[Marxism] As of today, wounded still pouring into US military hospital in Iraq

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 thomasfbarton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
 11.16.04



GI SPECIAL 2#C22


Huge Increase In Badly Wounded Floods U.S. Military Hospital;
419 Since Attack On Falluja Started

November 15, 2004 USA TODAY

She added that the influx has not yet let up.  "When I see a sustained
decrease over more than 24 hours, I'll believe it," Cornum said.

LANDSTUHL, Germany - The number of injured U.S. military personnel
arriving at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center this week, most from
the offensive against insurgents in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, reached
its highest level since April, a U.S. military official here said
Sunday.

The troops coming in over the past week have been more seriously injured
than usual, and twice as many have been wounded in battle, said Army
Col. Rhonda Cornum, commander of the hospital.

She added that the influx has not yet let up.  "When I see a sustained
decrease over more than 24 hours, I'll believe it," Cornum said.

Patients treated here are not capable of returning to duty within seven
working days.  Cornum said 419 patients, including one American
civilian, have been flown for treatment to Landstuhl since Nov. 8, the
day after the offensive began against militants in Fallujah, 40 miles
west of Baghdad.

She said 95% of those patients have come from Iraq, and 5% from
Afghanistan.  Most of those from Iraq were wounded in Fallujah, but
Cornum could not say exactly how many.

There have been two peaks in the patient load: 98 arrived Thursday, 44
on Friday, 94 on Saturday, and 49 on Sunday, Cornum said.  All of the
patients have been U.S. citizens.

Before the new offensive, the average number of patients admitted daily
had been 32. In the past week, that number has more than doubled to 70.
On Sunday, the number of patients in the hospital was 150, compared with
the typical average of 100. The injuries suffered include gunshot and
blast wounds and burns.

The seriousness of injuries is reflected by the number of inpatients.

About half the patients admitted since the Fallujah offensive began have
needed to be hospitalized.  Hospital spokeswoman Marie Shaw said most
patients usually receive outpatient care.

More than 50% of incoming patients have had battle wounds this past
week, compared with 25% before the offensive.  Among those seriously
injured patients, 37 are in the intensive care unit.

Because of the heavier-than-usual load and the increased seriousness of
injuries, the hospital has had to call in help from military facilities
in the area.

"This was not a holiday weekend for us," said Air Force Col. Todd Hess,
deputy commander for clinical services, referring to Veterans Day.

The number of beds in the medical-surgical ward has grown from 64 to
117.  The number could be increased if necessary, Cornum said.  The
intensive care unit has gone from 20 to 27 beds.



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