Medical services
The Hagana’s Medical Service (Shahar) depended upon the civil settlement’s medical institutions, Magen David Adom (emergency medical service), the hospitals and Kupat Haholim Haklalit (the general health care organization). The Palmach’s medical service began to evolve as a branch of the Hagana’s medical service, when Doctor Ya’akov Drier (Dror) was appointed as its physician in July 1942. Later on, Doctor Drier joined as a member of the Palmach’s staff.
The Hagana’s Medical Service (Shahar) depended upon the civil settlement’s medical institutions, Magen David Adom (emergency medical service), the hospitals and Kupat Haholim Haklalit (the general health care organization). The Palmach’s medical service began to evolve as a branch of the Hagana’s medical service, when Doctor Ya’akov Drier (Dror) was appointed as its physician in July 1942. Later, Doctor Drier joined as a member of the Palmach’s staff. Professionally, Doctor Drier was subordinated to Doctor Benjamin Ziv-Zion, the head of the Hagana’s Medical Service. Doctor Ziv- Zion was born in Germany and was the one who taught generations of medical assistants in the Hagana and the Palmach the pedant order and hygiene regulations alongside a civil approach and British- army- like operational patterns.
Only after Doctor Brier assumed his office did each of the six companies receive a qualified medical assistant. The Medical Services men in the Palmach were engaged in special medical activity which was suited to the army’s needs: examining recruits, hygiene and sanitation, the instruction of first aid, attaining medical equipment and making it suitable for use in battle, supplying medical aid for trainings and operations and so on. The recruits had access to every day medical support through the civil clinics of the General Health Care Organization which were located in the same settlements as the Palmach camps; some Palmach platoons opened small independent clinics. The medical equipment: stretchers, personal bandages, first aid kits, therapeutic kits (with ointments and liquids), were distributed according to a regular standard determined by the number of men in a company. The medical equipment warehouse was located in Kibbutz Alonim and in the course of the War of Independence was transferred to the camp in Sharona (today know as the Kirya in Tel Aviv).
The folding stretcher and the medical backpack, two of the basic medical combat items, were not properly supplied up until the War. As a stilted substitute for the stretcher, which is light and easy to fold, the men used to prepare stretchers out of sacks and sticks. Some of the Palmach’s equipment came from the British army’s extras which also lent the platoon’s and company’s medical assistant’s bags which were formerly sacks in which A.B.C masks would be stored, their efficient order.
The Palmach’s and armored crops’ trainings catalyzed the need for a written codex which would determine the limits of male and female physical efforts in order to prevent physical damage.
At first, the attitude towards the medical assistants was scornful, partly due to lack of military operations which would have demonstrated their vitality. Only gradually did the warriors and their commanders realize the important role the medical service played in the military system. The medical service’s efficiency proved itself at the beginning of the struggle against the British and even more so during the War of Independence. Then it began to win the esteem it deserved.
Many women functioned as medical assistants and this was one of the frameworks within which women participated in the War of Independence. In February 1948, the Palmach’s Medical Service was annexes to the Hagana’s Medical Service (which later became the I.D.F’s Medical Corps) under the command of Doctor Haim Shiber (Shiba).
Only after Doctor Brier assumed his office did each of the six companies receive a qualified medical assistant. The Medical Services men in the Palmach were engaged in special medical activity which was suited to the army’s needs: examining recruits, hygiene and sanitation, the instruction of first aid, attaining medical equipment and making it suitable for use in battle, supplying medical aid for trainings and operations and so on. The recruits had access to every day medical support through the civil clinics of the General Health Care Organization which were located in the same settlements as the Palmach camps; some Palmach platoons opened small independent clinics. The medical equipment: stretchers, personal bandages, first aid kits, therapeutic kits (with ointments and liquids), were distributed according to a regular standard determined by the number of men in a company. The medical equipment warehouse was located in Kibbutz Alonim and in the course of the War of Independence was transferred to the camp in Sharona (today know as the Kirya in Tel Aviv).
The folding stretcher and the medical backpack, two of the basic medical combat items, were not properly supplied up until the War. As a stilted substitute for the stretcher, which is light and easy to fold, the men used to prepare stretchers out of sacks and sticks. Some of the Palmach’s equipment came from the British army’s extras which also lent the platoon’s and company’s medical assistant’s bags which were formerly sacks in which A.B.C masks would be stored, their efficient order.
The Palmach’s and armored crops’ trainings catalyzed the need for a written codex which would determine the limits of male and female physical efforts in order to prevent physical damage.
At first, the attitude towards the medical assistants was scornful, partly due to lack of military operations which would have demonstrated their vitality. Only gradually did the warriors and their commanders realize the important role the medical service played in the military system. The medical service’s efficiency proved itself at the beginning of the struggle against the British and even more so during the War of Independence. Then it began to win the esteem it deserved.
Many women functioned as medical assistants and this was one of the frameworks within which women participated in the War of Independence. In February 1948, the Palmach’s Medical Service was annexes to the Hagana’s Medical Service (which later became the I.D.F’s Medical Corps) under the command of Doctor Haim Shiber (Shiba).