14, 1907. THE .??^er . ?295

The Royal Army Medical Corps Section. the war efficiency of the medical volunteer. Ve in these of e already columnsyincidentally Lecture 3. Details of Administration 'HuM to instruction for :?(1) lle the question of pi'actical medicine, food, and stimulants; (2) Washing and dressing ?al un^s of the Volunteer and the Prevention of ick ! force, great ; (3) Lifting helpless patients; (4) ^ac^ities affoixled them for out their bedsores and their treatment. rain carrying Lecture 4. Details of continued lng on the basis of real war While Nursing :?(1) Taking efficiency. temperature, pulse, and respiration, with their record on ?f cast-iron which has as 3st S^ern regulations, charts; (2) baths; (3) application of local remedies the of inefficient is to fomentations, leeches, ointments, etc. e ]lec| perpetuation training, poultices, blisters, eP 0r?d, it is to reflect that we (4) use of sick utensils. av satisfactory of the sick as Alfred the Director-General of Lecture 5. Observation to?skin, sleep, Iveogh, pain, postures, rigors, appetite, vomiting, bowels, cough* \ln Medical a keen of the rin .^y Service, supporter and effects of remedies; Management of delirious patients. while there are Lecture 6. and their Qn*,! ,, practical instruction, Surgical dressings preparation; L ^ ?ther willing, able and energetic officers in Assistance at operations; Hints on sick diet; Personal V*Ce w^10 are a^ve *? needs of the cleanliness; Hygiene. itu r fully and are to out these Wn ?0n' w^10 prepared carry Those lectures are made additionally interesting,, Clples on has | sounder lines than hitherto been and instructive to the men by lantern illus- The main difficulties in the of a more a at" f way trations and practical demonstrations, and large- ,f]e . a?tory solution of this vexing problem of proportion of the members have attended special ? ent of but under ltl training are, course, financial, lectures in one of the out- theatres of the 0 these difficulties may be reduced most a Pl-0Ved system Glasgow Western Infirmary, where the ifti i H^num, and, as a result, a much superior up-to-date apparatus has been demonstrated and' Stained for the outlay. The quality of an shown in actual use. Wesfmen^ kith judged not by any high sounding title, After this theoretical instruction the men are ready nature of the return afforded on the Rd i capital; for its practical application under the guidance of ^ue it cannot be said that in the particular and this is obtained at Ls 11 experienced , Glasgow resir review the capital is all that could be in the Military Station Hospital at Maryhill and' ' yet it must be conceded that the comparative during camp at Netley Hospital. Last summer this without be liiw,11 ^ight, difficulty, considerably very desirable hospital practice at camp was not The fault has lain in the which W-ed. system obtained owing to another cast-iron War Office regu- n t he ever over- s^dow PurPose. department lation that Scottish corps must train in Scotland. The rationale of applying such a regulation to a inJi?.h,ave alluded previously to particular instances special body of men is difficult to fathom, but applied ? . officers of units have exercised thejr commanding it was, and as a consequence of this pseudo-economy itig ^tiative, and have attempted to bring the train-, 250 men encamped at Stobs, and during the week ^le*r men 'nto line with work?Bearer itient S" potential require- performed Company work?which As a notable of what t?^. example might be done could be equally well performed on their own drill- ^Uit ,S lrnproving the war efficiency of a medical field, thus negativing almost all the substantial advan- detail the offered to the Glas- ?ow p6 training tages of the usual Netley camp, when 400 men would V01U .0rilpanies of the Eoyal Army Medical Corps have done hospital duty with regulars. than eers, who have gone further in this direction In seasons the week at was taken nr?T r ^.i.1 ^ -r^ , ^ -T^ previous Netley full advantage of. The men encamped behind the commanding, is a strong supporter of the real hospital and had the experience of tent work, while a medical and the lines on which he s 6l?cy corps, each morning detachments were detailed for hospital ? train men teal his show his perception of the and were sent to the medical and wards a^ duty, surgical to stake. The aim is to fit these men, not to have practical the South African: jJ88116 *n training. During ^ne or column or echelon, but to take war these men manned theh,ai(i period the