Hospital Corps Belt
Prior to the Great War, enlisted field medics used a large bag call the Hospital Corps Pouch to carry their dressing and supplies. The design of the pouch and its attachments was bulky and made it difficult for the soldier to move, especially when mounted on horseback. The Military Medical Board decided that a belt would be the best method of equipping enlisted medics in the field. The goal was for medics to be mobile in the field and allow them easy access to supplies in their belt while tending to the wounded. The Military Surgeon, Volume 38, 1916, provided the details of this new belt as well as that of the additional gear that attaches to the Hospital Corps Belt. The belt was created with ten pockets of equal size that would wrap around the waist and connect in the front. Previously, the supplies held in the Hospital Corps Pouch were of various shapes and sizes. Incorporating this into a belt was difficult, but was resolved by requiring the makers of medical supplies to conform the size of their products to the uniformly sized pockets of the Hospital Corps Belt.
A few variations of the Hospital Corps Belt exist. The belt was first manufactured by Mills Woven Belt Company in mid 1917. These first belts were created with "lift dot" fasteners. Mills continued using these types of fasteners until spring of 1918 when they were changed to the round eagle snap fasteners. The earliest known Mills belt with these eagle snaps was May of 1918. At approximately the same time, R.H. Long began manufacturing Hospital Corps Belts. The R.H. Long belt differed a bit in its construction and used the lift dot fasteners. Additionally, the R.H. Long makers mark and date is stamped within a square, whereas the Mills mark is stamped in the shape of a bullet.
A few variations of the Hospital Corps Belt exist. The belt was first manufactured by Mills Woven Belt Company in mid 1917. These first belts were created with "lift dot" fasteners. Mills continued using these types of fasteners until spring of 1918 when they were changed to the round eagle snap fasteners. The earliest known Mills belt with these eagle snaps was May of 1918. At approximately the same time, R.H. Long began manufacturing Hospital Corps Belts. The R.H. Long belt differed a bit in its construction and used the lift dot fasteners. Additionally, the R.H. Long makers mark and date is stamped within a square, whereas the Mills mark is stamped in the shape of a bullet.
Pictured to the right is the first model Mills Hospital Corps Belt with lift dot fasteners. This particular example was worn by John Peter Berg, Sergeant 1st Class of the Medical Detachment of the 349th Infantry, 88th Division.
Berg was born July 10, 1888 in Illinois. He attended the State College of Iowa, concentrating on pharmaceuticals. He owned and operated several pharmacies with hsi family over the years. When America entered the Great War, he served in France as a Sergeant, 1st Class in the Medical Detachment of the 349th Infantry (88th Division). Upon his return home, Berg continued his civilian life as a pharmacist and an active member of his community. In 1935 he was elected to the Iowa State Senate where he served for the next twenty years. He died on October 15, 1965. The belt bears a typical military stencil on the back which reads "M.D. 349 INF." (Medical Detachment, 349th Infantry). Hand written ink next to the stencil is "Berg, John P." along with his army serial number. |
Pictured to the right is an example of the R.H. Long manufactured Hospital Corps Belt. Note the difference in the stitching and pockets from the Mills model with the lift dot fasteners. This example was worn by William F. Sampson, a Private in the Medical Detachment of the 52nd Infantry (6th Division). |
Contents of the Hospital Corps Belt
Paragraph 907 details the contents of the web belt for the Hospital Corps. The belt contents are identified according to the 10 pockets numbered from the left front (#1) to the right front (#10).
#1: Field Tourniquet, plaster, adhesive, z.o., 5 yards by 1 inch, spools #1: Safety Pins (12) (front compartment) #2: Iodine Swabs (6 per box, 2 boxes) #3: Sublimated Gauze, two ½ yard pieces per package (2 packages) #4: Individual Dressing Packet (2) #5: Individual Dressing Packet (2) #6: Individual Dressing Packet (2) #7: Individual Dressing Packet (2) #8: Individual Dressing Packet (2) #9: Bandages, gauze, compressed (6) #10: Spiritus ammoniae aromaticus, in flask with cup, flasks #10: Common Pins (1/4 paper) (front compartment) |
.
|
The contents of the pockets were specifically designed so that certain unique items would be stored in the front pockets of the belt so the medic in the field could easily view and access them without having to fumble for them behind his back or at his sides. All of the pockets in the side and rear that the medic could not see would contain dressing packets. This way too the medic would always know for certain what he was grabbing, maximizing his efficiency in the field.
Field Tourniquet, Adhesive Plaster, Safety Pins
The first pocket of the belt contained three items. The first was the field tourniquet, a simple cloth strap used to control the circulation in a part of the body. This would aid in the prevention of blood loss from a wound. The second item is the spool of adhesive plaster with zinc oxide. This 1 inch wide, 5 yard long roll would be applied to superficial wounds. Finally, the third item in the pocket was a small a card holding 12 safety pins which could be used for securing bandages in the field. My collection does not yet include the adhesive plaster or safety pins. if you have one you are looking to sell, please let me know. |
.
|
The largest and most important change would have to be the addition of carrying more of the first aid bandages. This was the most important item to help in the treatment of wounded. It was now increased from the simple four carried in the hospital corps pouch to ten in the enlisted medical belt. This would now lead to the modification of the first aid packet itself. This new bandage would be of size to fit two in each of the eight center belt pockets, and one each in the end two smaller pockets. Also to keep these bandages from getting confused with the metal cased type carried by the individual soldiers, the name would be changed to “individual dressing packet” from the metal “first aid packet” issue type. These new bandages were easier to open, cheaper to produce and lighter to carry in the belt.
|
Hospital Corps Medical Belt, maker marked and dated: Mills, August 1918.
This belt is equipped with Mills rimmed eagle snap fasteners, rather than the lift dot fasteners.
This belt is equipped with Mills rimmed eagle snap fasteners, rather than the lift dot fasteners.