Milford chronicle., 1956-05-18
ImprOvised 200 Bed
Civil Defense Hospital

A 2OO-bed Civil Defense impro-
vised hospital, designed to treat
the most serious casualties follow
ing a sudden air attack, will go on
exhibit Monday, May 21 at Will
mington's National Guard Armory.
Tenth and dupont Streets.
The display will be open to the
public throughout Civil Defense
Week, May 21-26. The week, which
win include special Civil Defense
activities throughout the state, will
end Saturday with an open house
at the state Civil Defense control
center at Delaware City.
For the hospital exhibit, the
Wilmington armory has been trans
formed into a fully equipped medi-
cal center with operating and x
ray rooms, 20-bed ward, labora-
tory and other facilities for treat
ing severe casualties" Col. Lee
said.
The improvised hospital, he ex-
planned is actually a mammoth kit,
including 13 tons of equipment and
supplies in 400 cartons.
In an emergency such hospitals.
now stockpiled by federal Civil
Defense, could be shipped to
stricken areas and set up by train
ed crews in "a hours at key points
around the bombed zone.
On hand throughout the weeks
exhibit at the armory will be medi
Il Let
demonstrate the equipment.
The display has been set up by
Or. Floyd /. Hudson, secretary of
the State Board of Health and chief
of the State Department of Civil
Defense's health and medical SER
vices.
He urged every citizen to see the
display in order to "get some idea
of the task facing Civil Defense in
an emergency and perhaps to real
ize the importance of volunteering
now for a Civil Defense job. All
our planning, especially in the
medical field is hampered if we
don't get volunteers trained and
ready to assist the professionals
in handling large numbers of cas-
ualties."
In addition to the complete op-
Grating room and 30 bed ward, the
hospital display includes a clinical
laboratory where up to 25 different
tests can be made, an x-ray room
where films can be developed in 30
seconds, steriliZing room, pharma-
cy and dressing room.
Though only a 20-bed ward is
being exhibited, the complete hos
pital has a 200-bed capacity. Also
a part of the unit, though not on
display, are a 1900 kilowatt gen.
orator to provide power and light,
a small generator for the x-ray
machine, a 1900 gallon water stor-
age tank and facilities for water
chlorination.
For its size the improvised hos
pital rivals permanent installa-
tions in equipment and facilities,
DR.. Hudson said.
Supplies are also provided with
each hospital, including expensive
antibiotics, blood plasma and SER
um for which refrigeration equip
ment is included.
Explaining the importance of i'm
provised hospitals in Civil Defense
planning, DR.. Hudson pointed out
that the states existing hospitals
Could not possibly handle the In
fiux of casualties following a bomb
ing attack.
Under the states Civil Defense
plan, victims first would be treated
on the spot at field first aid sta
tions. Equipment for these already
is stockpiled throughout Delaware.
Victims requiring further treat
ment would be transferred to the
improvised hospitals. These would
be set up primarily in school
buildings. DR.. Hudson said. Some
time ago, he added, 65 schools
throughout the state were designa-
ted as emergency hospital sites.
Following a sudden attack, the
school students would be evacuated
and the buildings converted to cas-
ualty care where necessary. For
instance. if the Philadelphia area
we're attacked, casualties would be
moved into Wilmington and sur
rounding sections for care. If Will
mington itself were hit, school sites
dOWnState would De converted TO
improvised hospitals under the
plan.
Though some improvised hospi
tails are stockpiled by federal Civil
Defense, none are owned as yet by
the State Civil Defense, although
four are on order.
In an emergency, the improvised
hospitals would be stated by
trained doctor-nurse teams.
But" DR.. Hudson said, "the
shortage of professional people
even in normal times means that
we must train lay persons, such as
nurses aides. Even the profession
ais need refresher courses from
time to time.
Barn Drying Hay Boosts