Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-02
H EALTH IN THE NAVY
Some Facts From Surgeon General Tryon's
Interesting Annual Report.
References to the Warrington Navy
at Indian Head.

The annual report Of Surgeon General
Tryon, made public today, gives an interest
ing account of the naval medical establish
ment, the naval hospital fund and other
matters pertaining to the department of
medicine and surgery. During the past
fiscal year the expenditures on account of
the naval hospital fund were s1O1, ,1O7, leav-
Ing balance on hand of $339. .505. An in
crease of $4,000 is asked for in the appro-
priation for the medical department, in or
der to meet the increased number of ships
and the increased number of men in the
Eavy.
The medical officer in charge of the Naval
Hospital at Washington, d. c., reports that
the labor of keeping the hospital clean is
much greater than it would be were the un-
paved streets surrounding the reservation on
street south and 9th and 10th streets east
properly covered with asphalt, as on the
pennsylvania avenue front. He says:
Health Mt the Navy Yard.
In regard to the Washington navy yard
Surgeon General Tryon says:
The general sanitary condition of the
yard is good. There were 14S admissions to
the sick list. OF this number 116 returned
10 duty, twcnty-nine were transferred tc
hospital, one transferred to government
hospital for the insane one discharged from
tHe SeTN!ce ana one committed suicide.
There were ninety-three surgical cases oc-
curing among the navy yard workmen. OF
the enlisted force but one death occurred
which was suicidal. Among the navy yard
workmen one death occurred by scalding
by steam"
With respect to the naval proving grounds
at Indian Head, Md. the report says:
1.-The health of the officers and workmelI
attached to this station has been good.
Many workmen suffered with malarial fever.
but in no instance was the disease attend
ed with serious consequences. In Octobe.
last three cases of smallpox occurred at
Pisgah, six miles from the station"
The Museum of Hygiene.
The surgeon general says that work at
the United States naval museum of hy-
creme ir this city has steadily advanced
during the year.
The surgeon general reiterates the argu-
ment made in his last annual report as to
the necessity of providing improved ac-
commodations for the sick and wounded
on board vessels of war and to the as
signment, when practicable of sufficient
space on the gun deck for hospital pur-
poses.
During the last fiscal year there were
2G9 applicat tions made to the department
for Information concerning the appointment
of assistant surgeons in the navy. Out of
this number only thirty-three applied for
examination. OF these nineteen availed
themselves of the opportunity to appear
before the board: three We're rejected ply
sically and twelve rejected professionally.
laving only four out of the 269 original
applicants, representing every section of
the country, who were found qualified for
appointment as assistant surgeon.
The surgeon general speaks of the expert
mental introduction into the naval service
of anti-toXin for the treatment of dioh-
iberia, and says that prominent physicians
in this country who have used the remedy
in diphtheria and Group claim the most graft
flying and remarkable results, believing it
to be no longer a theory but an established
fact.
Legislation for Hospital Corps.
The necessity of an organized hospital
corps for the navy, instructed drilled and
equipped for all duties pertaining to such
work, is pointed out. The matter will be
brought to the attention of Congress with
view to securing the necessary legisla ton.
The general plan under considera ton pro-
poses a naval hospital corps consisting of
men enlisted for that special duty, and in
structed from the beginning at preparatory
schools for nurses to be established at all
naval hospitals.