'Mesopotamia Commission. Report of the Commission Appointed by Act of Parliament to Enquire into the Operations of War in Mesopotamia, together with a Special Report by Commander J Wedgwood, DSO, MP, and Appendices. London: HMSO, 1917.' [‎90v] (180/248)

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0,
Efficiency of Work of the Medical Services
88. The work of the medical services was carried out as
efficiently as the limited equipment and short handedness
allowed. L have already remarked on the more serious
difficulties that had to be contended with and indicated
that the duties of all ranks were heavy and conducted
under high pressure continuously. Medical officers,
assistant surgeons, sub-assistant surgeons, and every one
on the staff of medical units were untiring in their efforts
to ameliorate the sufferings and add to the comfort of the
sick and wounded, and throughout the siege displayed
most praiseworthy devotion to duty.
Regarding the lower establishments, on February
5th I entered in my diary : “1 have been more and more
struck by the way in which all parts of the menial establish
ments carry out their duties amidst the utmost continuous
discomfort and under conditions by no means free from
danger.”
Embarkation Medical Officer.
89. An Embarkation Medical Officer was appointed for
the evacuation of the 700 odd patients that were sent down
on the “ Mosul ” and Blosse Lynch,” and for embarking
the 1,100 sick and wounded sent down river on the
capitulation of Kut.
Supply of Drugs, Dressings, etc.
90. No. 9 Advanced Depot of Medical Stores, which we
had ordered up as soon as Kut was captured by us, was
able to provide medicines, surgical dressings and disin
fectants throughout the siege, helped by the aeroplanes.
Fortunately the possibility of requiring a good reserve in
the depot at so remote a town from our source of supply
had been anticipated by the officer in charge and laid in.
The medicines, dressings, etc. of two previous indents on
Bombay had also just arrived in Kut. The British and
Indian General Hospitals, Indian Stationary Hospitals
and No. 4 Field Ambulance (already in Kut) were exceed
ingly well stocked with medicines, dressings etc., and their
surplus came in most usefully.
91. On December 5th. 1915, I found 31 Reserve Dressing
Boxes (Red Cross Gifts), for British infantry units, which
with the permission of the Commanding Officers were
taken over by the Medical Stores Depot. On January
26th a few boxes of medical supplies were found in the
Supply godowns and placed in the Medical Stores.
We had a large supply of formalin and flypaper in
stock which were invaluable against the fly pest that
occurred in April.
92. Our first task was to determine for what length of
time the supply of the Advanced Depot of Medical Stores
would have to last out. Initially I put this at 3 months.
On December 5th, 1915, I made a complete survey of the
Medical Stores, and assured myself that so far as the
supply of medicines and surgical dressings went, there
would be sufficient for that period. When, however,
the G.O.C. Division, about January 20th, intimated
that the food of the garrison could hold out until
April 17th, we were obliged to regulate Ihe issues
of our drugs, dressings, and disinfectants accord
ingly. There was a decided shortage of most drugs
during the month of April, and throughout the
siege the strictest economy had to be exercised, and the
closest scrutiny on the expenditure kept up. We were
able to be much more liberal with the dressings, which
lasted out well.
93. The universal prevalence of diarrhoea and gastro
intestinal disorders led to an early exhaustion of astrin
gents, whilst “ fevers ” and malarial relapses drained
our diaphoretics. After the aeroplane service started we
were almost always able to get the drugs and dressings
more urgently required.
On December 11th, 1915, orders were given to limit
compliance with indents to one week’s requirements in
corps units, and to 3 days’ supply to medical units; all
the latter were located in proximity to the Medical Depot.
94. We had often to fall back on our own resources.
For instance, in February we urgently required chloride
of calcium for the treatment of scurvy. We had abund
ance of HC1 (used with chlorate of potash for chlorinating
water), and got some lime from the D.E.C. We issued
nearly 2 lbs. of this drug daily for 2£ months, but it entailed
an enormous amount of work on the Medical Depot.
The most used astringent was Dover’s powder which we
manufactured from opium, ipecacuanha powder and
bicarbonate of soda. Castor oil we got from the F lying
Corps, who were working the grain-grinding engines;
Epsom salts from the Veterinary Section ; cotton-wool
was bought from the bazars, cleaned, teased, sterilized
and used for our sceptic surgical cases; calico and other
cloths were bought to use as gauze and bandages, and so
forth.
95. By aeroplane we received large supplies of astrin
gents (e.g. 20,000 lead and opium pills, 12,000 tabloids
of Dover’s Powder), phenacetin, salicylate of sodium,
antitetanic serum, various surgical dressings, large-sized
drainage tubes, etc.
The stock of medicines had gone down considerably by
the end of March on the 27th of which month I wrote:
“ With the greatest economy it will last another 14 days.
Had again to issue warning to medical units to exercise the
greatest care in the issue of medicires and published a
list of the various alternative drugs available for those
that were running out.”
96. On March 29th w'e sent a message to Corps Head
quarters stating that or medicines and dressings were
running low and that we should require the whole Ad
vanced Depot replenished on relief. On April 1st we
were informed that a complete Advanced Depot had
arrived and was ready for us.
97. The manner in which the drugs and dressings lasted
out was the most satisfactory part of the medical organi
zation of the siege. It cannot be said that all patients
got every drug that was required, but it may be stated
that all serious cases of sickness got almost everything
that was prescribed for them by medical officers, and that
the dressings for the wounded were ample throughout.
The work of the No. 9 Advanced Depot of Medical
Stores was carried out with exemplary efficiency, and the
issue of medicines, surgical dressings, medical equipment
and disinfectants regulated with much judgment by Capt.
Weston, who commanded this unit.
Medical Comforts.
98. As in the case of the Advanced Depot of Medical
Stores I ascertained the quantity of medical comforts in
charge of Supply Service and regulated tRe issue for three
months. The chief item with which we were concerned
was tinned milk of which there were 14,500 lbs. in stock.
This permitted of a liberal issue. When, however, the
time limit was extended to April 17th, it made a most
material difference. We found that we had been prodigal
and from January 21st had to reduce our issues consider
ably and abruptly.
99. On January 30th we had the following medical com
forts to fall back upon:
bottles
lbs.
bottles
lbs.
Milk, condensed
Oatmeal ...
Cocoa
Calves foot jelly
Brandy
Beer
Port wine...
Whisky
Cornflour ...
Benger’s food
Macaroni ...
Mellin’s food
Essence, chicken
,, mutton
Extract of beef
Tapioca ...
Pearl barley
Lime-juice, Rose’s
100. Throughout the siege I
Supply Stores, where periodicallv various articles of
food and comforts appeared in small (quantities from
previously undiscovered sources, and were secured for
the hospitals. This, amongst other things, is shown in
the following extracts from my diaries:—
January 25th, 1916. Conversation with A.D.S. (re
rations); obtained the following for hospitals : 11 bottles
of brandy ; one case whisky, some vermicelli, macaroni,
chocolate, coffee, preserved fruit, tinned soups, lime-juice
cordial, etc.
“January 28th, 1916. Secured through A.DS. 13
cases of lime juice to be reserved for treatment of scurvy
cases in Indian troops.
101. The issue ol white bread ceased on February 10th,
1916, after which British troops’ bread was made from
cept a
2,353
1,593
82
6
8
158
4
52
417
15
16
11
n
l
70
21
60
18
lbs.
bottles
flose watch on the