Kits of Medical Personnel Medical Kits & Contents

This article has been produced to show the different individual medical kits of personnel. The majority of the kits shown here are the field / combat equipment of the medic. Please click on the illustrations to enlarge.

Picture illustrating various patterns of the Medical Pouch. The first pattern, shown at top left, is closed using a leather strap and buckle, while the second and third patterns use a canvas strap. The third pattern, shown at bottom left, has received press studs instead of the standard lacings (introduced end 1943, early 1944) but still retains the flap closing method (strap with buckle). The pouch illustrated at bottom right shows the second pattern example with its false bottom folded and closed using laces.

9712000 – Kit, Medical Private’s, Complete:
 components-sm
Number Item Quantity
9706500 Kit Component, Cantle Ring Strap 2
9708500 Kit Component, Pouch 2
9709500 Kit Component, Suspender 1
In Right Hand Pouch
9712000-R-sm
2034000 Plaster, Adhesive, Surgical, 1-Inch by 5 Yards 1
3468000 Scissors, Bandage 1
7878000 Pin, Safety, Medium 2
9103800 Burn Injury Set, Boric Acid Ointment 1
9109500 Eye Dressing Set 1
9112000 Iodine Swab, 1 1/2-cc, 6 1
9200000 Bandage, Gauze, Adhesive, White, 1-Inch by 3-Inch, 16 1
9201000 Bandage, Gauze, Compressed, White, 3-Inch by 6 Yards, 72 16 Bandages
9204000 Bandage, Triangular, Compressed, White 3
9378000 Tourniquet, Field 1
9707000 Kit Component, Insert, Type I 1
9767500 Container, Metal, No. 1 (For 9112000) 1
In Left Hand Pouch
9712000-L-sm
7624000 Pencil, Lead 1
9206000 Dressing, First-Aid, Small, White 8
9708000 Kit Component, Litter Strap 2
Form 52b Emergency Medical Tag (20 in Booklet in Duplicate) 1

The 1940-1942 earlier version of above Kit went through following modifications between 1943 and early 1945. The No. 1 Metal Container, which held 12 Iodine Swabs, only contained 6 units by end 1943, and after that period, the 6 Swabs were either packed in the Metal Container or in the new Cardboard Box; Type I Insert, containing a Flask and Cup, for Ammonia Aromatic Spirit, was cancelled in 1944; another item which disappeared was the Enlisted Men’s Instrument Case (contents: Hemostatic Forceps & Double-Blunt Scissors); both the Burn Injury and the Eye Dressing Sets were only introduced early 1944; while the 16 Stickbands (or White Adhesive Gauze Bandage) were added around mid 1944; another new element being introduced in 1944, was the Field Tourniquet; the previous Eye Dressing Set was finally replaced by the M-2 version early 1945; the current Field Tourniquet was cancelled and replaced by the Elastic Field Tourniquet mid 1945; final modifications involved the 16 Stickbands which were now issued in Field Brown-colored material (instead of White); this also affected the Small White First-Aid Dressings, which were now Field Brown…

9711000 – Kit, Medical Noncommissioned Officer’s, Complete:
components-sm
Number Item Quantity
9706500 Kit Component, Cantle Ring Strap 2
9708500 Kit Component, Pouch 2
9709500 Kit Component, Suspender 1
In Right Hand Pouch
 9711000-R-sm
9961500 Vial, 1/2-oz 3
1010000    Acid, Acetylsalicylic, 1000 Tablets 16 Tablets
1150500   Compound Cathartic, 1000 Pills or Tablets 36 Pills or Tablets
2034000 Plaster, Adhesive, Surgical, 1-Inch by 5 Yards 2
7624000 Pencil, Lead 1
7877000 Pin, Safety, Large 1
7878000 Pin, Safety, Medium 1
7932000 Thermometer, Clinical 1
9103800 Burn Injury Set, Boric Acid Ointment 1
9109500 Eye Dressing Set 1
9112000 Iodine Swab, 1 1/2-cc, 6 1
9115500 Morphine Tartrate, 5 Tubes 2
9120400 Sulfadiazine, 8 Tablets 3
9200000 Bandage, Gauze, Adhesive, White, 1-Inch by 3-Inch, 16 1
9378000 Tourniquet, Field 1
9707500 Kit Component, Insert Type II 1
9708000 Kit Component, Litter Strap 2
Form 52b Emergency Medical Tag (20 in Booklet in Duplicate) 1
In Left Hand Pouch
9711000-L-sm
2013000 Cotton, Absorbent, Compressed, 1 oz 4
2024000 Gauze, Plain, Sterilized, 36-Inch, 1 Yard 4
9201000 Bandage, Gauze, Compressed, White, 3-Inch by 6 Yards, 72 8 Bandages
9204000 Bandage, Triangular, Compressed, White 4

