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War Casualties - The Army Medical Bulletin - No. 24
WAR CASUALTIES
THE ARMY MEDICAL BULLETIN
NUMBER 24
The Army Medical Bulletin is published from time to time for the general dissemination of information relating to administrative reports, statistics of disease, Medical Department training projects and other matters of a medico-military nature to members of the Medical Department of the Army of the United States--Regular Army, National Guard and Organized Reserves.
1930
By direction of the Secretary of War the matter contained herein is published as administrative information and is required for the proper transaction of the public business.
M. W. IRELAND,
The Surgeon General.
WAR CASUALTIES
By
Albert G. Love,
Lt. Colonel, Medical Corps, U. S. A.
MEDICAL FIELD SERVICE SCHOOL
CARLISLE BARRACKS, PENNSYLVANIA
1931
SECTION I
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
CHAPTER
B. Terms used and constants employed:
1. Strength
2. Causes of sickness and injury
3. Place of treatment
4. Percentage of cases treated in hospital and in quarters
5. Admission rates
6. Average days lost per case
7. Noneffective rates
C. Admission rates for troops in the United States:
8. Decline since 1819
9. Increase during war
10. Decline in succeeding war rates
11. Estimation of future admission rates for unseasoned troops
12. Causes of variations in admission rates in United States
13. Admission rates in United States camps, 1918
D. Admission rates for overseas troops:
14. Admission rates for seasoned and unseasoned troops
15. Comparison of overseas and United States admission rates
16. Relative standing of overseas and U. S. admission rates
17. Influence of climate on admission rates
18. Combined effect of seasoning and of climate
E. Admission rates from battle casualties
19. Civil War and Philippine Insurrection
20. World War
F. Method of estimating the constant increase in the total sick and the hospital populations
21. Basis of the method
22. Total sick in United States
23. Sick in hospital only in United States during the World War
24. Hospital patients in the American Expeditionary Force
25. Disposition of Zone of Interior cases in the United States
26. Disposition of Theater of Operations cases in the American Expeditionary
Forces
27. Total duration of treatment of Theater of Operations cases
28. Character of patients to be sent to the Zone of Interior
29. Duration of hospital treatment of Theater of Operations patients
30. Percentage of Theater of Operations patients sent to the Zone of the
Interior in relation to hospital beds required in each area
II. -LOSS OF MAN POWER IN WAR:
J. Losses in the Theater of Operations:
31. Cases disposed of in Zone of the Interior
32. Deaths
33. Total losses in the Theater of Operations
34. Total losses by separate months
III. -MEDICAL SERVICE IN THE COMBAT ZONE
L. Diseases and non-battle injuries
35. Total in the Theater of Operations
36. In the combat area
M. Battle casualties-collection of data
37. Composition of organizations
38. Strength of organizations
39. Sources of casualty data
40. Engagements studied
41. Method of assembling data
42. Percentage of gas wounded, gunshot wounded, and killed
N. Battle Casualties-Presentation of data
43. Infantry regiments
44. Casualties by arms of service
45. Infantry divisions
46. Army Corps
47. First American Army
48. Summary of the estimated combat requirements and average casualty rates
O. Battle Casualties-Transportation required
49. Gunshot wounded
50. Gunshot and gas wounded
P. Battle Casualties-Disposition of cases in the combat area
51. Percentage of short duration cases
52. Hospitalization of short duration eases
SECTION II.
TECHNICAL DETAILS.
53. Patients leaving sick report
54. Graduation of material
55. Patients remaining on sick report
56. Exponential curve
S. Computation of data for short duration eases
57. Percentage leaving hospital each day by return to duty or death
58. Average days of treatment
59. Patients in hospital on the maximal-day
60. Patients in hospital on any day when the maximal one is the tenth,
etc.
Table No.
