BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER Fort Sam Houston, Texas

ARMY MEDICAL SERVICE SCHOOL BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER Fort Sam Houston, Texas ANNUAL REPORT 1956 HEADQUARTERS ARMY MEDICAL SERVICE SCHOOL BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER Fort Sam Houston, Texas MEDEW-ZAOD 31k.7 28 February 1957 SUBJECT: Army Medical Service Activities Report (Reports Control Symbol MED-L1 (R3)) TO Commanding General Brooke Army Medical Center 1. Pursuant to the authorization contained in AR 40-226, dated 3 January 1956, and letter, MEDEW-OP 314.7, Headquarters, Brooke Army Medical Centers 19 December 1996, subject, "Annual Report of Army Medical Service Activities," inclosed is one copy of the Annual Report of Activities of the Army Medical Service School for the calendar year 1956. 2. This report is a summary of major developments, important accomplishments, 'activities, problems encountered, and recommendations, and is presented in narrative form. 1 Incl ELBERT Annual Report Brigad AMSS 1956 Commandant ARMlfY .. EDICAL SERVICE SCHOOL BROOKE ARMY MEDICAL CENTER Fort Sam Houston, Texas ANNUAL REPORT 1956 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION .. ... 1 MISSION . 3 IMPROVEMENTS AND EXPANSION OF FACILITIES STAFF PUBLICATIONS . .. .... 6 LECTURES ........ 8 APPOINTMENTS . ...... 23 GENERAL INFORMATION ...... 33 MAJOR PROBLEMS ....... 37 APPENDIXES I -- Organization .... errr·rs·~r· 42 II -- Training . .... a w 9 a -· ·r a a 47 III - Course Information . · ,ric6s·~ 55 IV -- Personnel . .. ... a a a a a a 61 V - Conferences Held at Army Medical Service School 63 VI -- Exhibits, Demonstrations, and Ceremonies . f 65 a VII -- Assigned and Visiting Faculty . 67 ii INTRODUCTION Thermonuclear weapons present problems in all the fields of social and biological sciences which demand answers. Ever since the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan, we have been faced with the problem of man-made disaster whose death-dealing and injury-producing capabilities are infinitely greater than any previously known. The Army has had experience in the organizational and medical aspects of handling large numbers of casualties under combat conditions, but the overwhelming number of casualties which would result from thermonuclear warfare presents problems beyond the range of any previous experience. During the year 1956 the Army Medical Service School has worked towards meeting the chal- lenge of these problems in several ways: 1. Operation BLOWUP. A field laboratory has been devised at Camp Bullis in which a thousand simulated casualties are produced by the explosion of an atomic bomb on an Army regiment in reserve. These casualties, when produced, are managed in such a way as to attempt to do the greatest good for the largest number and are treated in sorting stations, a division clearing station, and a surgical hospital. By means of this Exercise, firm concepts have been developed in respect to. a. Sorting, b. Organization of the chain of evacuation. c. Supplies and equipment. d. Transportation facilities. e. Study and teaching of trauma. A laboratory for this study has been established so that newly-inducted physicians in the Army can learn the principles and prac- tices of the care of combat casualties in the relatively quiet atmosphere of the laboratory rather than learning by experience in combat. To date, approximately two thousand medical officers have benefitted from this study, which in the near future is to be conducted in a new laboratory located in the School quadrangle. 2. Management of Mass Casualties Course. Since February of 1956 a course in the Management of Mass Casualties has been conducted at the Army Medical Service School. This course sets forth revision of the organizational concepts required for the management of mass casualties and shows the principles for the modification of priorities required for the management of large nurbers of simultaneously generated casualties. 1 3o Civic and Federal Activities, a. Various members of the School have participated in Medical Education for National Defense Committee (MEND) activities, traveling to various medical schools to deliver talks on the management of trauma and the management of mass casualties. b. Several films have been developed at the Army Medical Service School to aid in teaching the management of trauma. These films include: (1) Tracheotomy, (2) Operation BLOWUP, (3) Debridement, and (4) A series of films on First Aid (candidate for an Academy Award), c. A symposium on the Management of Mass Casualties has been developed and is available for distribution not only to the students participating in this course but to persons outside the military service who request a copy. Another significant trend in 1956 has been the tremendous civic upsurge of the community which has been directed toward developing a San