women Doctors.
Addressing gathering of women
doctors last night. Maj. Margaret D. /,
Craighill, first woman doctor in the /
Army Medical Corps, said the Army
feels miffed' that more women /
lldNtll lOl
service now that the portals have /
been opened to commissioning wom- /
en- practitioners in the armed forces.
Declaring that so far only q wom
en- doctors have been commissioned .
in the Army. the trim, blond sur
Reon, who is on leave OF absence
as president of the Philadelphia
Women's Medical College, said the
Army is prepared to commission IAN
unlimited number of women doctors
who qualify"
The armed forces need 5000 more
doctors-men and women" she said.
adding that she believed there was
an "obligation' to volunteer on the
part Of women doctors who have
been out of medical school for five !
or six years and who haven't got .
their roots in deeply" in civilian
Oractice