THE RED CROSS AT TEE FRONT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3175, 28 August 1917, Page 6

THE RED CROSS AT TEE FRONT

WORK OF THE BRITISH ARMY MEDICAL SERVICE

Apart from (.ho duty of keeping tho Army in full health, the. first aim of tho Medical Services is to give temporary aseistanco to the sicTc and wounded, the second to clear the fighting area of them, and the third to givo them such treatment as iviil enable them to recover and become fit to take their places once more in the fighting line, or," in the case of those whose permanent condition will not allow of this, to nevform useful duties at homo in the Army or in civil life. How is all this accomplished? At the Firing Line, Tho activities of the Medical Service commence with the medical officers of units and their orderlies and stretcherbearers. During, tho progress, and after tho termination, of an action the stretcher-bearers are biitsy, searching lor ivounded and rendering first aid; thoso who are ablo to walk are directed to the first-aid post of the unit, more eerious cases are carried there on stretchers or by improvised means. In the case of an attack, or of fighting in the open, a great deal of the work is necessarily done, after dark. It is often impossible for stretcher-bearers to work in tho daylight without bringing destruction on themselves and those they are endeavouring to carry in, and even when conditions admit of the work being carried on the area to be searched ;s is of euch extent and tho cases so' numerous that only a portion of them can be dealt with while daylight lasts. In the case of men who cannot be moved, the stretcher-bearers may have to endeavour to fix up some sort of shelter for them. From all this it will be understood that the work of a stretcher-bearer with a unit is most trying and dangerous. At the first-aid post the medical officer nnd his orderlies are busy re-dressing wounds and generally attending to the wants of those who come in. It is undesirable that wounds .should be uncovered more than is absolutely necessary in places where there are, in the nature of things, very few of the conveniences and safeguards found in hospitals, so men with wounds which in the opinion of tho medical officer have been fairly satisfactorily dealt with already, even if it is only by the application of the first field dressing, are sent etraight on to the field dressing station without any further treatment, except such as may bo necessary to guard against or counteract shock in the patient.

The Field Dressing Station. Tho field dressing station is Dot only a place) where wounds cau receive greater attention than at the first-aid posts, and where, in cases of emergency, urgent operations may even be ■ performed, but it is also a collecting station whence ambulances take patients to the clearing hospitals. In order to relieve the dressing stations collecting points may be established in times of prcesuro at any convenient position and cases sent direct to tho clearing hospitals. Clearing hospitals are placed at convenient positions, the essential points about their location l>eing (hat they must bo out of range 'of fire of( any description, and yet near enough to be quickly reached by the motor ambulances or trains, which must be able, after a big engagement, to make as many journeys as possible in a day. The clearing hospital is perhaps tlio most-important link in tho whole system, forming,as it does the centre whence all tho arteries radiate; from the firing-line all tho different routes centre there, thence all the channels for disposal relate. The Angel of Mercy. The clearing hospital is t'ho nearest point to the firing-line at which one meets that angel of mercy—the nurse— and no one can fully realise what that moans except those who have gone through the experiences of a casulty. To be put into a comfortable bed, to enjoy tho luxury of clean sheets, hot water bottles, appetising food and ungrudging attention—for this it is almoet worth being wounded. Tho stay at the' clearing station is usually short, except where absolute rest is essential, the patients aro sent on in anything from a few hours to two or three days, by moans of ambulance trains, either to a base hospital or direct to a hospital ship en route for a hospital at Homo. 7n tho case of those who are curable the chain back to active service once more is.completed by Convalescent Homes and Command Depots. Tho latter are camps, whore soldiers receive medical treatment with a certain amount of curalivo training. Other Spheres of Activity. But, as already indicated, the caro of casualties by 110 means completes tho work of flio" medical services. They arc. also responsiblo for tho prevention, as well as the cure, of disease, by the supervision of tho water supply and tho general sanitary arrangements .for troops ih and behind" tho firing-line;: the preparation of latrines, the destruction of refuse, the construction of washing pliices. the sanitation of cookhouses, transport lines, and slaughtering places all come within their care, and tho wonderful freedom from disease of our troops in this war is the best answer to tho question whether these duties aro faithfully carried out or not. On paper, tho wholo tiling seems wonderfully simple, in practico it is a gigantic task. Let anyone who doubts tnis take the number of casualties occurring after an attack, and try to work out what it really means; the number of cases which have passed through the hands of each doctor, whether he bowitti » regiment or at a hospital, the number of ambulances required, tho number of beds necessary and the work, administrative and'otherwise, which is involved in making preparation for their provision: the supplies nf medical comforts which must bo held in readiness, tho numbers of trains and ships required for cvncualion to this country. And there must bo added to nil thie. the amount of clerical work involved in thb proper recording of casualties' and Hie information of all concerned us to each patient's wlicrcijbouts mid condition.