1. Percentage of cases treated in hospital
with the average days per case and corresponding noneffective rates, when
the admission rates are as assumed
2. Disposition of any one group of American Expeditionary
Force patients in the American Expeditionary Forces during one year following
admission
3. Disease and nonbattle injury Theater of Operations
patients in hospital at the end of each month, when the daily admission
rate is 1.00 per 1000 total American Expeditionary Forces strength; the
number of those in hospital in the Zone of the Interior, when either 3
% or 12.39 % of all admissions are sent there; and the number in the Theater
of Operations hospital when the latter percentage has been transferred
4. (1) Patients per 1000 Theater of Operations
strength in hospital in the Theater of Operations and Zone of the Interior
when 1.00 per 1000 Theater of Operations strength is admitted each day
from each cause and the specified percentages are sent to the Zone of the
Interior (2) Patients as above with the same admission rates as occurred
in the American Expeditionary Forces from July 1 to Nov. 11, 1918
5. Beds required for Theater of Operations patients
under specified conditions
6. Number of cases disposed of during one year
in the Zone of the Interior, from the two expeditionary forces
7. Percentage of the total deaths in hospital
from the three classes of causes in the American Expeditionary Forces which
occurred in any group at different time intervals
8. Disposition of disease and nonbattle injury
patients admitted to hospital during the first 360 days of operations in
the Theater of Operations, when the daily admission rate from such admissions
is 1.00 per 1000 Theater of Operations strength
9. Disposition of gas casualties during the first
360 days of battle, when the daily admission rate from poisonous gases
is. 1.00 per 1000 Theater of Operations strength
10. Disposition of gunshot casualties during
the first 360 days of battle, when the daily admission rate from gunshot
missiles is 1.00 per 1000 Theater of Operations strength
11. After 360 days of battle: (1) Total cases
to be accounted for, including the killed in action; (2) cases returned
to duty in the Theater of Operations; (3) total losses
12. Losses per 1000 men in any one group of them
by months of service in the Theater of Operations, when the daily admission
rates to hospital per 1000 total strength are approximately the same as
occurred in the American Expeditionary Forces, from July 1 to Nov. 11,
1918, (excluding theinfluenza epidemic)
13. Total losses in the American Expeditionary
Forces by months
14. Daily admission rates from diseases by systems
by months, among each 1000 white enlisted men in combat divisions and in
the total American Expeditionary Forces, June to October, 1918
15. Daily admission rates from disease by systems
among each 1000 white enlisted men on battle line, among troops in combat
divisions, and in the total American Expeditionary Forces, June to October,
1918
16. Relative number of cases of sickness among
the front area troops as compared with the estimated total in the American
Expeditionary Forces
17. Maximal Infantry regimental casualty
day rates per 1000 men with the five next highest on days either immediately
preceding or following each one; i.e., the rates are shown for six
consecutive days
18. Maximal Infantry divisional casualty day
rates per 1000 men with the five next highest ones on days Immediately
preceding or, following; i.e., the rates are shown for six consecutive
days
19. Maximal daily casualty rates in the Corps
of the First American Army during the Meuse-Argonne offensive with the
four next highest rates on either immediately preceding or following days;
i.e., on five consecutive days
20. Casualty rates for the First American Army
on each day during the Meuse-Argonne offensive
21. Maximal daily casualty rates per 1000 strength
in the First American Army during the Meuse-Argonne offensive
22. Casualty rates per 100 ( %) of unit strength
suggested as a basis for estimating the necessary medical relief on severe
combat days, as determined by the American Expeditionary Forces experience
23. Location of battle gunshot wounds in the
American Expeditionary Forces with rates per 1000 total cases, and percentage
fatality rate of each location
24. Estimation of evacuation requirements for
patients wounded by gunshot missiles. Number in each 1000 total wounded
25. Estimation of evacuation requirements for
patients wounded by war gasses and gunshot missiles, separately and combined;
rates per 1000 cases
26. Percentage of short duration cases, as reported
in the American Expeditionary Forces leaving hospital each day from the
first to the tenth
27. The accumulation in hospital to any day from
the first to the tenth of patients who will return to duty or die on that
day or before. Ad mission rate from each cause is 1.00 per day
28. The accumulation in hospital to any day from
the first to the tenth of patients who will return to duty or die on the
tenth day or before. Ad mission rate from each cause is 1.00 per day
29. Number of patients among white enlisted men
in the United States, 1925-1927, inclusive, leaving sick report during
each week; and also the number remaining on sick report at end of each
week
30. Percentage of the, total deaths in hospital
which occurred during the first ten days from the three classes of cases
in the American Expeditionary Forces
31. Method of finding the eventually, fatal gassed
cases in hospital at the and of ten days among those that die in ten days
or less, when the daily admission rate from the group is 1.00
32. Average duration of treatment of cases in
hospital who will return to duty or die at any time between one day or
less and ten days or less
33. Fatal gassed cases in hospital on any day
in a group surviving ten days or less
Fig. No.
