這裏的“COMMUNICATIONS”應該是指上校供職的部門,不是您說的把傷口中的感染物轉到消毒過的紗布塊上的過程。
“and he was kept busy day and night transmitting glutinous messages from the interior into square pads of gauze which he sealed meticulously and delivered to a covered white pail that stood on the night table beside his bed.”
這裏的glutinous messages俺個人認為應該是指“痰”,glutinous (黏的)上校把內裏(interior)吐出的痰吐到紗布塊上,小心包好,放到床頭櫃上有蓋的白桶內裏(垃圾筒)
正是因為有在通訊部供職的這種職業習慣,他才會這樣處理“痰”的動作.