The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-24 00:00:00

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY.

We have the satisfaction of informing the public that
the appeal addressed to the country through our columns
a few days since, on a subject of extreme interest, has
been responded to by the authorities concerned with all
the promptitude desirable. Mr. Guthrie, the dis-
tinguished surgeon, in contributing to the service of the
nation the fruits cf his great experience during the last
war, observed that, if the medical department of the
army were not better organized on the present than on
former occasions, our soldiers would suffer unnecessary
hardships from the want of good attendance. He
offered, at the same time, as the reader will remember,
to furnish his own suggestions for the improvements 1
required, but reserved his further communications until
the feeling of the country or the -Government could be
ascertained. It is now our agreeable duty to announce
that the promised continua,tion of la =correspondence
will not appear, and for the simple reason that it would
!be superfluous. The authorities acted. without: :delay
once more asserted, at the close of his speech, that
"the greatest possible care had been taken to make
every provision for the contingencies alluded to in
the debate. Nor 'was this solicitude either mistimed
upon the hints which were furnished, and-the conclusions
of Mr. Guthrie's experience will be turned to immediate
advantage by those directly charged with_ the control of
such affairs. Our soldiers will no longer be permitted
to want for any of those aids which the resources of
science can supply,
nor will the medical staff of the
Mediterranean expedition be in any respect less perfectly
organized than its other departments.
Though these particulars did not directly transpire in
the House of Commons on Wednesday, the discussion
which then took place sufficiently evinced the feeling
with which the subject was regarded. In answer to the
hopes expressed by Mr. Mines, that "proper medical
officers were appointed, and all scientific means em-
ployed to secure protection for our army," Lord Pal-
merston at once replied, that the point was one which,
"above all things, attracted the attention of her Ma-
jesty's Government?' ; that " every precaution had been
adopted to guard the troops from those injuries and
inconveniences which might arise frbni the casualties of
climate or war," and that tho3e "friends and relations
whom they let behind might he satisfied that nothing
would be omitted which it.was possible to do to provide
for their health and comfort while engaged on the.--expe-
dition on which they had been sent." It seemed, indeed,
as if his lordship could hardly repeat these assuranci;s,
emphatically enough for his own satisfaction, for he
or superfluous, for few Ministerial declarations could
at such a moment be more gratifying to the public.
The policy, as was well remarked in the discussion,
• is not only in a moral cease incumbent upon us, but is
L also directly conducive to the economical interests of the
• State. Despotic or barbarous Governments can impress
their subjects into their service, drive them to the geld

of battle, sacrifice their lives without scruple, and dis-
card their claims without consideration when the emer-
gency is past. They can do this without check from
popular resistance, but even they can do it only at the
cost of their own military power. The largest armies,
as our great Duke once said, are but multiples of the
individual soldier : and, if the soldier is ill-cared for and
enfeebled, the efficiency of the whole force suffers in pro-
portion. Even in the best of armies the force actually com-
petent at any moment to take the field exhibits a consider-
able reduction from its nominal strength ' • and, when
the commissariat or hospital service is defective or
worthless, the effects upon the ranks are terrible. It has
been stated that the Russian force in the Princi-

palities alone has lost, by casualties of this de-
scription, a greater number of men than we are now
sending forth to the East, and it is certain than 30 or
40 per cent. at the least may always be deducted from
the nominal force of the Czar's battalions. We, on the
other hand, by our sedulous attention to the wants and
casualties of troops in the field, can always bring into
action a large percentage of fighting men ; so that, as
Lord Palmerston truly observed, the general efficiency
of a British contingent bears far more than the ordinary
proportion to the numbers of the troops employed, As
this assertion, too, must necessarily have referred to past
experience, we may judge of the improvement to be still
anticipated now that Mr. Guthrie's suggestions have
been allowed their due weight.
It must, we think, be extremely satisfactory to our
correspondent to reflect upon the reception which his
representations have this time experienced. More than
once, as he informed the public, have his recommenda-
tions, though backed by all the weight of his professional
renown, and all tke acquiescence of distinguished sol-
diers, been swamped and nullified by the official opposi-
tion of small subordinates. On this occasion, however, he
is scarcely permitted to finish his appeal before his ad-
vice is followed, and, as far as the suggestions of so tried
a practitioner can insure efficiency, the medical depart-
ment of our army will be put upon an unexceptionable
footing. Many things have advanced since the days of
the Peninsular war, but the human frame and its require.
ments remain the same, and what Mr. Guthrie discerned
to be wanting in times past will, we may safely assure
ourselves, prove desirable still.
It would not be just to quit this subject without a
word of acknowledgment to the Minister who so
promptly acted on useful information when proceeding
from quarters entitled to respect. There have been
statesmen—and the class is by no means extinct—who
would consider it below the• presumed omniscience of
office to accept a hint from any uncovenanted adviser.
The present Secretary of War, however, with true liber-
ality and wisdom, addressed himself unhesitatingly to
the representations of a memorialist who, though for-
saking the convenience of a private interview for the
more decisive
‘ expedient of a public appeal, could plead
a good motive for interference, and incontestible claims
to be heard. The result of this exemplary policy is that
all parties are pleased. Government has not only done
its duty by economy, but has dune it so cheerfully and
expeditiously as to enhance the merit of the act ; the
troops now embarking for the scene of war will receive
that attention to their wants which their services have
earned, and the country at large is agreed upon a point
which could not be lett in doubt without general and
reasonable discontent. —Times.