A CLEARING HOSPITAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1376, 20 March 1915, Page 4

A CLEARING HOSPITAL.

DESCRIBED BY DR. MARTIN. In the paper road at a mooting of tbo British Medical Association oit January 6, and subsequently jpuhbshed in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal, Dr. A. A. Martin goos explh tlv into the nature and results of his work as a surgeon at the front. His paper was intended mainly for the benefit of medical men, but he touches ou some aspects of the treatment of the wounded that are of intense interest to the general reader. Dr. Martin is attached to a temporary clearing hospital. He explains the work of the field ambulance and describes the difficulty of treatment as motor ambulance after motor ambulance dashed np with its load of wounded. At the temporary clearing hospital the dangerously wounded wore differentiated from those seriously wounded, while, urge op., rations were effected. Between 6000 and 7000 wounded and sick went through three clearing hospitals in three weeks. Dr. Martin pays a tribute to the Sisters of Mercy, and also to the noble work of a French priest. The following quotation gives an excellent idea of the atmosphere in which Dr. Martin works:— “The wounded on arrival were speedily placed on mattresses, quickly undressed by the Sisters, and covered with warm sheets and blankets and surrounded with hot bottles. Basins of hot water and soap were brought round and the wounded were washed and cleaned. Their lice-intected shirts and drawers wove sterilised by dry heat. It was the finest example of Peutente cordiale to see the French nuns taking off the muddy boots and puttees, cutting off fTie blood-stained clothing, washing and cleaning the wounded, slipping ou warm, dry shirts ami tucking the blankets and pillows comfortably. Others appeared with hot soup, hot coffee, ml wine, and hot gruel. Wc occupied this hospital for some weeks. One day a German aeroplane dropped a homo into our courtyard, and another clay one on to a house near the gate of the hospital, and several into the central square in the town. One night a ‘Black Maria’ burst between the hospital and the big church in the town, and it was then considered advisable to evacuate all our wounded and establish a clearing hospital further hack. Thin was done, and shortly afterwards the town was freely bombarded by the German artillery beyond Dr. Martin gives interesting details of various cases under his care which called urgently for operative treatment, and the British Medical Journal in a leading article states “he is to be warmlv congratulated ou the success which attended his efforts in so many cases.”