South Vietnam: The Province of the General Surgeon

This paper is a survey of three months' work carried out by one Australian surgical team in South Vietnam. This team, stationed at Long Xuyen, worked in a Vaetnamese civilian hospital alongside Vietnamese doctors, anesthetists and nurses. The scope of surgery was wide and the work load heavy. Overcrowding was common, and relatives lived in the wards with the patients. Wound breakdown was uncommon, and cross infection did not appear to be a serious problem. Chronic osteomyelitis and tuberculosis remain unsolved problems in this area because of the uncertain supply of antibiotics and poor follow-up care. Certain courses of treatment are recommended for the various problems met with, including empyema, spinal tuberculosis and intra-abdominal injuries. Cooperation with the Vietnamese was good, and the help received from the American administrative and military teams in the area was considerable.