use of the well known extrusion spinning technology the surfaces of fibers produced in this manner are completely free of pores and smooth whereby the embedding of wound secretion and thereby wound adherence of the compress is prevented even more effectively the prescribed circular cross section and the diameter of the fibers as well as their mutual relation can be controlled very exactly and the production of such cover layers poses no problems it is a further advantage that cover layers of this type contain no foreign materials which would have a detrimental effect on the healing process the cover layer and the absoprtion layer can be made in independent operations and can subsequently be joined together because of the extremely low area weight the cover layer has very little dimensional and shape stability therefore special measures have to be taken when making separate cover and absorption layers in order to ensure uniform lamination of the two layers such special measures include hot needle penetration lamination pressure heat lamination needle punching and other similar techniques according to the present invention a preferred method of producing the two layers is one wherein the absorption layer is smoothed and the polyurethane fibers are spun directly thereon the conditions of the process being adjusted so that the fibers bond to each other and to the absorption layer during the deposition and retain their identity the absorption layer can consist of the customary cellulose fibers and it may have a layer thickness of for example 3 to 5 mm it is smoothed in a heated calendar which consists of a steel and a cotton cylinder which are.