Medical support British occupation of the Jordan Valley

1 medical support

1.1 malaria
1.2 evacuation jordan valley cairo hospital
1.3 rest camp
1.4 return trip rest camp jordan

medical support

in may anzac field laboratory established 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north west of jericho in foothills. shortly after, on 10 may 4th light horse field ambulance relieved imperial camel corps brigade field ambulance when daily shade temperatures in ambulance tents recorded between 109–110 °f (43–43 °c) going high 120 °f (49 °c). on friday 31 may 1918 108 °f (42 °c) in operating tent , 114 °f (46 °c) outside in shade. night close, hot , still until wind blew clouds of dust between 02:00 , 08:00 smothered everything.

in 5 weeks between 2 may , 8 june 616 sick men (one third of 4th light horse brigade) evacuated 4th light horse field ambulance. during same period, field ambulance treated equal number of patients needing dressings , minor ailments. kept in hospital few days. in 5 weeks, field ambulance cared equivalent of 2 regiments or two-thirds of total brigade. according falls, in general, however, force s standard of health high. these minor ailments included painful boils inevitable in dust, heat , sweat of jordan valley. started shirt collars rubbed backs of necks, spread top of head , possibly arm pits , buttocks. these boils treated lancing or hot foments applied hourly , requiring day or 2 in hospital. foments made wad of lint wrapped in towel heated in boiling water, wrung dry possible slapped straight on boil. other maladies suffered during occupation included dysentery, few cases of enteric, relapsing fever, typhus, , smallpox along sand-fly fever.

malaria

malaria struck during week of 24 30 may , although small percentage of men seemed have inbuilt resistance, many did not , field ambulances had busiest time ever when high percentage of troops got malaria; 1 field ambulance treated 1,000 patients @ time.

from may onwards increasing numbers of soldiers struck down malaria. both plasmodium vivar (benign tertian) , plasmodium fakiparum (malignant tertian), along few quartan forms of infection reported in spite of determined, well-organised, , scientifically controlled measures of prevention.

minor cases of malaria kept @ field ambulance 2 or 3 days in hospital tents, , sent units. more serious cases, including malignant ones, evacuated possible, after immediate treatment. cases got 1 or more injections of quinine. between 15 may , 24 august, 9th , 11th light horse regiments, participated in quinine trial. every man in 1 squadron of each of 2 regiments given 5 grains of quinine daily mouth , remainder none. during trial 10 cases of malaria occurred in treated squadrons while 80 occurred in untreated men giving ratio of 1:2.3 cases.

ice began delivered daily motor lorry jerusalem treat bad cases of malignant malaria; travelled in sacks filled sawdust, , care lasted 12 hours or more. patients in 4th light horse field ambulance result, given iced drinks them, appeared incredible. when serious case arrived temperature of 104–105 °f (40–41 °c) ice wrapped in lint packed round body practically freeze him; temperature taken every minute or and, in 20 minutes, when temperature may have dropped normal wrapped, shivering in blanket, when tent temperature on 100 °f (38 °c), , evacuated motor ambulance hospital in jerusalem, before next attack.

one such evacuee 42-year-old trooper a. e. illingworth, had landed @ suez in january 1917. joined 4th light horse regiment @ ferry post on 3 march 1917 moascar training camp, , in field until 8 june 1918, when became ill pyrexia , admitted 31st general hospital, abbassia on 15 june. after treatment rejoined regiment on 20 july @ jericho , remained in field until returning australia on essex on 15 june 1919. died 5 years later.

evacuation jordan valley cairo hospital

for wounded , sick trip base hospital in cairo 300 miles (480 km) away long , difficult 1 during necessary them negotiate many stages.

rest camp

during advance southern palestine system of leave australian mounted division s rest camp @ port said stopped. started again in january 1918, , throughout occupation of jordan valley quotas averaging 350 men sent there every ten days. gave men 7 days clear rest, in conditions.

as result of benefits of rest camp on beach @ tel el marakeb demonstrated before third battle of gaza, desert mounted corps established ambulance rest station in grounds of monastery @ jerusalem. staffed personnel immobile sections of corps ambulances. tents , mattresses , food extras provided along games, amusements, , comforts supplied australian red cross. men sent rest camp, included run down or debilitated after minor illnesses. troops housed in conditions different possible ordinary regimental life.

return trip rest camp jordan

the return journey different coming down in hospital train draft travelled @ night, in practically open trucks 35 men packed each truck including kits, rifles, 48 hours rations, , loaded bandolier. arrive @ ludd in morning after sleepless night in bumping, clanking train have time wash , scratch meal before moving on train jerusalem draft accommodated perhaps night or 2 @ desert mounted corps rest camp, 1 mile (1.6 km) or station. there despatched in motor lorries down hill jericho, led horses sent in miles, brigade bivouac, meet them , carry them units.