Glossary of WW2 US Medical Terms

Medical personnel sorting Marmite Cans containing ETO Blood at military airfield, France 1944

This article has been compiled to give an explanation to some of the terms and abbreviations which can be found on this website. All spellings and definitions appear here as they did at the time.

This list is by no means a complete one, and it is the intention that it will receive regular updates, as and when new definitions or abbreviations can be found. If there are any abbreviations with "??" characters in the description column, this means that the definition is either unknown or unsure. We would welcome any help in identifying missing or incomplete descriptions. Please send an email to info@med-dept.com, including the term / abbreviation, and an explanation if you wish to contribute to this section of the site.

To view all definitions beginning with a certain letter, please use the links below:

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Currently showing deifnitions beginning with C.

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Caduceus:

Insignia of the Medical Corps, and also background of insignia for allied services e.g. ANC, description: a staff with two snakes twined around it and a pair of wings on top

Casualty:

An Officer or Enlisted Man who becomes unfit for duty in battle or a campaign because of enemy action, illness, accident, or other cause resulting in death, desertion, capture, wounding, or illness

Chain Of Evacuation:

Series of Stations and routes by which the sick and wounded are collected and carried to Hospitals . The Chain of Evacuation usually begins at an Aid Station and ends at a General Hospital

Chief Nurse:

Officer in the Army Nurse Corps who has a rank equivalent of a First Lieutenant, in charge of nurses in a ward, laboratory, or other department of a Hospital

Chief Of The Veterinary Service:

Officer in administrative & technical command of the Veterinary Service . He is immediately under The Surgeon General, Medical Department, Army Service Forces

Chief Surgeon:

Senior Medical Officer assigned to a General Headquarters, or to an Expeditionary Force, as a Staff Officer in charge of all medical units in the command

Chlorination:

Disinfecting with chlorine compound, sterilizing drinking water by treatment with calcium hypochlorite

Classes Of Supply:

All supplies delivered to troops in the field are divided into 5 classes i.e.

Class I: Items used at a uniform daily rate such as rations, water, forage, etc.
Class II: Items listed in the T/O & T/E such as vehicles, weapons, litters, etc.
Class III: Motor fuels and lubricants
Class IV: Miscellaneous items (not listed in T/E) such as lumber, barbed wire, etc.
Class V: Ammunition

Clearing:

The process of disposing of casualties of a Division or comparable unit . Treatment is incidental . Clearing is NOT to be confused with Hospitalization

Clearing Company:

Medical organization of one or more Clearing Stations . Main tasks; reception of casualties, sorting of casualties, appropriate treatment, temporary care and shelter, and return of the slightly injured to duty . The company receives and classifies battle casualties, gives them temporary aid, and prepares them to be sent back to their unit or farther to the rear . This organization consists of 1 Company Headquarters and 2 Clearing Platoons , abbreviation: CLR CO

Clearing Station:

Medical Station in the field, where sick and wounded are assembled from Collecting Stations, given temporary aid, classified and then sent to the rear for further care (formerly called Hospital Station) . This organization is the last element in a Division, and is responsible for “second echelon” medical service, abbreviation: CLR STA

Clearing Station Tag:

Identifying card attached to a casualty being treated at a Clearing Station, Section A – Admission tags were completed as well as Section B – Disposition tags (aka WD AGO Form 8-29)

Clinical Record:

Official form or chart on which a medical and surgical history for each patient in a Hospital is kept

Collecting:

The removal of casualties from Aid Stations, their preparation for further evacuation, and their delivery to a Clearing Station

Collecting Company:

Medical organization which collects casualties from the field (i.e. combat zone) and Aid Stations, gives them temporary aid, and transports them to the Clearing Stations where more intensive care can be given . The organization consists of 1 Company Headquarters, 1 Station Platoon, 1 Litter Bearer Platoon, 1 Ambulance Platoon, and 1 Liaison Section (not foreseen in T/O, usually improvised due to necessity), abbreviation: COLL CO

Collecting Point:

Place at which sick or wounded personnel, but also stragglers, prisoners of war, and damaged material are gathered for later disposition, abbreviation: COLL PT

Collecting Post:

Medical Station in the forward combat zone where battle casualties are prepared to be sent to Clearing Stations in the rear . They are MORE elaborate installations as compared to Collecting Stations

Collecting Station:

Medical Station in the forward combat zone where battle casualties are prepared to be sent to Clearing Stations in the rear, abbreviation: COLL STA

Company Aid Man:

Man in the Medical Department assigned to a combat Company (i.e. member of the Medical Detachment) to give first aid to the wounded, and to carry necessary information to the Battalion or Regimental Surgeon

Contact Agent:

Member of a Medical or Veterinary unit who acts as liaison between an Aid Station and the unit Commander, and as a guide between Aid Stations and the Collecting Station

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