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

Medical Aspects of Chemical WarfareAEF created the Second Army. By mid October 1918,chemical casualty management was becoming moreroutine. The Fourth Corps’ Field Hospital No. 34 (thetriage station) received 3,121 patients, including 935chemical casualties (30%), while it operated at thefront. Field Hospital No. 35 practiced routine chemicalcasualty management for all chemical casualtieswho had not been treated at the dressing stations.These casualties were undressed by personnel wearingprotective ensembles. Chemical casualties’ eyes weretreated with a saturated solution of boric acid or a 1%solution of sodium bicarbonate, followed by liquidpetrolatum. Casualties were then transferred to roomswhere they were bathed first with soap and water andthen with a 2% solution of sodium bicarbonate. Theywere dried, warmed, given hot drinks, and taken to award. After receiving treatment, patients usually sleptfor 24 hours. 58In the Third Corps, two companies of the 1st GasRegiment were assigned in support of offensivechemical operations. Chemical casualties were to besent to the gas hospital at Souhesme le Grande. 59 Thefew chemical casualties from corps troops were sentto an improvised gas hospital at Rambluzin. 60 In the4th Division, one field hospital was located as far forwardas possible to receive, classify, and distribute allpatients from the front. A field hospital for the primarytreatment of chemical casualties and one that receivedslightly gassed and doubtful cases were nearby. Thegas hospital was augmented with a mobile degassingunit. 39Experience on the eastern border of the ArgonneForest demonstrated the difficulty of carrying “antigas”medical equipment to the forwardly positionedbattalion aid stations, as well as the impracticality ofadministering antigas treatment to patients in theseexposed areas. The nearest point at which such treatmentcould be given effectively was the more rearwarddressing station. Even there, only the most acute managementcould be addressed. It was observed that, inmany cases, chemically contaminated clothing couldbe removed at a dressing station, thereby preparing thechemical casualty for “clean” evacuation to the fieldhospital, where more elaborate antigas equipment wasavailable. 45 The commanding officer of Field HospitalNo. 328 gave the following description of his establishmentat Apremont:The hospital in the forest 1 km southwest of Apremontwas situated back about 200 yards from the mainhighway and connected with it by an excellent road.It occupied nine wooden buildings, a large dugout,and an abandoned ward tent. All, in excellent condition,were wired for electricity and provided withmany modern conveniences. A complete laboratoryand dispensary were found intact. The immediatevicinity of the hospital was strewn with equipment,dead horses, and a few dead men. During the first 24hours 480 patients were admitted and evacuated.On October 13 Field Hospital 326 joined to act as a gashospital, operating under canvas. With the exceptionof a lull of three days, the two following weeks sawan endless procession of wounded. The great majorityof these were only slightly wounded and able towalk, with the result that the two wards set apartfor these cases were exceptionally busy. The heaviestdays were October 15–18, when the admissionsand evacuations averaged one patient every one anda half minutes. 61(p34)Withdrawing German forces often used persistentagents to deny terrain and contaminate personnel andequipment. To handle the resulting casualties, fieldhospital personnel performing triage were given guidanceon how to establish a departmental “gas group.”It was suggested that the following personnel comprisea triage group that would work a 12-hour shift: twoMOs, two noncommissioned officers, two clerks, onestenographer, twelve litter bearers, two soldiers forkitchen detail, one ward attendant for each patienttent, and two soldiers for the dispensary and dressingroom (Figure 3-14). 62Fig. 3-14. This photograph from Gilchrist’s study of WorldWar I gas casualties has the following figure legend: “Warphotograph–An old ruin heavily contaminated with mustard.Warning sign on ruin; place guarded by troops toprevent entrance.” Often contaminated sites were not soclearly identified.Reproduced from: Gilchrist HL. A Comparative Study of WorldWar Casualties from Gas and Other Weapons. Edgewood Arsenal,Md: Chemical Warfare School; 1928: 26.96