As the construction work progressed on the outer islands, first-aid
stations were established on Engebi on March 1, 1950, on Biijiri on
May 15, 1950, and on Runit. Navy requirements at Japtan were met through
the Army hospital. The first-aid stations were staffed by one first aid
man, with the exception of the one at Engebi, and were equipped to treat
all minor complaints and emergencies. A dispensary was established at
Engebi on December 1, 1950, with one doctor and one aidman in attendance.
The medical service on the so-called operational islands was maintained
until the islands were evacuated.
The following statistics show the use of the medical services pro-
vided by H & N personnel for the period from June 26, 1949 to June 1,
1951:
Average daily s{ck calls
Total out-patient treatments
Total hospital patients
Average hospital days per patient
Major operations performed
Immunizations completed
79
44,831
670
4
NA
2,745
During the operational period, facilities were made available to
the Army Atoll Surgeon for a military dispensary adjacent to the hospi-
tal at Parry to meet the medical needs of Task Force military personnel;
however, H & N personnel provided medical services to military personnel
on a reciprocity basis when the Army surgeon was not available. On the
operational islands, Task Force personnel were treated at the H & N
medical stations and approximately 750 treatments were reniered. The
Army assigned hospital corpsmen to assist the H & N staff at these is-
lands during the peak period of the
operational phase.
On Eniwetok Island the Army Medical Corps rendered the following
services to H & N personnel during the period from March 17, 1950 through
June 1, 1951:
Consultations
Physical examinations
Out-patients treated
Total Out-patient treatments
Patients hospitalized
Total hospital days
Major operations performed
Immunizations completed
122
23
216
441
19
140
10
38
The H & N medical department held sick call twice daily, morning
and evening, and while these hours were the ones most frequently used,
patients were allowed to call at any time medical service was required.
The number of patients on occasions ran abnormally high, particularly
in the early days of the Project. The ease of availability and the
lack of cost for treatment were the prime reasons for the high number
of sick calls.
Many of the complaints, if Stateside, would not have
an early date.
Stringent steps against malingering soon reduced sick-
required treatment and in the main would not have been referred at such
call attendance to normal.
10=3