Medical column
A medical column was a voluntary, organized group of rescue workers who could provide first aid services in times of war and peace . Medical columns emerged as organizations from the warrior clubs in the 19th century. They made their members available to the Red Cross in times of war , insofar as they did not belong to the reserve , the Landwehr or the reserve reserve . As a rule, they were used as escort and transport personnel on patient and hospital trains and only in special emergencies to reinforce the medical companies on the battlefield. They were then subject to the provisions of the military order . In times of peace, they should be active in the event of accidents, such as fire and water emergencies, railway and factory accidents, and epidemics, and should strive for close contact with the state and local authorities. They were trained to such an extent that they could also put on emergency bandages, but in particular could take over the transport of victims or sick people. Members of a medical column could only become members of an association belonging to the German Warrior League . In 1900 the number of German medical columns was more than 900 with over 14,000 members, of which about 11,500 were available for voluntary nursing when mobilizing .
literature
Heinrich Hensgen: The German voluntary medical columns in their historical development up to the present , Munich 1901.
Web links
- Duden: medical column
- Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon 1905: Medical column