Based on Dr. Crile\u2019s experience at the American Ambulance, he formulated the \u201cHospital Unit Plan of Organization of the Medical Reserve Corps of the U.S. Army\u201d\u00a0to\u00a0serve as the model for US base hospitals.\u00a0 In March of 1916, Lakeside Hospital signed an agreement with the Red Cross to assemble and maintain medical personnel sufficient to staff a 500 bed Army base hospital.\u00a0 The Cleveland Chapter of the Red Cross issued an appeal for funds and began recruitment\u00a0to staff the base hospital. \u00a0During the summer of\u00a01916, \u00a0the \u00a0surgeons received\u00a0commissions in the Army medical corps and nurses were enrolled in the Red Cross.\u00a0 By July, a muster roll was sent to Colonel Kean and Surgeon General Gorgas. \u00a0 Crile had hoped that the Lakeside Unit might be designated as No. 1, but a\u00a0delay raising funds earned the Unit the designation of US Army base hospital No. 4.<\/p>\n
The only way to determine the practicality of Crile\u2019s plan was to stage a\u00a0trial\u00a0mobilization. \u00a0The National Committee on Red Cross Medical Service asked the American Red Cross to mobilize one of the units at the time of the 17th Congress of the American College of Surgeons in Philadelphia. \u00a0 Dr. George Brewer was asked to mobilize his Presbyterian Hospital Unit, but the hospital could not spare the personnel at that time. \u00a0 Kean wired Crile, asking if the Lakeside Unit would be available. \u00a0Crile assured Kean that the Unit could be ready and less than three weeks later 16 medical officers, 25 nurses and 25 administrative personnel arrived in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
The mobilization took place in Fairmount Park on October 27-29, 1916. \u00a0A detachment of the US Medical Department \u00a0erected tents, while the Red Cross brought in surgical equipment \u00a0from the Bush Terminal in Brooklyn. \u00a0Treatment of mock wounded and ill soldiers began immediately\u00a0and full records were kept.\u00a0 This trial and error mobilization uncovered \u00a0defects and \u00a0unexpected needs, especially in regards to operating room equipment.\u00a0 Experienced medical personnel, surgeons and the Red Cross critiqued and inspected the trial\u00a0mobilization and recommendations were made to improve the efficiency of the base hospital.<\/p>\n
This led to the establishment of the Committee on Standardization of Medical and Surgical Supplies and Equipment, designed to consult with the Surgeon General on the requirements of base hospitals in wartime. \u00a0 Members of the committee, including Drs. Harvey Cushing, John Finney, Will Mayo, George Brewer and George Crile, examined surgical instruments available at the Surgeon General\u2019s office and found outdated,\u00a0obsolete instruments.\u00a0 The committee recommended that stocks of state of the art medical supplies and instruments be assembled, sufficient for at least six months, and that it be done immediately.\u00a0 These suggestions greatly accelerated \u00a0medical preparedness. \u00a0When the US entered WWI, \u00a0base hospitals were prepared and sufficiently equipped\u00a0 to be shipped overseas to France.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t