The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-01-09
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the tabular statement herewith transmitted exhibits the
following its prominent statistical results
The number OF officers and enlisted men remaining on
the sick report the 30th OF June 1854 was bill kzi
sick and 300 eonyaleseent and the number 81 cases q
disease which occurred during the twelve succeeding
months 3o42s-makng an aggregate Of Sosss cases
that have been under medical treatment during the year
ending the 30th of june, 1853 !
OF the whole number of aek 29532 returned TO duty
"a were placed on ough l9l discharged service
Al deserted and 500 Hdied leaving 45T "siek, 44I
"con yaescenis still under medical treatment
The strength OF the army for the year ending on
the Soh OF June last WAS according to the returns IN tn
Office 1851 and the number Of cases OF sickness report
cd for the period 3042s the relative proportion
of disease to the number OF officers and enlisted
325 10 SO that average each individual
Was sick three and oneourth times during the year.
From the same data II also appears that the ratio OF
deaths 10 the number OF officers and men was TO 30 or
80 per cent and the proportion odeah TO the number OF
of disease treated during the Was TO l0o32 or
0.s6 per cent
In the branch of eteorology much has been done with
in the past year and take pleasure in reporting that The
subject appears be exciting stronger interest in the
minds Of medical officers and greater zeal has been
awakened for further researches with the hope OF new de-
yeopments.
stated in my last annual report that the observations
for eight from ls43 had been prepared
for the press In form to correspond with the previous VOL
umes issued by the department. and II was ~ hat Time my
publish them at once but the value OF the more
extended observations Of late years. covering great an
OF our country entirely unexpored IN this branch o.
science induced to defer the publication until the
suits of the last five could be similarly prepared and
added TO the volume
1t was at the same time determined change the form
and mode Of presenting the observations TO the public so
to be available for ready use and to include much
valuable data not heretofore appearing in print The value
OF the work has been much enhanced by the addition OF
thermal and rain charts and by consolidated temperature
and rain tables embracing all the records OF this Office in
these particulars All these changes in the plan Of publ
cation have caused delay in It's issue IRON the press
than compensated however by its greater value IL
is expected few weeks more the entire edition will be
ready for distribution and feel assured
with that confidence which its inherent merit justly
titles it, and that will reflect much credit upon the Off
Of the medical staff of the army who have BEEN
for thrx years patiently collecting the facts emf
braced therein
The hours Of observation and the form Of noting them
in the meteorological register have recently been changed
and instruments set of apparatus adopted with
view of Diminishing the labor Of the observer and compu-
ter and at the time giving practical character
the results The particular change referred to in the
time of observation has been in reyerng TO the former
hours established by the Departmental wit = M 2,
p m and 0, p m--instead OF the four observaonsat
sunrise = 40, M " @3 p MI and 70 p mt having
been found by the experience Of late years. that the
of the three periods adopted npproxmaes nearly
to the true daily than that which is obtained from
the sunrise and m observations under the recent sys-
TEN OF observation, embracing four periods day.
In April last board of surgeons Of the army con-
vened in the city of New York for the examination of as
sisant surgeons for promotion Five OF these we're exam
ined and they all came up to the standard Of merit
they were accordingly placed on the list for advancement
| to the higher grade Of full surgeon
Ofthe fifteen candidates for the appointment of assistant
approved by the board of examiners of 1853 eight
only have yet been commissioned leaving still await
ing appointment to the medical staff Of the army.
Guy a hs ns hs
sufficient TO meet the requirements OF the service II may
appear at rst glance that nnetyour medical officers
should suffice for army of nineteen regiments and
of the line with the necessary officers and men of The staff
departments, the whole force numbering 1861 mem but
upon examination into the matter il will be found that
tile corps with its present number does not and cannot
medical aid dspersed
throughout very widely-extended territory.
The number of physicians required does not depend
upon the numerical force of the army but upon the
ner In which ii is employed,hat is upon the divisions
and subdivisions has to undergo and the particular
vice in which it is engaged
one surgeon and assistant surgeons will suffice for
one regiment corps of ten companies thousand
these three officers may also that corps divided
into three bataions but they cannot possibly render the
necessary medical aid TO the ten companies OF the corps
each company occupying separate post the one twenty
miles distant from the other.
Our army is spread ali the country from the Allan
tic to the Pacific ocean, occupying eighy-nine military
posts and arsena each station requiring physician
and some Of them two.
To supply medical officers to the military posts gar
risoned by troops Of the line and furnish the necessary
complement Of physicians 10 with detachmen,s OF
constantly operating in the field would exhaust the
whole number Of our regular medical corps nine,your in
number they all Efficient and present for duty leav
ing us TO supply medical aid TO troops passing in trans
ports by land from section of country another
the officers and men stationed In the large cities staff
garrsoned but held 10 charge by lew engineers aud
ordnance men, and to the various recruiting rendezvous
best under contract by the month"; by the
and the visit Officers OF the medical department however
get sick well other people they also entitled
occasional relaxation from duty like other officers; and
again. they have claim the the officers OF the line
and other staff departments of the army the indulgence
of leave OF absence from duty visit their families and
friends and to attend TO important private business
th the aged and permanently disabled officers and the
sick together with those entitled TO leaves of absence
force OF ninety -four surgeons and assistant surgeons may
be considered AS reduced average eight per
cent, TO eigbtyhye effective for duty. At this
time however there but medical officer leave
absence and this has just returned from sx-years
tour OF service in the department OF the Pacific.
Within the last three years there has been paid
count OF the employment OF private physicians seventy
two thousand Eve hundred and twenty dollars S72520
three dollars (S2s73) per annum this last being
about the amount OF the annual pay Of twenyour assist
ant surgeons Of the army.
avail myself Of this occasion 10 call the attention Of
the Department of War TO two other which
highly essential TO the proper organization of the corps
and efficient administration of the affairs OF the medical
department OF the army and the adoption Of which have
repeatedly urged in former reports.
Tbc first Is the enlistment Of certain number OF quail
fed persons 10 specially hospital stewards The
duties devoving upon hospital stewards varied respop
sbe and often confidential between physician and pa
tent
In consequence OF tho relative dsproporon between the
numerical force OF the medical staff and the number OF mil
ary posts occupied by troops there very few stations
TO which than medical officer he assigned
that the assistant surgeons are almost without excep
ton performing the duties of surgeons and there
sary devolve upon the hospital stewards certain duties