Medical Aspects of Chemical Warfare (2008) - The Black Vault

Medical Aspects of Chemical Warfareprocess chemical casualties). As in the British system,the ambulance dressing station was established at thefarthest point forward that ambulances could reachwith reasonable safety. Casualties were selected forevacuation to supporting hospitals at the ambulancedressing station. 30 Supported by an ambulanceservice, casualties were transported directly to theappropriate hospital. A regulating station was oftenoperated in conjunction with the dressing station, andambulances were parked nearby. 44Routes to dressing stations were often shelledand bombed, so ambulances began carrying chemicaldefense equipment. The following articles wereadded to the regulation equipment of the 42nd Division:coats (gas, 2 each); masks (M2 French, 4 each);mittens (gas, 2 each); and small oxygen tanks withconnectors (4 each). The 42nd Division also providedthree gas-proof shelters for dressing stations from2.5 to 3 miles behind the front, each accommodating20 casualties, with facilities for bathing and treatingshock, hemorrhage, and other symptoms. 29The number of dressing stations in a divisionrear area varied from one to three, according tothe width and activity of the sector. Organizationof the dressing station varied considerably, beingmost elaborate in the comparatively few divisionsthat used this formation as a triage station. The stationconsisted of specific departments involved inchemical casualty management. 29 Casualties arrivedat a receiving and forwarding department dividedinto two sections that addressed triage and transportation.The personnel conducting triage were, inpart, the divisional consultants (eg, the divisionalchief of surgery or a representative, orthopedist,psychiatrist, urologist, tuberculosis expert, and gastreatment officer). 37Chemical casualties, triaged into the first classificationalong with miscellaneous sickness, psychicdisorders, venereal diseases, skin diseases, andconvalescents, were separated. The gas departmentwas located in an isolation room for wound-dressingpurposes. Here, under direction of the divisional gasofficer, chemical casualties were stripped, bathed, andclothed with such attire as could be obtained fromthe salvage section. Some chemical casualties foundtheir way into the second classification, which rangedfrom malingerers to those with fatal wounds. Thesick, the gassed, and those suffering from gas frightwere classified as “seriously disabled,” and were immediatelyevacuated or retained until they stabilized.In the 1st Division, dressing-station supplies weresupplemented by additional chemical defense supplies,such as “antigas” suits and gloves and sodiumbicarbonate (for vesicants). 45Division Triage StationsEach division of the First Army established a triagestation that received, classified, and distributedevacuees. Medical specialty personnel, including thedivision gas MO, were assigned to each triage station.Divisions triaged a large number of casualties classifiedas “war neuroses,” varying from shell-shock cases toshell fright, gas fright, hysteria, mental and physicalfatigue, malingering, and cowardice. 38 Many divisionhospitals employed a psychiatrist to assist with differentiatingthese cases.The organization for managing chemical casualtieswas specific. A corps medical gas officer servedas a specialty officer to the corps surgeon. As with allspecialty officers, the gas officer circulated constantlythroughout the divisions within the corps to aid inchemical casualty management and was responsiblefor supervising the division medical gas officer. 46Evacuation HospitalsThe evacuation hospital was located near outboundtransportation routes such as paved roads or railheads.The preferable location was as close to the front aspossible, yet safe from direct or indirect artillery fire—usually a distance of 15 to 25 kilometers (9 to 15 miles)from the line. 47 Mobile hospitals, including supplementalRed Cross base hospitals, were often providedfor personnel. Supplementary professional groupsprovided for special patients in the evacuation hospitals,namely contagious, neurological, and chemicalcasualties. Sometimes special wards for these patientswere set aside in the hospital. A registrar recorded,among other things, daily gas casualties. Chemicalcasualties were classified, if possible, according to thekind of chemical agent used. The classification for allpatients was made according to the condition fromwhich patients were suffering, whether they weresent out recumbent or sitting, and whether they werecommissioned or enlisted. Chemical casualties couldfall into any of these categories. 48Other than administration, distinct departmentsof an evacuation hospital provided specific services.Included among the receiving ward, dressing tent,preoperative ward, radiograph room, examinationroom, operating rooms, sterilizing room, pharmacy,laboratory, dental clinic, and shock ward were thewards for special casualties, including medical, surgical,and chemical casualties. Chemical casualties wereclassified as medical and were sent to the appropriatewards or to neighboring units that provided for suchpatients exclusively. 48,49 If casualties were retained andtheir conditions warranted, they were sent to their des-94