MOBILE SURGICAL UNIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 2 August 1941, Page 5

MOBILE SURGICAL UNIT

GIFT OF EX-NEW ZEALANDER IN OPERATION IN EGYPT Cairo, June 26. Probably one of the most unique and certainly among the best equipped medical units yet to see service with > an expeditionary force is the newlyconstructed mobile surgical vehicle which has just arrived at a New Zealand base camp. A veritable modern surgery on wheels, it comprises every device that could possibly be introduced for the purpose of emergency operations in a theatre of war. It is a large vehicle with an imposj ing appearance and is completely selfj contained. In its roomy interior the | walls are lined with cupboards which | contain surgical instruments and all i other equipment, while in a special ' compartment is a plant for generating I electricity. Two complete operating | tables form part of the equipment carj t ied, of which the total is akin to that j of a general hospital on a smaller scale. I Providing further transport there are J four trucks to carry bedding and tent- ; Actually operations would be per- | formed not inside the vehicle itself, i but probably in one of the tents which I ! c an be speedily erected. It is gauged i j that from the time of arrival at the I scene of a casualty everything could be made ready to go ahead with the operation after about 20 minutes, and certainly within half-an-hour. Even better results than that may be oblainj c-d with practice. | This progressive experiment with a j compact and mobile surgical hospital J has been made possible by the gener--1 osity of a New Zealander now resident I iii England—Mr Arthur Sims, late of .Christchurch —who donated the sum of ' £2500 for its construction. The equipment was bought in England, while the I body of the vehicle was built in the Middle East. It is stated that units, much smaller but for the same general purposes. ; were used in the Spanish Civil War. ' that being their first appearance as part ; of an enemy’s accoutrement.