I didn't mean it as blame as such. But we do see that Denethor in his latter years was not quite up to his usual exacting standard. But, now that I further think on it, it sounds wrong to see this happening as early as the events in Blackbow (and earlier still). I do think Denethor was nearly fully "capable" until, say, the time of the finding of the shards of the horn, and then Gandalf's & Pippin's arrival. These discussions with Gandalf can't have been easy - I don't think Denethor was accustomed anymore to dissenting voices and maybe even reproaches from others, added to grief and all other sorts of issues...

Not sure exactly how many Rangers there are total in Ithilien-I think the number is about 200, or at least 200 in Faramir's main company. That's not a lot of men, really, and Denethor may think that they don't just don't rate a healer.

Okay. To me it seems a disproportionate ration healer-potential patient in such a trouble spot, but I don't know any RL-examples to compare. And if you have only so-and-so many healers, you have to distribute them carefully, and keep them as safe as may be.

I'll go with the thought that there are, just as in the Swan Knights, many men with basic first-aid skills (and rangers have to be flexible and resourceful, anyway, non-regulation as they are). Which, I guess, would take care of most the common injuries, and really serious wounds would perhaps often be beyond a "professional" healer, too, anyway.

re: getting Faramir out of his shirt: In Altariel's "Proof" we see a young Faramir, newly arrived to command the rangers, all laced- and buttoned-up on a terribly hot day, sign for his reserve. Perhaps, by now, he has relaxed a bit more and has adopted a more casual attitude?

And IIRC, in one of your stories you have Heth remembering seing Faramir unclothed some time while standing watch while he was bathing. Blackbow isn't told from Heth's PoV, so you can Faramir bathing as often as you like ;), without his having to take the proprieties into consideration (because she isn't on some kind of watch-roster).