The early version (pre-1944) of this Kit also underwent a number of modifications, including some of those changes indicated earlier. Between 1944 and early 1945, the previous 6 Hard Rubber Vials were reduced to only 3 units (limiting the number of Pills & Tablets); the Hypodermic Needle Sterilizer was cancelled, and along also went the Complete Hypodermic Syringe Set; older items including 12 Folding Boxes for Tablets disappeared, together with the Medical Officer’s Instrument Case; the No. 1 Metal Container also had to go and was duly replaced by a Cardboard Box holding 6 Iodine Swabs; but new products were also introduced course of 1944, such as the Burn Injury Set, the Eye Dressing Set, followed by the new 16 Stickbands, and the Field Tourniquet; following continuous developments, innovations, and improvements in the medical field, the Medical Department replaced some cancelled items advantageously; they included two Boxes with 5 Morphine Tartrate Syrettes, and three Packets of 8 Sulfadiazine Tablets; Bandage Scissors were further added in fall of 1944; and course of 1945, all White fabric elements were to be replaced by Field Brown (Adhesive Surgical Plaster, Stickbands, Compressed Gauze Bandage, Compressed Triangular Bandage); followed by another series of modifications covering replacement of the current Eye Dressing Set by the M-2 version, and the Field Tourniquet by an Elastic version; finally, the single 6-unit Iodine Swab Box was increased to two…

9711500 – Kit, Medical Officer’s, Complete:
 9711500-sm
Number Item Quantity
9706500 Kit Component, Cantle Ring Strap 1
9708500 Kit Component, Pouch 1
9961500 Vial, 1/2-oz 1
1010000    Acid, Acetylsalicylic, 1000 Tablets 16 Tablets
1150500   Compound Cathartic, 1000 Pills or Tablets 36 Pills or Tablets
2034000 Plaster, Adhesive, Surgical, 1-Inch by 5 Yards 1
7624000 Pencil, Lead 1
7878000 Pin, Safety, Medium 1
7932000 Thermometer, Clinical 1
9103800 Burn Injury Set, Boric Acid Ointment 1
9109500 Eye Dressing Set 1
9112000 Iodine Swab, 1 1/2-cc, 6 1
9115500 Morphine Tartrate, 5 Tubes 3
9120400 Sulfadiazine, 8 Tablets 3
9121100 Sulfanilamide, Crystalline, 5, 5-Gm Envelopes 1
9201000 Bandage, Gauze, Compressed, White, 3-Inch by 6 Yards, 72 8 Bandages
9378000 Tourniquet, Field 1
9705000 Case, Instrument, Medical Officer’s, Complete 1
9707500 Kit Component, Insert Type II 1
9708000 Kit Component, Litter Strap 1
9767500 Container, Metal, No. 1 (For 9112000) 1
Form 52b Emergency Medical Tag (20 in Booklet in Duplicate) 1

The modifications affecting the early version of this Kit, entailed a similar number of changes that influenced the NCO’s Kit above. It should be noted that the remaining 3 Hard Rubber Vials now contained respectively 36 Compound Cathartic Pills and 16 Acetylsalicylic Acid Tablets, while the third Vial was considered a reserve. The Medical Officer’s Instrument Case was however retained (for contents see separate list for this item, further down this page). Since the Officer was generally equipped with more individual equipment than the average Private, he only carried a single Canvas Pouch. Hence, there was no need for a Suspender; the Pouch being worn with either the Litter Carrying Strap, the General Purpose Carrying Strap, or the Carrying Strap used for the Canvas Field Bag…

