New-York tribune., 1879-03-24
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
THE MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE.

THE MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE.
sFrKISG A SUCCESSOR TO sURGEoN-GENERAL
woopwoRTn-ruE CORPS RECOMMEND DIR.
HAMILTON, OF The BOSTON MARINE HOS
PITAI-pRs. BELL, cox AND EX-GOVERNOR
NEWELL MENTIONED.
Upon the death of DR.. John NJ. Woodwork, Sur
Ceon- General of the Marine Hospital Service on
March II, the surgeons of that service conferred
together and decided to urge the President to
nominate for the position DR.. Hamilton sur
reon-n-chief Of the Marine Hospital at Boston.
DR.. F. Hebersmith, surgeon-in-chief of the Marine
Hospital Service at this port. and the senior sur
geon in the service, stated on Saturday that while
there were others named for the position who un-
donbtedly were capable men in their profession
there were reasons why the selection should ne
made from the corps SurgeOn-General Woodworth
had guarded well the interests of the service dur
ing his life, and in spite OF the repeated
attempts made with the past and present Admins
tratlons to break up the Civil Service system, the
Marine Hospital Service was the only depar tment
under the civil government which had strictly al
hered to the Civil Service rules for the past hVe
wears. In 1878 Secretary Boutwell, approved OF
The regulations introduced by General Noodworth.
which prescribed that surgeons and asSlstant~sur-
geons be appointed in the service by Tue
Secretary Of the Treasury, upon the recon-
mendatlOn of the SurgeOn-General and that as
requisite for such appointment the applicant mus.
have been graduate as doctor IN nedlclhe, anu
~
board of surgeons. surgeons are to be promoted ny
selection from the assistants" AtterwaId GeneraI
Woodworth framed bill by which be h0peu 10
have the above regulations secured by Congress
sional action, but 1T failed IN lts passage.
The principal clause IN this bill was 10
the effect that "Orginal appointments TO
Tho medical corps of the Marine Hospital
Service will he made only to the grade OF ASSISTANT
surgeon. with compensation not to exceed that pro
yded by law for aSsistantsurgeons OF the AflpY.
Vacancies occurring IN the gradcs OF surgeon @ geI
eral and surgeon will be filled by promotion from
the corps on the ground of merit and hness alone.
ceons of the corps feel that the system begun by Dr.
Woodworth and sustained by him should be car
ried out but they agree that they should recog-
nze tho suggestion made by him on his
diving led Hamilton ought to succeed me-
This showed the entire confidence tie placed IN Dr.
Hamilton. The officers of the corps regard Dr'
Hamilton as a man of marked executive ability
Although standing No. on the list OF surgeons,
his seniors waive all right TO the position by reason
OF seniority. After passing credtabe eXamiha'
tiOn he entered the Army and served on the 1rolter
He afterward resigned, and IN 1879 appeared be-
fore the Board of Examiners OF the Marine Hos
pital Service, an entire stranger TO all, ana IN
competitive examination obtained tne DesU
record III class of fifteen. lie was
ordered here as my assistant. and on my RECON-
mendation was placed III charge OF the Marine HOS,
pita at Boston two years ago, where he has earned
an excellent record III the administration CI that
hospital During his first year he reduced the cx-
penditures SG}, 900. DIR. +. III. BalIhache aud my
self as n committee, called upon the President ana
Secretary Sherman few days ago. ana expressed
the views and wishes of the other officers We reel
tnis to be a critical period in the existence Of the
service IL the next SurgeOn-GeneTal Is taken from
outside the corps to fill the vacancy, then
the system established by tho inceSsant abors OF
General WoodwOrth viii he destroyed pressure
is brought to bear on the President to appoint men
outside of the service, among whom are Drs A. y.
Bell c. c. Cox aud Newell, and Southern doctor.
II is thought that these men hope TO gain member
shin i'm the National Board of Health through this
position but it is the wish of the service that the
Surge0n-GeueIal shall not be member OF that
board, but that one of the subOrdnlteS should be
designated as in the Army or Navy"
Dr. 4. y. Bell was graduated from the Jefferson
Medical College in leuLsy wanna, IN 1Hi2, and Is
member OF the Kings County Medical society.
Editor Of The SdHit0iidB. and resides at Garden
City, L. |. Dr. {. &. Cox Is "a resident oi Washing
ton ID. c.. and a Commissioner of Health of the
District OF Columbia DR.. Newell Is an ex-GOv-
eInOr of NeN-Jcgsey.