The Army Medical Bulletin is published from time to time for the general dissemination of information relating to administrative reports, statistics of disease, Medical Department training projects and other matters of a medico-military nature to members of the Medical Department of the Army of the United States--Regular Army, National Guard and Organized Reserves.
By direction of the Secretary of War the matter contained herein is published as administrative information and is required for the proper transaction of the public business.
M. W. IRELAND,
The Surgeon General..
The statistical records of the World War, setting forth the incidence of disease, injuries and battle casualties and of the work of the Medical Department during that period have been inscribed in history. As in the case of the Civil War, these records are of great interest from the standpoint of medical science and, for military purposes, furnish the soundest basis for war planning. For the latter purpose, however, these data must be subjected to careful analysis, taking into consideration all evident and conceivable factors creating or influencing them. Upon the figures of experience thus obtained, and comparing the past with present and future conditions, must be based our estimates of the losses to be expected and of medical service requirements in future military operations.
In his official position in the Surgeon General's Office, Colonel Love has had before him the records of the World War and his study of them has been painstaking and exhaustive. The facts and deductions from Colonel Love's study are now available for use by the war planning agencies in estimating Medical Department requirements as to supply, transportation, evacuation, hospitalization, and other essential features that enter into the development of the medical service. Particularly is this study valuable in determining more accurately than by previous methods the hospitalization requirements in any given situation, so that the result can become an entry in the special plan under consideration and thus constitute a directive rather than a contention.
As the wounded and sick returned to duty afford a valuable source of trained replacements, this work will also be of value in studies relating to personnel procurement and replacement.
C. R. REYNOLDS,
Colonel, Medical Corps, U. S. Army,
Commandant, Medical Field Service School.
PREFACE An attempt is made in the following pages to outline a system for estimating, on the basis of our casualty experience in past wars, the requirements for medical service including hospitalization and evacuation of front line casualties; and further to show how intimately the question of replacements for all branches of an army is related to casualty rates, and also to prompt and efficient medical care.
It has been recognized for a number of years both here and abroad that the more efficient the medical service and the nearer the hospitals are to the combat zone, other conditions being equal, the smaller the demands for untrained replacements. Consequently, provisions for an adequate medical service and sufficient hospitalization should be an essential part of every war plan.
The only excuses that can be offered by the author, who makes no claim of having any more than a rudimentary knowledge of mathematics, for not leaving the task to some one better qualified are: First, that he felt that he was reasonably well acquainted with the sources of information and the available basic material; second, that no one better qualified had sufficient time or interest in the subject to undertake it.
For the convenience of the reader, a great many figures have been drawn so as to serve the double purpose of illustrations and tables, although this has often resulted in unorthodox construction.
This work was made possible by General M. W. Ireland, whose thorough knowledge of the medico-military organization and his sympathetic appreciation of the various problems that are connected with it, are a constant help and inspiration to all members of the Medical Department.
Grateful acknowledgement is made to Dr. L. J. Reed, Professor of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University, for training in statistical methods while in that institution and for his assistance during the early stages of the work. He has not had an opportunity to follow the development of the study nor to examine the completed manuscript.
Lt. Colonels H. C. Gibner, G. L. McKinney, A. D. Tuttle and C. C. McCornack have made many helpful criticisms and suggestions.
Grateful acknowledgment must be made also to Mr. B. M. Oppenheim for his construction of the Figures, and also for his assistance in the computations.
ALBERT G. LOVE
December 17, 1930.CONTENTS
Chapter One