1. Percentage of cases of diseases and nonbattle
injuries treated in hospital
2. Average days of treatment per case of
disease and nonbattle injury treated in hospital and quarters combined
among white and colored American troops in different countries at different
periods
3. Average days of treatment per case in
the United States and Europe during the World War (April 1917- December
1919
4. The relation of the noneffective rate
to the average daily admission rate and the average days lost per patient
5. Daily admission rates to hospital and
quarters combined from nonbattle injuries, diseases, and the two combined
per 1,000 strength, American troops, serving in the U. S. by periods from
1819 to 1927 inclusive
6. Daily admission rates to hospital and
quarters from diseases and nonbattle injuries by months per 1,000 enlisted
men serving in the United States
7. Daily admission rates to hospital and
quarters from diseases and nonbattle injuries per 1,000 strength of white
and colored troops by color, serving in the United States at different
periods
8. Relative magnitude of admission rates
to hospital and quarters from diseases and nonbattle injuries among white
men by nativity (native state), serving in the United States and Europe
from April 1, 1917 through December 1919
9. Relative magnitude of admission rates
to hospital and quarters from diseases and nonbattle injuries by nativity
(native state), arranged by Corps Areas, among white troops, and also among
white and colored troops combined, who were serving in the United States
and Europe from April 1, 1917 through December 1919
10. Daily admission rates to hospital and
quarters from diseases and nonbattle injuries per 1,000 strength, American
troops in thirty large camps during 1918, excluding September and October.
Also the maximum rate averaged for any one month in each camp, again excluding
September and October
11. Relative frequency of daily admission
rates from diseases and nonbattle injuries to hospital and quarters combined
per 1,000 strength in 30 large camps in the United States during 1918,
exclusive of September and October
12. Relative frequency of daily admission
rates from diseases and nonbattle injuries to hospital only per 1,000 strength
In 30 large camps in the United States during 1918, exclusive of September
and October
13. To show for each daily admission rate
to hospital and quarters combined from diseases and nonbattle injuries
in the Zone of the Interior, the corresponding rate to hospital only; and
also the ultimate number of sick accumulating from each daily admission
rate
14. A. Comparative daily admission rates
to hospital and quarters, from diseases and nonbattle injuries per 1,000
strength, seasoned and unseasoned American Troops under peace and war conditions.
B. Also their approximate relative magnitude
15. Daily admission rates to hospital and
quarters from diseases and nonbattle injuries per 1,000 strength American
troops in different countries at different periods
16. Relative magnitude of admission rates
to hospital and quarters from disease and nonbattle injuries among American
troops in different countries at different periods, compared with that
in the United States
17. A. Approximate average relative magnitude
of admission rates to hospital and quarters from diseases and nonbattle
injuries among American troops In different countries under peace conditions,
compared with that in the United States. B. Also the estimated relative
magnitude of such rates in war in different climates under favorable and
unfavorable conditions
18. Daily admission rates to hospital and
quarters and noneffective rates in hospital from diseases and nonbattle
injuries, per 1,000 strength American troops serving in different countries
under different conditions
19. Daily admission rates from battle injuries
per 1,000 men in the Union Army during the Civil War; and also in the United
States Army in the Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection
20. Daily admission rates from gas and gunshot
missiles separately and combined, per 1,000 men in the total American Expeditionary
Forces by months and also by periods
21. Daily reduction during one half day and
the entire day in the number of patients in a group admitted on any one
day
22. Showing how the total number of patients
from diseases and nonbattle Injuries in the Zone of the Interior increase
on each of ten days after mobilization begins
23. Daily increase in the number of disease
and nonbattle injury patients in hospitals and quarters in the United States,
1925 to 1927
24. Daily increase in the number of disease
and nonbattle injury patients in hospital and quarters, in hospital, and
in quarters in the United States in 1918
25. A method of computing the number of hospital
patients in a Zone of the Interior command which is increasing 10,000 each
15 days, when the daily admission rate to hospital and quarters combined
is 3.50 per 1,000 as it was in the United States in 1918 (excluding September
and Oct.)