9711600 – Kit, Medical, Parachutist’s, Complete:
Number Item Quantity
1463600 Sulfanilamide, Crystalline, 12 5-Gm Envelopes 1
7624000 Pencil, Lead 1
7878000 Pin, Safety, Medium 1
9102500 Ammonia, Aromatic, 10 Ampules 3
9112200 Iodine Swab, 10-minim, 10 2
9115500 Morphine Tartrate, 5 Tubes 2
9201000 Bandage, Gauze, Compressed, White, 3-Inch by 6 Yards, 72 10 Bandages
9204000 Bandage, Triangular, Compressed, White 6
9206000 Dressing, First-Aid, Small, White 4
9705000 Case, Instrument, Medical Officer’s, Complete 1
9707500 Kit Component, Insert Type II 1
9708000 Kit Component, Litter Strap 1
9708500 Kit Component, Pouch 1
9767500 Container, Metal, No. 1 1
9961500 Vial, 1/2-oz: 1 each for the following 6
1006000   Acetophenetidin, 1000 Tablets 16 Tablets
1010000   Acid, Acetylsalicylic, 1000 Tablets 16 Tablets
1084500   Atabrine, 100 Tablets 50 Tablets
1150500   Compound Cathartic, 1000 Pills or Tablets 36 Pills or Tablets
1223000   Glycyrrhiza and Opium Compound, 1000 Tablets 25 Tablets
1463700   Sulfanilamide, 1000 Tablets 16 Tablets
Form 52b Emergency Medical Tag (20 in Booklet in Duplicate) 1

The early version of the Kit introduced course of 1942, would equally undergo several modifications. As already discussed previously, new items were introduced, such as the Burn Injury and Eye Dressing Sets, and Bandage Scissors; the No. 1 Metal Container however was kept (still present in 1947), there was no mention of introducing a Field Tourniquet (item already included in the First-Aid Parachute Packet); the Morphine Syrettes were of course made available in larger quantities, as compared to the single unit contained in the individual First-Aid Parachute Packet. Since two Canvas Pouches were deemed too bulky and too awkward to handle as issued, Airborne troops were instructed to remove the false bottom of one Pouch, extend it, pack contents of the two Pouches (except the EMT Book) in this one Pouch, carry the Pouch on the left side, suspended by the Litter Carrying strap, passing over the right shoulder. Then attach a thong similar to that placed on a Pistol Holster to the bottom, and tie it around the left leg to hold the Pouch in place. Carry the EMT Book in a pocket of the Jump Suit. Needless to add, a Suspender is not necessary…

9705000 – Case, Instrument, Medical Officer’s, Complete:
Number Item Quantity
9705100 Case, Instrument, Medical Officer’s, Empty 1
9705200 Case, Instrument, Medical Officer’s, Metal Container for 2 Knives 1
3008500 Bistoury, Sharp-Pointed, Straight 1
3228800 Forceps, Hemostatic, 4 3/4-Inch, Straight, Abbey 1
3229500 Forceps, Hemostatic, 5-Inch, Straight, Jones 1
3269500 Forceps, Tissue, Spring, 4 1/2-Inch, Straight 1
3335600 Knife, Operating, 1 1/4-Inch Blade 1
3393500 Needle, Surgeon’s Regular, Size 6, 3/8-Circle, 6 1
3394500 Needle, Surgeon’s Regular, Size 10, 3/8-Circle, 6 1
3401100 Needle, Uterine, Size 5, Half-Circle, 6 1
3474500 Scissors, Operating, 4 1/2-Inch, Straight, 1 Point Sharp 1
9377000 Suture, Silk, Braided, Non-Capillary, 3 Sizes 1

This page was printed from the WW2 US Medical Research Centre on 29th March 2024 at 15:25.
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