Soldier in White

The soldier in white is a fictional character in the novel Catch-22.

Located in the hospital, he is totally wrapped in bandages, and two bottles are connected to him. One provides fluids to his mouth, another collects his urine. When the first bottle is empty and the second bottle is full, they are switched, to repeat the process again. His temperature is taken daily, and ultimately, his death is noted by that information alone.

This obvious case of poor medical practice is barely acknowledged by the novel, to highlight the absurdity of the military bureaucracy.

Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

The character of the soldier in white is an enigmatic one, symbolic of many people throughout the novel. Yossarian considers that he has been murdered, at first by Nurse Cramer or by the Texan. The novel's characters also develop the supposition that he is a negro, and is wrapped in bandages to hide his presence in a segregated hospital. The supposition is also raised that there is no body within the bandages, a literally hollow man to counterpoint the emptyness of the other characters.