(The content of this article is based on authoritative sources, and there are literature citation sources at the end of the article)
In the 80s of the last century, the Laoshan Theater on the Sino-Vietnamese border, the dangerous terrain and harsh environment caused the PLA soldiers stationed here to suffer from diseases, especially the unspeakable "rotten crotch disease".
Facing the soldiers who were ashamed to seek medical treatment, the female military doctors said gently but firmly: "How can you cure the disease if you don't look at it?" ＂
The old mountain is on fire
In the early 80s of the last century, war broke out again in the Laoshan area on the Sino-Vietnamese border.
After the Vietnamese army suffered a crushing defeat in the Sino-Vietnamese self-defense counterattack, it did not learn a lesson, but instead intensified its attack on the Chinese border in a vain attempt to invade and occupy Chinese territory.
Affected by the war, the border people in the Laoshan area are panicked and living in dire straits.
In order to defend the territorial integrity of the country and protect the people's well-being, the mainland sent heroic PLA soldiers to the front line of Laoshan. In this land filled with gunpowder, they are not afraid of hardships and dangers, fight bravely, and defend every inch of mountains and rivers to the death.
In the Laoshan area, there are large and small caves, which are called "cat's ear holes".
These caves are narrow and deep, and the entrance of the cave can only be passed through by one person, and it is a natural bunker fortification. The soldiers of the People's Liberation Army are stationed in these cat's ear holes, always vigilant against the movements of the Vietnamese army, ready to fight at any time.
The space inside the cat's ear hole is cramped and the environment is harsh. Humid, sultry, and gloomy are the norm here. The fighters spent their days in such an environment, sometimes even unable to take a step out of the cave for months on end.
In order to save space, they can only curl up and make it difficult to even turn over. Food shortages, malnutrition, water difficulties, nowhere to wash, the life of the soldiers can be described as extremely difficult.
In addition to the harsh living environment, the soldiers must always be on guard against the cunning and cruel Vietnamese army agents. These agents are adept at disguise and often elusive, posing a serious threat to the soldiers stationed at the cat's ear piercing.
They would stealthily approach the position, throw grenades at the entrance of the hole, and shoot at the entrance; Or take advantage of the darkness to steal the supplies that the soldiers have worked so hard to transport, and even use women and children as hostages to force the PLA to comply.
There are many diseases of cat ears
The PLA soldiers guarding the cat's ear hole on the Lao Son front line not only have to face the rain of bullets and bullets of the Vietnamese army, but also have to fight against another invisible enemy - disease.
In this hot, humid and rainy jungle area, all kinds of diseases are rampant, and it has become a great enemy of the health of the soldiers.
The Laoshan area has a typical tropical monsoon climate, with very hot and humid summers and cold and rainy winters.
The air in the cat's ear hole is not circulated, and the water accumulates all year round, which breeds a large number of molds and bacteria.
The fighters lived in this environment for a long time, their resistance decreased, and the incidence of diseases was extremely high.
Skin diseases are one of the common diseases that plague the soldiers. The humid and mugtry conditions, combined with the lack of cleanliness, caused many fighters to develop large rashes, blisters and ulcers on their skin.
Some fighters could hardly find a single piece of intact skin on their bodies, and even walked with difficulty. These skin diseases not only affected the combat effectiveness of the fighters, but also brought them unbearable suffering.
In addition to skin diseases, respiratory and digestive diseases are also common in cat ear piercings. The air was foul and malnourished, and many fighters developed symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness, and even pneumonia.
Poor diet, gastrointestinal disorders, diarrhea, and indigestion are also very common.
Disease is rampant, but medical access is limited. There is a shortage of medicines in cat ear piercings, and medical equipment is even more unimaginable. Even if you are lucky enough to get medicines, it is difficult for them to function due to the harsh environment.
The soldiers often insisted on fighting while sick, and the disease could not be cured for a long time, and the disease recurred, and the health deteriorated.
The harassment of Vietnamese agents is constant and the fighters must always be vigilant, and their spirits are in a state of high tension for a long time. This constant tension and stress has taken a serious toll on their physical and mental health.
There is another threat lurking in the cat's ear hole - poisonous insects, rats and snakes.
