Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-08

medical director. There are Is medi- |
ally they are superintendent of hospi
tais They are not expected to go to
sea. At 65 years of age they retire on
three-fourthS of their highest pay for
life
\ young man who wants to be AM
army doctor must write u the secre-
tary of war for permission to appear
Tor examination before the army med
lcal board. inclosing documents similar
TO those required for the navy. He
must be in sound health, of good char
acter. graduate in medicine and be-
tween 22 and rs years of AGE. The
board meets in April and October. at
dates of which notice is given in the
medical Journals The examination in
cludeS morals. habits. physical and
mental qualifications. and so MANY
branches of knowledge that to pass is
by no means easy. For example. it is
expected that the applicant shall be ac-
quainted with the rudiments of geol-
ogy and botany. and he must know
something about history.
That is the chief reason why so MANY
candidates for these position in the
army and navy fail. They are apt not
10 realize that more is expected of
them than knowledge Of medicine.
4 physician in the navy-the same re-
mark applies 10 the other branch of
the scarborough to be first-rate
all-round man. generally we'll informed.
In time of war there is no telling how
great a responsibility might fall upon
him.
Having passed the examination sue
, ceSSfully the young man receives his
commission as assistant surgeon, with
relative rank of LIST lieutenant. Then
I he goes to school for four months at
the army medical museum at Wash
, ington, where officers of high rank act
, as instructors. assisted by civilian
/ professors of bacteriology and other
! branches. At the end of that time,
during which he acquires a knowledge
4 OF the special duties required of him
in the service. he is assigned for a
while TO some military post as jun
Z
of duty alternate between frontier
posts and more desirable stations in
the east, and meanwhile he rises
steadily through the grades.
The pay Of assistant surgeon is
$1,000. At the end of five years he is
promoted to the rank Of captain and
gets $4,000 After 10 years he receives
$2,4OO and after u years $4,000. On
obtaining his majority his remunera-
ton is lifted to $3.50, and after %
years of service it is raised to $500
There are 12J assistants who have the
pay of LIST lieutenantS mounted during
the first five years and the pay of cap
tains thereafter until they are pro
NOTED to be majors. The surgeons
are majors and there are 80 of them.
After passing through the grade of
surgeon, the army doctor becomes q
deputy Surgeon-gencral. ranking as a
lieutenant-cOlOnel. Next he becomes
an assistant surgeon general, with the
rank of colonel. There are 10 deputies
and 6 assistants.
The army physician is provided with
Il mousse or some sort OF suitable quar-
: tiers for himself and family. If he is
not at a post liberal allowance in
money is given to him for rent He
gets forage and stabling for nothing.
rs we'll as free transporta ton for two
horses when he is ordered from one
place to another. Groceries and fuel
he can buy from the commissary and
quartermaster's departments at whole
sale cost prices. For every mile that
he travels while Oh duty he receives
four cents. in addition to his railway
and other fares. Navy doctors, by
the way. get eight cents mile and no
fares. The army physician has one
months vacation each year at full pay
If he is sick his pay Cos on. At "a
years of age he is retired on three
quarters pay for life.