这里的“COMMUNICATIONS”应该是指上校供职的部门,不是您说的把伤口中的感染物转到消毒过的纱布块上的过程。
“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.”
这里的glutinous messages俺个人认为应该是指“痰”,glutinous (黏的)上校把内里(interior)吐出的痰吐到纱布块上,小心包好,放到床头柜上有盖的白桶内里(垃圾筒)
正是因为有在通讯部供职的这种职业习惯,他才会这样处理“痰”的动作.