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Show L H S IL II c IS ARE GIVEN BEST ME CHICAGO, Feb. 28. (Correspondence (Correspond-ence of Associated Press). Nothing Is too good for United States soldiers sent to army hospitals for treatment, according to Major W. A. Shields, In charge of the army's central department depart-ment medical supply depot here, Tvho has Just given to the Associated Press a detailed account of tho methods employed em-ployed in safeguarding the health of tho men ln khaki. Major Shields said that medical officers of-ficers at the various army hospitals have only to ask for vrhat thoy want for tho treatment of tho men and It goes to thorn. "An officer at Fort Sheridan recently recent-ly asked for a spocial type of operating tablo," said Major ShioldB. "It was not a standard table and is used only rarely. rare-ly. Although it had to be made to order or-der and cost considerably more than the ordinary table, It was rushed at once to tho hospital." I Many army surgeons, he stated, ask for certain uncommon instruments, sometimes for uso in ono particular case only, yot the medical supply officers of-ficers spare no efforts to obtain them. Carrying out the departmental policy pol-icy of thoroughness in the treatment of tho men, only the most sanitary, most modern and most efficient equipment equip-ment Js sent out This rule applies to everything, from the furniture used in tho institutions to the dishes from which the patients eat. Major Shields said that all hospitals are supplied with high grade silver-plated knives, forks and spoons, fine quality linens, tho best food, sleeping quarters as pleasant and convenient as monoy can provide, and that everything else is on the same high plane. Although the depot has to furnish no supplies for wounded men as yet, the hospitals of the Central department have received more than 9,000,000 feet of cloth bandagos--enough to extend from New York to tho Texaa coast. When the American forces are actually actual-ly engaged in trench warfare in any considerable numbers, and wounded men begin to pour into American hospitals, hos-pitals, Major Shields said, it Is probable prob-able that the medical supply depot will be overtaxod to supply needed bandages. band-ages. Because of this fact officials are investigating paper bandages which are said to be equally as serviceable as I tho kind now in general 'use. Paper bandages have ben In uso in Germany Ger-many for some time almost exclusively exclusive-ly owing to the Inability of that country coun-try to get material for cloth bandages. Major Shields oxpressed confidence that the department will not bo embarrassed em-barrassed because qf the scarcity of any needed drug or medicine, used at army hospitals. German drugs have been duplicated by American medical investigators with the result that the department Is adequately 'equipped to wirn for its mnn. nlthor wminrtorf nr til Practically no whiskey is used in army hospitals, Major Shields said. Its uso, he declared, is being discouraged because tho reaction it causes makes Its uso as a stimulant undesirable according ac-cording to the medical officer. Ho said, however, that a small quantity of whiskey Is carried at tho depot and will bo supplied should any medical officer call for It In this connection Major Shields spoke of the Vera Cruz expedition ln 1914 when ho acted as medical supply officer for General Funston. "During the month that wo were there he Bald, "I issued Just one quart of whlskoy. On tho other hand alcohol is one of ' tho most widely used medical supplies kept at the depot. It Is shipped to cantonment can-tonment camps in 50 gallon drums and is used ln great quantities for baths and in rubbing. Electricity is being made to do Its share in tho care of tho soldiers. Many modern hospital appliances are op-orated op-orated by electricity In addition to the part It Is playing in the treatment of tuberculosis. X-ray photographs of lungs- soldiers suspected. o-beirui, tubercular are taken at the rate of fifty fif-ty a day at each of tho cantonment hospitals. By the Mse of these "lung pictures" tho treatment of tuberculosis tubercu-losis has been greatly simplified. Fifty thousand X-ray plates have been used I at the Central department camps in the past two months, Major Shields said. To mend fractured limbs, splints In various sizes, made of steel, ton or wood, are carried at the depot, for shipments to hospitals as needed. At each hospital there Is a carpenter, who adapts the splint to tho Individual need of the patient The medical supply depot at Chicago supplies hospitals at Camps Grant, Custer, Sherman, Dodge and Taylor, In addition to all aviation fields and smaller camps in the Central department depart-ment of the army. In addition to these tho depot supplies furniture to all army hospitals in the country. Among the hundreds of articles sent out from here Major Shields listed scalpels, thermometers, hot water and I Ice hags, invalid chairs, cots, chairs, tables, silverware, operating apparat- 1 1 us plumbing supplies, bandages, oper- 1 1 atlng gowns, attendants' and nurses' clothing, pajamas, towels, linens, set- 1 1 tees, plaster for casts, every known 1 i drug used by physicians, anaesthetics, f 1 toxins and serums with the '. contriv- -yf ances necessary for their application. 1. 1! |