26. Daily increase in the number of disease
and nonbattle injury patients in hospital only in the United States, 1918
27. Daily Increase in the number of Theater
of Operations hospital patients admitted from diseases and nonbattle Injuries
28. Daily increase in the number of Theater
of Operations hospital patients admitted for wounds by war (poisonous)
gases
29. Daily increase In the number of Theater
of Operations hospital patients admitted for wounds by gunshot missiles
30. Daily increase In the number of battle
injury cases in hospital in the American Expeditionary Forces in 1918
31. Daily Increase in the total number of
American Expeditionary Forces patients in hospital in 1918
32. Continuous change in the status of disease
and nonbattle injury patients in the United States
33. Continuous change in the status of disease
and nonbattle injury hospital patients while in the American Expeditionary
Forces
34. Continuous change in the status of gas
patients while in the American Expeditionary Forces
35. Continuous change in the status of gunshot
patients while in the American Expeditionary Forces
36. Continuous change in the status of gas
and gunshot patients while in the American Expeditionary Forces combined
in the same proportion as they occurred there
37. Continuous change in the status of hospital
patients, while in the American Expeditionary Forces, admitted for all
causes and in the same proportions as in the American Expeditionary Forces
38. Duration of treatment both in the Theater
of Operations and Zone of the Interior of Theater of Operations disease
and nonbattle injury patients
39. Duration of treatment both in the Theater
of Operations and Zone of the Interior of Theater of Operations gassed
patients
40. Duration of treatment both in the Theater
of Operations and Zone of the Interior of Theater of Operations gunshot
patients
41. Number of Theater of Operations patients
from diseases and nonbattle injuries in hospital in the Theater of Operations
and Zone of the Interior, when certain percentages of the Theater of Operations
admissions are sent to the Zone of the Interior
42. Number of Theater of Operations patients
from gas injuries in hospital in the Theater of Operations and Zone of
the Interior, when certain percentages of the Theater of Operations admissions
are sent to the Zone of the Interior
43. Number of Theater of Operations patients
from gunshot injuries in hospital In the Theater of Operations and Zone
of the Interior, when certain percentages of the admissions are sent to
the zone of the Interior
44. Method of computing the total hospital
patients to be expected in a Theater of Operations command under approximately
the same conditions as there were In the American Expeditionary Forces
in 1918
45. Method of computing for a command in
the Theater of Operations the hospital patients to be treated In the Theater
of Operations when: (a) There Is an Increasing strength; (b) admissions
from both battle and nonbattle causes; (c) and certain percentages are
sent to the Zone of the Interior for further treatment
46. Method of computing the Theater of Operations
hospital patients to be treated in the Zone of the Interior when certain
percentages of patients are sent there from a command in the Theater of
Operations, where there is an increasing strength, and where there are
admissions from both battle and nonbattle causes with the same rates as
there were in the American Expeditionary Forces in 1918
47. Theater of Operations cases of diseases
and nonbattle injuries disposed of in the Zone of the Interior by return
to duty, death, or disability discharge when sent to the Zone of the Interior
for further treatment
48. Theater of Operations war gas cases disposed
of In the Zone of the Interior by return to duty, death, or disability
discharge when sent to the Zone of the Interior for further treatment
49. Theater of Operations gunshot cases disposed
of in the Zone of the Interior by return to duty, death, or disability
discharge when sent to the Zone of the Interior for further treatmen
50. A. Method of computing the Theater of
Operations hospital patients to be disposed of in the Zone of the Interior
when certain percentages of patients are sent there from a command in the
Theater of Operations where there is an increasing strength and where there
are admissions from both battle and nonbattle causes at a constant rate.
