League Secretary's Notes
152
THE YPRES TIMES
The surgery of a field ambulance is practically limited to rough amputations of
shattered limbs, and control of arterial haemorrhage by ligature in the wound;
occasional ligature of a main artery, as in a case where I was unable to control the
bleeding locally, in a through and through wound of the fore-arm, and had to tie
the brachial in the upper arm. Trephining is rarely done for various reasons of
time and expediency, but I remember a brilliantly successful case in a sister
ambulance, in which a life was certainly saved.
No attempt was ever made, in our practice, to close wounds with sutures, and
amputation flaps were only brought together by the application of dressings. The
use of anti-tetanic serum in all cases of woundsas a prophylacticcame in as a
routine measure after we had been in the field a month or so. Morphia was given
lavishly. I know of no contra-indication to the use of morphia for wounded in a
field ambulance, and our sub-assistant surgeons had orders to give morphia to any
man who complained of severe pain, or was unduly restless. The character of the
wounds changed with the times; in Belgium we had a large majority of bullet
wounds; at Neuve Chapelle shell wounds were more frequent; and at Festubert and
Givenchy we became too familar with the dirty work of the bomb.
It is a curious thing, but in close on a thousand wounded men, I cannot recall a
single case of bayonet wound. Our patients frequently spoke of getting in with the
bayonet; can it be that the bayonet wound is too deadly toi reach us, or that the Hun
is not so good with the bayonet as the Allies, or that our people were romancing?
I do not know.
Of serious sickness we had surprisingly littlepractically none before the
weather broke in late November; and then it was mostly frostbite and rheumatism,
and the majority of these cases were subjective rather than objective in symptoms.
After we had been in billets for a fortnight in the New Year, bronchitis became
more prevalent, but still pneumonia was a rarity. Bowel complaints have been
almost unknown, and for this we have to thank the magfiificent arrangements of
the Army Service and S. and T. Corps.
C. H. Reinhold, Capt., I.M.S.
February 15 th, 1915.
TO OUR NEW MEMBERS.
We have pleasure to welcome quite a number
of new members who have joined during the
past quarter of the tenth anniversary year, and
we hope that we shall commence a new year
by welcoming, as members, many of your rela
tions and friends to assist in keeping alive that
spirit of friendship which was one of the best
things in the war. Membership is open to all
who served in the defence of the Ypres Salient,
and to those whose relatives and friends died
there. The annual subscription is 5/-, and Life
membership £1 10s. A scroll certificate is
given as a record of service.
The Ypres Times is posted to members
each quarter, and we appeal to you, as we have
done repeatedly to our old members, requesting
articles for publication in the journal. We want
all interested to come to the assistance of the
Editorial Department, in writing reminiscences
of their varied experiences on the Western Front.
The Editor would feel very grateful if our new
members could help, and also get in touch with
their ex-service literary friends who we feel sure