Antonio Medical Center which will complement the Brooke Army Medical Cen- ter. Major General William E. Shambora has committed the Brooke Army Medical Center to cooperation in the movement. The Commandant of the Army Medical Service School as a member of the San Antonio Medical Foun- dation, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Medical Facilities Committee, and the Executive Committee of the Southwest Foundation for Research and Education has assisted these civic organizations in planning the expansion of medical facilities in this area, As a result of the community enterprise, the Texas Legislature during the 1957 session will consider establishing a new San Antonio Medical School Branch of the University of Texas. Brooke Army Medical Center, the School of Aviation Medicine (new plant now under construction), the Southwest Foundation for Research and Education, and the proposed San Antonio Medical Center with its Med- ical School will result in a concentration of medical research and clinical and educational opportunities which will compare favorably with any in the United States. The Army Medical Service School manifested a national influence by furnishing sponsors for medical schools in the teaching of various facets of military medicine, by being represented on the Council of the American Hospital Association, by serving as consultant to the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council, and for the first time in its history, by having a teaching article published in the esteemed "Journal of Medical Education." There is close liaison and cooperation in medical teaching between the Army and the Air Force as attested by the fact that the Commandant of the Army Medical Service School presented the graduation address before a class of medical officers at the School of Aviation Medicine, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, MISSION The threat of thermonuclear warfare raises many problems. The solu- tion of some of these problems has been included in the mission of the Army Medical Service School during 1956, Some of the problems are: the development and testing of proedures for sorting, evacuating, and manag- ing assa asualties~ the determination of basic medical requirements in terms f time, personnel, equipment, and supplies; the conduct of courses of instructien in the Management f Mass Casualtiesj and the inclusion of Emergency Medical Treatment not only in courses for aidmen, but also in .ther .ourpses as applicable, Howver, the basic mission. f the Army Medical Service School--to pro~Qde instruction which will increase the effectiveness of the Army Medical Servite-remains unehanged, This instruction is offered through resident and nonresident training. Resident The varied subjects as reflected in the courses offered are more nu.mers than those found in many civilian universities and range from the most elementary to the most advanced, For example, the professional and spcialist students receive additional training in subjects of par- ticular military medical importane, such as mass casualties and medical operations in the field, On the other hand, the newly-integrated student is oriented in basic Army techniques procedures, and requirements. Nonresident The correspondence training activity of this School is one of the largest in the Army Service Sch1ol System. Extension courses are pro- vided for all members-, both actie and reserve, of the Armed Forces., IMPROVEMENTS AND EXPANSION OF FACILITIES Following are the major improvements and expansion of facilities. These were mainly improvement to instructional facilities whith would b? of benefit to the students of the Army Medical Service School1 The first and third floors of Se.tian II of Wickert Hall were completely remodeled to provide study rooms, offices, more classroom space, and modern laboratory teaching facilities, The first floor now has a wellequipped, well-ventilated and well-lighted laboratory where physical therapy officers, Medical Servie COrp .. fficers, and selected enlisted personnel may study cadaver anatomy9 The equipment includes humidor-type dissetting tables and an adequate supply of cadaver material An amphitheater allows for demontratin f cadavers^ certain physiologicl experiments, and clinical-Nargical pro ceduresa A fairly large class can see each demonstration clearly. Other rooms on the first floor are used for anesthetization of experimental aimals and for storage of equipment such as kymographs and facilities for .aoking kymograph paper The third floor modification provides a large, completely equipped laboratory for the training of physical therapy officer course (8-o-18) students, The training includes physical therapeutic procedures-- muscle testing and strengthening, massage, hydrotherapy, and the proper use of c~rtches• Also air- -nditioned classrooms,

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