B. The total Theater of Operations patients to be hospitalized in the Zone
of the Interior. C. The grand total Theater of Operations patients to be
handled in the Zone of the Interior
51. Loss of manpower in the Theater of Operations
from diseases and nonbattle injuries due to deaths, noneffectives in hospital
(patients), and cases disposed of in the Zone of the Interior when sent
there for further treatment
52. Loss of manpower In the Theater of Operations
from war (poisonous) gases due to deaths, noneffectives in hospital (patients),
and cases disposed of in the Zone of the Interior when sent there for further
treatment
53. Loss of manpower in the Theater of Operations
from gunshot missiles due to deaths, noneffectives in hospital (patients),
and cases disposed of in the Zone of the Interior when sent there for further
treatment
54. Loss of manpower from diseases and nonbattle
injuries in the Theater of Operations during, successive months
55. Cases of diseases and nonbattle injuries
returned to duty in the Theater of Operations during successive months
56. Loss of manpower from war (poisonous)
gases in the Theater of Operations, during successive months
57. Gas cases returned to duty in the Theater
of operations during successive months
58. Loss of manpower from gunshot injuries
In the Theater of Operations during successive months
59. Gunshot cases returned to duty in the
Theater of Operations during successive months
60. Losses from diseases and nonbattle injuries
by months under approximately the same conditions as occurred in the American
Expeditionary Forces where there was a material increase in the strength
each month, and where the constant average daily admission rate to hospital
only from these cases was 1.65 per 1,000 American Expeditionary Forces
strength
61. Method of computing the losses to be
expected in the Theater of Operations in a command in which there is an
increasing strength; where there are admissions from both battle and nonbattle
causes; and also when certain percentages of the patients are sent to the
Zone of the Interior
62. Losses from war (poisonous) gases by
months under approximately the same conditions as occurred in the American
Expeditionary Forces where there was a material increase in: (a) The strength
each month; (b) also in the admission rate at different periods
63. Losses from gunshot injuries by months,
under approximately the same conditions as occurred in the American Expeditionary
Forces where there was a material increase in: (a) The strength each month;
(b) also in the admission rate at different periods
64. Loss of manpower in the mobilization
area (U.S.) among those actually enrolled in the military service from
diseases and nonbattle injuries due to deaths, discharges for disability,
and noneffectives in hospital (patients)
65. Daily admission rates by classes of diseases
per 1,000 strength of white troops in the front area, and also in the total
American Expeditionary Forces, for the period from June 1 to October 31,
1918
66. Daily admission rates from diseases per
1,000 strength of white troops in the front area, and in the total American
Expeditionary Forces, for the period June 1st to October 31st, 1918, and
also for each month of that period
67. Average daily number of American Divisions
in the First American Army in each of its Corps, both in line and in reserve,
and also in the Army Reserve for the period of 47 days, from September
26 to November 11, 1918
68. Variation In the percentage that the
gassed, gunshot wounded and killed in action were of the total casualties
according to the severity of the engagement
69. Summation curve showing how often various
regimental daily casualty rates occurred during major operations in the
American Expeditionary Forces in 1918
70. Summation curve showing how often various
divisional daily casualty rates occurred during major operations in the
American Expeditionary Forces in 1918
71. The daily casualty rates on the five
maximal casualty days for divisions (not including the 2nd) in line (not
in reserve) in the First American Army during the Meuse-Argonne and selected
divisions in the Aisne-Marne and Somme Offensives; also the average daily
casualty rate for the divisions during those engagments
72. Summation curve showing how often various
Corps daily casualty rates occurred in the five Corps of the First American
Army, including the divisions with the French as a Corps, during the Meuse-Argonne
Operation, Sept. 26 to Nov. 11, 1918
