702 On Camel Litters for the Wounded. [Sept. 



Art. II. — On Camel Litters for the Wowided. — By H. Piddington, Esq. 



To the Secretary to the Government of India, Military 

 Department. 



Sir, — I have to beg you will do me the honor to submit, for the 

 consideration of the Honorable the President in Council, and, if ap- 

 proved, for transmission to the Right Honorable the Governor General of 

 India, the accompanying Memorandum and sketches. The importance 

 of the subject to the interests of humanity, and to the movements of a 

 military force, will, I trust, excuse the intrusion of it upon his Honor's 

 attention. 



Calcutta, I have, &c. 



loth February, 1839. H. PIDDINGTON. 



Memorandum. 



In the countries towards which the Army of the Indus is now ad- 

 vancing, it is nearly certain that no extra dooly-bearers for the carriage 

 of the sick and wounded can be procured ; and of even those taken 

 with the force, it may be doubtful if they can be kept long together 

 should the advance be prolonged far beyond the frontier. The sick 

 and wounded then would, in this case, be left without the means of 

 carriage, and not only many valuable lives might be so lost, but im- 

 portant military operations might be greatly impeded, or even prevented. 

 I found the other day, in the course of my reading, what appears to 

 be so simple and cheap a plan of providing against this cruel aggrava- 

 tion of the miseries and losses of war, that I am induced to lay it 

 before the Right Honorable the Governor General, not doubting that he 

 will allow it a trial. 



The plan I allude to, is in the " Memoires de Chirugie Militaire du 

 Baron Larrey," a name standing so high in the annals of his profession 

 for every talent and virtue which can adorn it, that nothing falling from 

 his pen can be unimportant. I translate here the passage, which is 

 found in vol. i. p. 278, of the " Campagnes d' Egypte." 



Preparations for the campaign in Syria were ordered — 



"The Medical Staff assembled to concert the necessary arrangements 

 for their branch of the service in the army destined for this campaign. 

 I was particularly occupied in providing every thing necessary to insure 

 assistance to the wounded whom we might expect on such a painful 

 and perilous expedition. The means of carriage were the first object of 

 my attention, for merely dressing the wounded on the field of battle was 



