The WWI Diary of Captain Levi H. Fuson of Base Hospital 21

In 1915, Levi H. Fuson was one of 29 to graduate from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. Of the 29 graduates, 24 went on to serve in World War I as commissioned medical officers. Fuson was the only member of his class to serve with Base Hospital 21.  The Base Hospital was founded and staffed by Washington University,  and was one of six base hospitals that were selected for mobilization by the U.S. Government to support the British troops. Fuson's papers, which detail his experiences while serving with Base Hospital 21, have been recently digitized by project staff.  The papers, which are located at the Bernard Becker Medical Library, Washington University Medical School, include a diary, correspondence, newspaper clippings, and other documentation. The highlight of the papers is Fuson's  167 page diary.  In addition to writing about his observations and experiences in the diary, Fuson detailed the personal stories and injuries of the soldiers he treated.   Below is an excerpt from the Diary dated June 28, 1917, in which he described the events of a typical day in the hospital. Interspersed in this diary entry is valuable information about the life of a soldier on the battlefield.

The Diary

 

"...patients came in al night so far at rate of about 90 every 2^nd or 3^rd night which we told is quite a small number from the fact we are told that British casualties are very few now due to heavy work of British artillary and British control of the air.  These are distributed among the different wards 9 in number each containing about 110 beds.  They are kept here only a few days and sent on to Base Hospitals across the channel as soon as they can stand the trip. Send out about two loads of patients each day. Some in stretchers a larger number able to sit and walk.  They usually reach us from 2 days on after being wounded are all greatly fatigued and their wounds are practically all infected when we see them.  They  usually sleep most of the first few days here .  Spent this P.M. visiting the lads on my ward and getting each one’s story. One poor chap, Private Bailey was wounded in rt shoulder by small bullet one night and reached us two days later

"with temp 101.  swelling and pain in shoulder. Xray showed bullet under arm.  There was only small hole of entry on top of shoulder.  Nothing extreme about his case.  He is rather dull chap and tells his story poorly.  With 9 others they had crawled 50 yards in advance of the front line trench in the night to a distance of some 50 or 60 yards from the front German trench in “No Man’s Land” and “dug in” establishing an outpost.  The first 2 feet of the trench was dug with the entrenching tool and rt hand in the lying pasture.  As soon as trench was deep enough to work on knees and be out of sight the spade was used. Dirt thrown forward.  In two hours these ten men had burried in a were relieved German snipers were firing all the while but wildly as it was dark.  This work is always done at night.  When relieved they crawled back 50yrds to their front trench over top us communicating trench had not been made Mr. Baily was only few yards from safety when the sniper got him.  He doesn’t know what happened to the 9 others.  For 4 days previous he stood in front trench in water up to knees, without sleep. ate when he could was ready to move any minute on orders.

"He doesn’t mind his wound.  Seems happy and wants to go home to England.  He thinks 'Fritz' is getting it many times as severe.  Dressed another chap today who was struck by a snipers bullet rt thigh just above the knee tearing the leg wide open and breaking the bone.  He is only a private of the infantry, but a handsome and bright looking chap.  He was in a party of four who had been detailed to take messages from a newly taken trench back to the old line of reinforcement There were no communicating trenches and they had to move in the open with bullets flying at them.  This Chap, Private Storey had dropped into several shell holes and was leaving one to advance into another when he got his.  He was unable to move himself but was fortunate to be picked up at once by stretcher bearers and taken to the dressing station the Boches from some reason did not fire at the stretcher bearers as they usually do. He is happy too.  All who have a wound severe enough to keep them out of future service are happy and produce a smile when you tell them they are going to 'Blighty,' There are many who are trying to get home with some trivial disability.

"Not a day passes that one has a group of old hernias, varices urethral strictures from which they have suffered for years, claiming cause for an operation or Excuse from service yesterday I had a middle aged man who left the front because of trouble with a stricture which had not given trouble for three years.  He was quite positive he could not void on the front without unreserve difficulty.  I was not justified in accepting his word but had to exmine and an Examination was easily able to [ms illegible: 1 wd] No 12 soft catheter.  The result of which means that he will be sent back to the front.  All cases with hernias are fitted with trusses if possible and sent back to work.  You don’t blame the fellows for wanting to get a way from the front. Tonight at 8PM, officers Nurses and privates were entertained by a group of the Royal Engineers, 7 in number.  They were each splendid singers and gave a grand two hours of music. This ended and all stood while 4 bars of 'God save the King' was sung.  On reaching the nuns hall later was told that one of my chaps

"had first coughed up a quart of blood and died.  When seen short time previously he was setting in bed comfortable.  He had been shot in the back there was only  a small prick in the skin.  The xray showed a hair of metal inside the  [ms illegible: 1 wd] but he seemed to be going fine.  The officer who saw him die in 10 minutes said it was very sad.  The chap was conscious sitting up holding his sputime cup up and collecting the blood as it came up not saying a word or looking the least excited.  When  considerable blood was lost he became unconscious and collapsed 1045 PM.  Announcement just now made that a case of stangulated hernia has just come in and all the Majors and Captian are out to dinner at No 9 and we Lieutenants may have to operate, at once, Word has also came that a convoy is coming in tonight.  Very heavy rain for several hours tonight In operating room until 2A.M..."

In addition to making diary entries, Fuson kept detailed medical notes on his patients. These notes, which are located at the end of the diary, contained the patients name and age, the date they were wounded, and often a sketch of their injuries along with the treatment they received. Below is a sampling of these medical notes.

After the war, Fuson returned to Missouri where he went into private practice.  He specialized in Internal Medicine in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Sources:

Levi H. Fuson Papers, Bernard Becker Medical Library, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri. http://beckerarchives.wustl.edu/?p=collections/controlcard&id=8699