73. The maximal daily casualty rate for each
Corps of the First American: Army during the Meuse-Argonne Sept. 26 to
Nov. 11, 1918, and also the average rate for each one during the entire
period
74. Summation-curve showing how often various
Army daily casualty rates occurred among American Troops in the First American
Army during the Meuse-Argonne Operation, Sept. 26 to Nov. 11, 1918
75. The daily casualty rates on the three
maximal casualty days for the First-American Army in the Meuge-Argonne
Sept. 26 to Nov. 11, and also the average daily casualty rate during the
same period
76. Average daily casualty rates per 1,000
strength for the period from Sept. 26 to Nov. 11, 1918, Inc., for the total
American Expeditionary Forces, First American Army, corps of the First
American Army, divisions in line (not in reserve) of the First American
Army, and Infantry regiments of all divisions in line (including those
in divisional reserve)
77. Histogram and fitted skew curve for daily
admission rates from diseases and nonbattle injuries to hospital and' quarters,
per 1,000 strength in 30 large camps in the United States during 1918,
excluding September and October
78. Histogram and fitted skew curve for daily
admission rates from diseases and nonbattle injuries to hospital only per
1,000 strength in 30 large camps in the United States during 1918, excluding
September and. Oct.
79. Duration of treatment (leaving sick report)
of diseases and nonbattle injury cases among white enlisted men in hospital
and quarters in the United States in 1925 - 1927
80. Duration of treatment (remaining on sick
report) of disease and nonbattle injury cases in hospital and quarters
as they occur in the United States
81. Duration of treatment (leaving hospital)
of disease and nonbattle injury cases in hospital as they occur in the
United States
82. Duration of treatment (remaining in hospital)
of disease and nonbattle injury cases as they occur in the United States
83. Duration of treatment (leaving hospital)
of disease and nonbattle injury cases which occurred in the American Expeditionary
Forces in 1918 while in the American Expeditionary Forces and later in
the United States
84. Duration of treatment (remaining in hospital)
in the American Expeditionary Forces and later in the United States of
disease and nonbattle Injury cases which occurred in the American Expeditionary
Forces in 1918
85. Duration of treatment (leaving hospital)
in the American Expeditionary Forces only of disease and nonbattle injury
cases which occurred there in 1918
86. Duration of treatment (remaining in hospital)
in the American Expeditionary Forces only of disease and nonbattle injury
cases which occurred there in 1918
87. Duration of treatment of Gas cases which
occurred in the American Expeditionary Forces in 1918
88. Duration of treatment of Gunshot cases
which occurred in the American Expeditionary Forces in 1918
89. Duration of treatment of disease and
nonbattle injury cases who were admitted to hospital in the United States
in 1918 and returned to duty
90. Duration of treatment of disease and
nonbattle injury cases which returned to duty while in the American Expeditionary
Forces in 1918
91. Duration of treatment of Gas cases which
returned to duty in the American Expeditionary Forces in 1918
92. Duration of treatment of Gunshot cases
which returned to duty in the American Expeditionary Forces in 1918
93. Duration of treatment of disease and
nonbattle injury patients admitted to hospital in the United States in
1918, who ultimately died
94. Duration of treatment of disease and
nonbattle injury patients admitted to hospital In the United States in
1918, who were ultimately discharged for disability
95. Duration of treatment of disease and
nonbattle injury patients admitted to hospital in the United States in
1918, who ultimately died or were discharged for disability
96. Duration of treatment of disease and
nonbattle injury patients admitted to hospital in the American Expeditionary
Forces in 1918 who ultimately died
97. Duration of treatment of gas patients
admitted to hospital in the American Expeditionary Forces in 1918, who
ultimately died
98. Duration of treatment of Gunshot patients
admitted to hospital in the American Expeditionary Forces in 1918, who
ultimately died
99. Relationship of the number wounded by
poisonous gases to those wounded by gunshot missiles
100. Relationship of the number killed by
all causes to those wounded by gun shot missiles or by poisonous gases