An ambulance is a vehicle designed to transport critically sick or injured persons for further medical treatment. Early ambulances were horse-drawn and used to remove wounded soldiers from the battlefield. Only in the mid-18th century did ambulances for civilians come into use. Until the 1960's, ambulances were minimally equipped and ambulance personnel were trained to handle only relatively simple injuries. All ambulances now are required to carry both a wheeled and folding litter, airways for ventilation, portable artificial ventilation devices, oxygen, suction equipment, a spineboard, bandages, dressings, splints, pillows, blankets, childbirth supplies, stethoscope, and intravenous kits.