In this jungle area, snakes, insects, rats and ants are very common. They often come out at night, stealing food from the warriors and destroying medical equipment and weaponry.
Heroes of the Hood
At a critical moment in the struggle of the fighters on the Laoshan front against the disease, a special team came to them. This team is a medical detachment composed of female military doctors.
They were not afraid of hardships and dangers, and took the initiative to come to the cat's ear hole to visit and treat the soldiers.
The arrival of the female military doctors rejoiced the soldiers guarding the cat's ear hole. In this front-line position where bullets and diseases are raging, the figure of female comrades is so rare and so kind.
The warriors affectionately called them "goddesses".
Among these female military doctors, there are both experienced veterans and interns who have just left school.
The female military doctors came to the cat's ear piercing, and the environment was worse than they imagined. Snakes, insects, rats and ants can be seen everywhere, and the water in the hole is difficult to retreat, and the filth is unpleasant.
They traveled to every corner of the cat's ear piercing, and conducted a detailed medical examination for each fighter. Wherever a soldier is sick, they appear.
At the risk of being bitten by poisonous insects and snakes, they went to the forefront of the lives of the soldiers, discovering and controlling infectious diseases in time to prevent the spread of diseases.
Female military doctors use their own ways to bring care and warmth to the frontline soldiers. They are not only doctors, but also the intimate "big sisters" of the soldiers.
The sick warrior was in front of them, unguarded and opened his heart. But when it comes to some hidden diseases, the fighters are inevitably a little shy.
That's when the carefulness and patience of the female military doctors came into play. They tirelessly did the ideological work of the soldiers, and painstakingly taught everyone to pay attention to the disease and actively cooperate with the treatment.
Under their inspiration, the soldiers gradually let go of their ideological baggage, learned to face up to the disease, and took the initiative to come to the doctor.
The female military doctors have won the trust and love of the soldiers with their practical actions. The fighters affectionately called them "good sisters" and treated them as their own relatives.
In a letter to his family, one soldier wrote: "With a military doctor, we have a backbone. They are our good sisters, taking the pulse of our rounds, and there is hope that our illness will improve. ＂
Wang Xiaohua is the captain of this female military medical detachment, and she leads everyone to take the lead in the face of hardships and dangers. During a medical tour, Wang Xiaohua found that one of the fighters' skin was so ulcerated that he had difficulty moving.
Without saying a word, she picked up the soldier and rushed to the medical tent.
Along the way, pus oozing from the soldier's wound stained the placket of her clothes, but she didn't care, only thinking about getting the fighter to the medical tent as soon as possible.
Young female military doctors also excelled. Yu Feng, 23, and Li Kunlan, 21, are the youngest members of the team.
Every day, they have to work more than ten hours, reading films, dispensing medicines, giving injections, and changing dressings, and they are very busy.
The arrival of female military doctors has brought new hope to the epidemic prevention war on the front line of Laoshan.
Cure or dismissal
Female military doctors also pay great attention to health education for soldiers. They took every opportunity to educate the fighters on good hygiene habits and self-care awareness.
Under their guidance, the fighters learned how to prevent skin diseases, how to maintain personal hygiene in the wilderness, and how to eat properly to strengthen their resistance.
Under the careful treatment and care of the female military doctors, the health of the soldiers has improved significantly. One by one, the sick number returned to the combat post.
The fighters who returned to their positions threw themselves into the battle with even more enthusiasm.
In order to live up to the expectations of the "good sisters", they are more heroic and good at fighting, and repay the care of female military doctors with practical actions.
Under the care of female military doctors, touching stories have emerged on the front line of Laoshan.
The skin disease, which was considered incurable, was miraculously recovered after careful treatment, returned to the combat post, and made great achievements; The soldier, who was depressed by injuries and illness, was encouraged by the female military doctor to rekindle his enthusiasm for fighting and became the vanguard of the counterattack against the Vietnamese army......
Resources:
[1] Hou Jian, Yuan Huiyun. Hou Jian: In the cat's ear hole, I solemnly dictated my willingness to join the party[N]. Health News,2021-06-08(007). DOI:10.28415/n.cnki.njika.2021.002704.
[2]. How do you pass the time in a cat's ear hole? Boys and Girls,2019(03):22.