Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900 | Page 5

Division at the Waterworks.
On May 4, I left Bloemfontein with Lord Roberts's army, and shortly
after joined the IX. Division, with which I journeyed until the
commencement of June, seeing a good deal of scattered work in the
field and Field hospitals, and in the small temporary improvised
hospitals in the towns of Winberg, Lindley, and Heilbron. Early in June
I left Heilbron with Lord Methuen's division, and spent the next four
weeks with this division in the field. Thence I journeyed to Pretoria and
Johannesburg, seeing a small number of wounded in each town, and on
July 10, with Lord Roberts's consent, I started for home, visiting a
number of the hospitals in the Orange River Colony and Natal on my
way down to Cape Town. During the movements briefly recorded
above, which absorbed a period of nine months, my time was fairly
evenly divided between Field, Stationary, and Base hospitals; hence I
had opportunities of observing the patients in every stage of their
illnesses, and in all some thousands of men came under my notice.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.--Linen Holdall with surgical instruments]
My departure for the seat of war was rather hurried, hence my surgical
equipment was not of an extensive nature. It may be of interest,
however, to shortly recount what it consisted in, since it proved an
ample one, and yet was carried in a small satchel. The plan of selection

adopted consisted in carefully going through the equipment of the
British Field Hospital, and then adding such other instruments as
seemed to me likely to be useful. With few exceptions, therefore,
designed to meet emergencies, my set of instruments formed a
supplement to the actual necessities carried by the Service hospitals,
and was as follows:--4 trephines, Horsley's elevator, brain knife and
seeker. 2 pairs of Hoffman's and 1 pair of Lane's fulcrum gouge forceps,
3 bone gouges, 1 pair straight 1 curved necrosis forceps, 1 pair bone
forceps. 1 Wood's 1 Horsley's skull saws, 18 Gigli's saws with an extra
handle, and two Podrez' directors for the same. 1 set Lane's bone drills,
broaches, screw-drivers, and counter-sink with eight ounces of screws:
silver patella wire, and 1 pair Peter's bone forceps. 2 aneurism needles,
1 bullet probe, 1 pair Egyptian Army pattern bullet forceps. 4 Lane's
and 3 pairs Makins's bowel clamps, Nos. 3 4 and 5 Laplace's bowel
forceps, 6 Murphy's buttons, 1 pair Morris's retractors, 6 dozen
intestine needles, 2 Macphail's needle-holders, Nos. 4 5 6 Thomas's
slot-eyed needles, 1 mouth gag, 1 Durham's double raspatory, 3 strong
plated raspatories, 1 pair tongue forceps, 1 tracheal dilator, 1 pair
hernia needles, 1 hernia and 1 ordinary steel director, 1 transfusion set
with metal funnel, and a stock of Messrs. Burroughes and Wellcome's
compound saline infusion soloids. 1 antitoxin syringe. 6 scalpels, 2
blunt-pointed curved bistouries, 6 forcipressure forceps, 1 pair Jordan
Lloyd's retractors, 1 pair ordinary retractors, 2 pairs of forceps, 3 pairs
of Scissors, 1 skin-grafting razor and roll of perforated tin foil, 1 metal
pocket case, and 1 hypodermic syringe with tabloids. A stock of
silkworm gut, horsehair and silk ligatures, the latter prepared and
sterilised for me by Miss Taylor, the Theatre Sister at St. Thomas's
Hospital. Some pairs of McBurney's india-rubber, and cotton-thread
operating gloves.
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--Instrument Holdall rolled]
The instruments were packed in sets in small linen holdalls suggested
and made by Messrs. Down Bros., who also devised my satchel. In the
light of the experience gained I should have preferred a tin case to the
satchel, as it never needed to be carried on horseback.

For dressings I trusted entirely to the Royal Army Medical Corps, and
at my request Colonel Gubbins, R.A.M.C., sent out to the Cape a
quantity of sterilised sponges and pads made by Messrs. Robinson &
Co. Ltd. of Chesterfield, which fully met all requirements in this
direction.
[Illustration: FIG. 3.--Tin Water-bottle for the march (Military
Equipment Company)]
This equipment was superfluous at the Base hospitals, but when in the
field with the troops proved very useful. In the early part of the
campaign I was able to do all my travelling by train, but later I
travelled by road only. I received the greatest kindness and help in this
particular. General Sir William Nicholson, Chief Director of Transport,
provided me with a buggy, a pair of horses, and a driver, and Prince
Francis of Teck, the Chief Remount Officer, selected a pony suitable to
my equestrian powers. The buggy proved a very great success; the box
seat carried my instruments and dressings, the front a 4-gallon tin
water-bottle for emergency operations, and the rear shelf my personal
belongings. The water-bottle was lent to me by the Portland Hospital.
(Fig. 3.)
The cart was able to cross any drifts or dongas, and when