hospital train y P^ces in the field or in a j individually unloaded transports of their sick at Southampton, Pital Wfird in time of and to out thei, ! stress, carry and did duty in the Doecker hut , such as u^es there for the benefit of or Woi,v,, the sick they would have done on service. inmates. The course at Netley was arranged as follows: a*m m v*ew the after ?r0 i men, being well Distributed to the various wards, the men took eu m part a , first aid and are Sv bearer work, put through in the work of the ward, under the ernatic regular guidance lect, course of nursing and hygiene. The of the orderlies, round with the officer are regular going cottineS delivered by the company officers to each in charge at his morning visit, and in the surgical Paily, and the is as follows : ^ syllabus division seeing the dressing of cases, the preparation -^roductory remarks as to what sick of the operating room, and so on. rluties& ei^tails on those undertaking it, especially as to its The routine of the hospital consisted of three responsibilities. The of the sick ^'ardg s management parts? Mth s ?? warming, ventilation, lighting, and furniture, I. re^erence to the arrangements of the bed and Lectures by the Matron. ? both medical and surgical cases. II. Practical Work in the Wards. ^Ectt III. Practical Instruction the Sisters. ^^ctin ? ^n^ecti?us and non-infectious cases. Dis- given by Sj disinfectants, and antiseptics. The deta'l of these various parts is interesting, 1907. 296 THE HOSPITAL. December 14,

comes. - because it shows how much can, by method and prescribed course; they simply take what arrangement, be compressed into a very short time. of this is a decided step towards real war efficacy,nie i Lectures? and is a practical experience of military I. Monday, July 18?Ward Management. service. ., II. Tuesday, July 19?The Care of the Sick. of Lastly, there is the important subject , III. Wednesday, July 20?Principles of Diet. sa.nlro IV. 21?Germs and Infection. tion in fielddand camp, which is so essential Thursday, July dui t^ Practical Work (Daily) :?Making beds; Washing bed- medical co?ps. Special lectures are delivered ridden patients; Sweeping and dusting wards; Bringing and the of the instruction Spring, application ^ up breakfasts and them. four serving demonstrated at camp. The lectures are_ Practical Instruction (Daily) :?The taking of tem- and The of number, but the increased interest in the subject perature, pulse, respiration; giving medicine, aiernajj making poultices, wringing out fomentations and applying result in a further development. The subjects cases; them; Padding splints; Dressing surgical Feeding Lecture 1. General consideration of bacteria, a11^ medical cases. ?^j diseases caused by them. 0| meal Here is an almost complete epitome of the duties Lecture 2. Water supply, its importance, and a water. a in five obtaining pure e>' ?of ward days. i'e given Lecture 3. Sanitation of and of I The instruction at Station Hospital Camps disposal Maryhill Lecture 4. Personal hygiene on the march. during the winter months consists of a week-end tour ?of for selected of men who are able to Here there is a corps to duty squads attempting qualify v spend the Saturday and Sunday in hospital without for service should the necessity arise. It shows imdue interference with their regular employment. may be done by taking advantage of opportun1 und The squad reports itself for duty on Saturday after- The men, however, are not called upon to noon. their of the men obtain such to earn the During period duty special training capitation grant. ^ quarters in the hospital, and are taken round the units which do not so train obtain an equal g1 wards and shown the store rooms, dispensary, pack This is the fault of the system, a system which store, disinfecting chamber, and other departments, not secure the best return on the investment. /- ^ and are instructed the sister as to is no of results. Is the by measuring question payment by ^ medicines, etc. serve the business ? We can but that under taking temperatures, They system hope 1 breakfasts, assist in the of the ward, new scheme medical units will be to . management encouraged" " and take the regular routine of orderly work till as medical units, and that War efficiency assist with dress- made the test for W1tvierra Sunday evening. They surgical earning the capitation grant ^ ings, and on occasion may see an operation, or be than the showy ceremonial drill of the Pa*a present at a post-mortem examination. There is no ground.