WWI US Model 1917 Officer's Medical Belt
Item #: WR1447
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This is a Model 1917 Medical Officer's belt used during World War I. The belt was designed to allow the medical officer to keep his instruments in front of him and at the same time keep his hands free to work on the wounded. Prior to the introduction of this web belt surgeons carried their instruments over their shoulder in an "Orderly's Pouch". This proved to be a bulky item that often interfered with treatment of the wounded, as it hung around the waist of the doctor. This is a third variation of the Model 1917 belt, made by Mills and dated April, 1918. The contents carried in the belt were at the doctors discretion, but were normally set up as follows. In the large pocket on the left were a medicine case and a Diagnosis Tag Book. The medicine case contained five vials with bakelite screw on tops to hold whatever tablets the officer deemed most useful. The Diagnosis Book were used by the doctor to identify the date and type of treatment the patient had been administered, station that treated the patient and the patient's name, rank and unit prior to his evacuation to a rear field hospital. In the small pocket on the left was a hypodermic syringe kit and the case for the extra needles. The small pocket on the right side of the belt held a small glass flask. It was used to administer morphine in a liquid form. The large pocket on the right side contained a clinical thermometer with case and a surgical instrument case. This belt has none of the original contents. The belt is in well used condition, showing dirt and grim on the tops of the all four pocket flaps. The pocket flaps on the left side show some fraying along the edges. The pockets are free of holes, tears or rips and all three eagles snaps are present and functional. The right side pockets also have fraying along the flap edges. The large pocket on the right side has two small holes, one at each end of the pocket. They were likely caused by the thermometer case and instrument case. Both of the large pocket flaps are ink stamped with the Mills bullet logo and dated April/1918. The brass adjusting links of the connecting belt also have very legible Mills markings. One the inside of the belt is a stencil that reads 106 HOSP CO., part of the 102nd Divisional Trains of the 27th Infantry Division. This Model 1917 Medical Officer's belt has the look of having been there, and would look great in any WWI collection.
Shipping Weight:
2 lbs
Your Price $175.00 USD
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