Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-03
THE LATE ENCAMPMENT.
Good Work of the Medical Corps of the
National Guard.

STAR reporter, falling in with DR.. W. II.
Gardner, post surgeon at the Washington bar
racks, who was detailed by the surgeon general
to visit Camp Ordway and inspect the medical
department and instruct the medical officers in
their duties asked him how the medical corps
gotalong in their part of the program.
IT am glad Of an opportunity" replied the
doctor, TO say something about the work OF
the medical corps of the District national
guard, and l venture to say that no other en-
campment of militia elsewhere has
had or will have SO efficient a medi-
cal department as was at Fort Washington.
1t could not be expected, of course, that
physicians taken from civil life and trans
planted at once to a military camp would be
able to perform all the varied medico-
military duties of surgeon of the
regular army, such as the inspection of
water, the preparation and cooking
OF food, camp sanitation. disinfection, drain
age, hygiene of the soldiers, keeping of rec
ords, &C., but l was no less surprised than
pleased to see how quickly they appreciated
their new duties and how efficiently they FER
formed them.
Who composed the CORPSE" asked the re-
porter.
DIR. j. o. Staunton was surgeon general; DIR.
J. r. s. Cole, post surgeon; DR.. H. Z. Leech,
first regiment; Dr. George Henderson. second
regiment; DR.. Foster, second regiment; DIR. S.
A. McKim, third regiment; DIR. Pyles. fourth
battalion; DIR. Upshur, 7th battalion; Dr. Sun
bury, eighth battalion, and DIR. Olin Leech in
charge of the ambulance corps"
Did you remain over night or merely go
down during the day?'
Il stayed over several nights to note their
| practical work at morning sick call. The sick
| call was not fashionable, handbook sort of
affair, but sounded very early, and went
around with DIR. Staunton to the
commands nd OF
medical officers tent we found the
surgeon surrounded by men suffering one or
more Of the varied ills flesh is heir to. pouring
! their SORROWS into the sympathetic
ear Of the doctor. who attentveiy listened
to their complaints and took necessary
accompanied DIR. StauntOn upon his
tour of inspection through the camps and his
| intelligent observations and quick comprehen-
sion OF the situation showed that the expert
eDce he had accrued in the late war had by
no means been lost. After the inspection of the
| food and cooking we visited the am
bulance corps. under DR.. Olin Leech, and the
| dispensary, under charge of DIR. Cole, both of
| which departments were admirably conducted.
The drill Of the ambulance corps is the same as
that in use in the hospital corps of the regular
army, and think it is as near perfect as can
| be desired.
| ''This was daily routine work. Some idea of
| the work done by the medical corps can be OBJ
tanned when it is known that the sick list while
there numbered 1876 men and that more than
300 prescriptions were put up at the dispensary
| for the sick.
/ when all performed their duties 80 admir-
| ably 1T might look like invdious discrimination
to speak of any one specially, but it cannot be
amiss to attest the efficiency and good judg-
ment of the surgeon general, DIR. Staunton in
the organisation and management of the
national guard medical corps at the recent en-
| campment."