MEDICAL WORK AT SEA.

Shannon News, 6 November 1923, Page 1

MEDICAL WORK AT SEA.

DOCTORING BY WIRELESS.

THE BUSY STEAMER SURGEON. When a steampipe explosion injured three firemen on board the Vennonia a few weeks ago a wireless message brought tugs with doctors to the rescue; but the men wepe dead before they arrived. Tragedy, however, does not always attend even serious accidents in ships which carry no doctors. The friendly little radio spark saves many lives on the high seas.

; “D.H. Medico” is the official name given to. calls for medical advice, and the ether is cleared when the sign buzzes in the receivers of every station within radius.

No longer does the sea captain have to search frantically his books on first aid in order to treat the sailor who collapses on deck with some unknown complaint. He merely wirlesses the temperature, pulse, respirations, and symptoms of the sick man. Every ship within range which carries a doctor will give, free service instanly. More expert advice may be obtained if the ship is near the American coast; for the United States Health Department maintains a special service of free medical advice for the use of ships at sea. It is almost equal to a consultation with a highly-skilled doctor at a big hospital ashore.

During tfye influenza epidemic sea captains were instructed to report twice daily by wireless the condition of men on board who were ill. Doctors ashore followed the progress of sick men hundreds of miles away, prescribed mediciines and treatment until the welcome message came, “Patient A completely recovered.” Never before or since has medical aid by wireless been given on such a large scale. Sometimes only an immediate operation will save a patient’s life. In these circumstances the steamer requiring aid wirelesses her postion. The nearest vessel carrying a doctor appoints a rendezvous, the doctor is transhipped in mid-ocean, and the patient receives the best possible attention. ii ..

Such a call was transmitted by the American steamer New England, When an engineer was injured by an explosion. In this case the patient was transferred to another ship in a heavy sea; but his life was saved. A fine thing, the Freemasonry of the sea. , Then there is a case on record of a shipmaster who amputated the leg of one of his crew by means of wireless instructions. When the ship reached port the man had recovered. Ships’ doctors are among the most resourceful members of the profession. Not many of them have well-equipped hospitals and operating theatres, such as are fitted in the big Atlantic liners. One of the most daring operations at sea took place on board the United States cruiser Dakota, Avhen a corporal of marines had to undergo an immediate operation for appendicitis. Heavy seas were running, and the ship was hove-to. Then two surgeons lashed themselves to a table in the. saloon, doing their delicate work between the lurches of the ship. The operation lasted forty-five minutes, but it was successful. '

Atlantic liners are able to cope with the -most serious cases. Sick-tiay stewards, usually ex-naval ratings or exN.C.O.’s of the Royal Army Medical Corps, are carried to assist the surgeon, and many stewardesses are fully trained nurses. There is usually a doctor among the passengers, who never grudges a few hours of his holiday to help the ship’s surgeon. In a hospital, placed amidships, somewhere near the waterline, the most intricate operations may be carried out in , almost the same safety as ashore. ' If the weather is very rough the liner drifts before the gale, or oil may be used to calm the seas.

Improvised operating theatres are prepared in smaller ships. Sometimes the dining saloon is used or even a canvas-screened portion of an alleyway with the open sky above.

A frequent,-though not very serious, duty of the ship’s doctor is to introduce babies to the world; 273 babies were born at sea in British ships during 1921, most of them in Atlantic liners.

The liner’s doctor has. many other duties apart from attending sick people. New crews have to be examined before they “sign on,’’ and no infectious diseases must be allowed to come on board. With a crew of 800, this is often a difficult task.

At sea there may be 4000 passengers to look after. Routine is always interrupted to deal with the emergencies that must arise in so large a practice. So that the hard-worked ship’s surgeon may be extracting a steerage passenger’s tooth in the early morning; at noon he will have to listen to the imaginary complaints of a rich woman in the first-class; and midnight may find him in the red glare of a Stokehold, bandaging the scorched arm of a fireman. i