EVACUATING THE WOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3154, 4 August 1917, Page 8

EVACUATING THE WOUNDED

ADDRESS BY SURGEON-CfENERAL HENDERSON. '

At the Garrison Officers' Club, Buckle Street, last ovoning Surgeon-General Hendeioon, M.8., delivered a lcoturo on the evacuation of tho wounded from tho battlefield. Major Bovan, of the Gnrrieon Artillery, presided. 'J.'ho lecturer impressed upon the officors present llio .necessity of cleanliness among tho men, both in their camps and m the trenches. Attention to these details and tho efficiency of sanitation, which had attained a high degree in tho present war, had been the means of saving many lives. In tho days when Eanitution was unknown in Great Britain and cholera broke out, the people of Peebles sent a petition to Lord Palmerston, who was then Primo Minister, asking him whether it would not be advisable to havo a special form of prayer in order to bring about a cessation of the disease. Lord Palmerston wrote back, "There will be no form of special prayer. Empty your cesspits." A map showing the distribution of medical aid on the battlefield was displayed. This showed aid posts with each battalion, those in the firing line, those in support, and those in reserve. When a battalion evacuated a trench , it was necessary that it should be thoroughly cleaned up, and all jam tins, broken food, and such like refuse should be placed in the sandbags found at intervals. lie spoke of "trench feet" and the measures taken to guard the men against this trouble. Tho men going to the trench were supplied with clean, dry socks, and there were "socks bearers" with each battalion, who carried a supply for the men. Standing in the cold and damp was tho cause of "trejich feet," and it was an appalling disease, for it led to frostbite and the loss of toes and sometimes of feet. The lecturer explained how the men in tho trenches were supplied with pure drinking water, which was so essential to their health. He also explained how tlio men were served with hot meals in tho trenchee. Tie cooks used primus stoves, and tihe medical officer at the aid post generally had one, so that a wounded man couild be given a hot drink when brought in. During a battle the stretcher-bearers brought the wounded in to the aid posts as soon as possible. They might have to wait until darkness set in before they could get to tho men. The lecturer said the less a wound was messed with the better. It wns important that officers should know liow to stop hemorrhage, so that they could help. Every man passing through the aid post had to be cheeked, and this was done by the 6ergeant who helped the doctor. The men then passed on to the main collecting post. From there they passed to tho advanced dressing station, which was a field ambulance with eight doctors and n full complement of men as stretcher-bearere and as details. ■ At the advanced dressing station care liad to bo taken to guard against gas. Tho men carrying the wounded should bo warned to seo that all rifles were unloaded and that bombs were collected and stored in their proper places. It was important that the rinos should bo saved, otherwise it would be a lose to tho country. No serious operation was attempted at the advanced dressing station. The wounded man was given hot soup or coffee and mado comfortable, and was then taken by motor or horse ambulance, or by trolley, to tho main dressing station, where urgent operations woro performed. If, however, tho man required an urgent operation as well as considornblo rest, ho was run down to the clearing hospital, which was now niuoh nearer tlio firing-lino than earlier in the war. These clearing hospitals woro really hospitals, and wero-staffed by the most expert surgeons. Within three or four hours severely wounded men wero mado comfortablo in bed at these clearing casualty hospitals. Then the invalids passed on to tho baso 'hospitals, which wero locatod near tho sen. The motor service had revolutionised tho medical service, for it enabled. tho wounded to be cleared very quickly from Oie battlefield, and also saved wounded men from being taken prisoner. A motor conyoy consisted of a lnrgo number of vehicles, generally of one class, for convenienco of repairs. With each field ambulanco woro sovoral niotor-care, which worked between • the dressing stations. To fho motor convoys woro attached men on motor-cycles, whose duty it was to go round to the stations and find out tho number of sick men that needed to bo moved by motor, and according to tho reports received motor-cars - wero sent. Men suffering from infectious diseases, such as scarlet fever, typhoid fever, etc., wero sent oil' to specinrTiospitals. At tho divisional rest stations, where the invalids who needed rest wore, sent, the greatest comforts were provided. Tho nmbuTnnco trains, elated tho lecturer, were extremely comfortable. They were fitted .with beds, and dressingrooms where operations could be porformed. The atldress was extremely interesting, and no uoubt it was of considerable educational value to tho officers present.