Been down with a spring cold all day. so my memory was my first sick day the Army. Actually it may have been a febrile hallucination. It was during basic at fort dix. woke up (rather I was awoken) by the drill sergeants voice beckoning us to arise. I was feeling a little puny. In line for inspection before PT when the SGT came by me i started coughing up what seem to me was the right lower lobe of my lung. The SGT sent me to sick call. Waiting with about 100 other guys we were shuffled through the medics. One took our temperatures, another checked for neck rigidity ( meningitis was a big concern, those who complained about neck pain was sent for a spinal tap) the third listened to our chest. and the fourth looked at our throats and took a culture. At the end of the line was the GMO (general medical officer) or the guy who graduated medical school last week. He diagnosed me and just about everyone else with "impending pneumonia". The treatment was a PCN shot and a bottle of green liquid. With the instruction to "take a swig every time you start coughing. Oh and by the way get some rest."
The shot hurt, but the green liquid was soothing. I learned that the principle ingredient in the green liquid was 100 proof EtOH (grain alcohol). Their was also some codeine. Getting rest in an open barrack of 50 guys was impossible. Besides the drills interpreted resting as merely shuffling to the next activity rather than running.
Rise up, rise up soldier; march on, march on soldier
You must go to join your comrades in arm!
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