Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-15
F1ertZ's rNOderm Pharmacy,
NTH and F SITS.
OFFICES SEEKING MEN
Practical Illustration of This Widely
Doubted Practice.
Places in the Medical Branch of the
Navy That Nobody Seems
to Want.

Strange as It may appear. there are sew
eral good paying and otherwise desirable
government offices that have gone a-beg-
ging for nearly a year. These are in the
medical department of the navy. There is
no other department in the military, naval
or civil service of the government where
a similar state of affairs exists. Usually
the naval service is most attractive to per-
sons willing to serve their country for
consideration. The pay is good. the stand
ing par excellence, and the opportunities
for travel under pleasant auspices unsur-
passed. Although the medical corps is on
the same footing as the other staff corps,
for some reason or other. 1t seems to be
less attractive as a calling to those quail
fed for it than is the case with the 9TH
ec departments.
Thirteen Vacancies Need Filling.
There are now thirteen vacancies in the
list of assistant surgeons, the lowest grade
in the corps, and of this number, ten have
existed for nearly year. The lack OF can
didates for these places is surprising. con-
sidering the large number of medical grad
yates that are launched every year upon
a professional field popularity supposed to
be already ogerstocked. Until few years
ago there was no difficulty In maintaining
the full quota of officers for this branch OF
a dozen applicants for every vacancy. In
the last year or two. however, the applf-
cations have been few and far between,
and only about half the number were found
qualified. 1t is true the examinations are
stiff and thorough. but there is nothing
in them to deter the better class of grad
yates.
A board Of medical examiners Is almost
continually in session at the New York
navy yard for the examination Of candf-
dates for admission to the corps. but the
only candidate to appear during the past
month was a young man named Hubbard
from Binghamton, N. Y. He passed the
ordeal successfully, and will be commits
stoned in a short time.
Surgeon General Tryon's Views.
According to Surgeon General Tryon, the
present head Of the corps, the lack of ap-
plications is mainly due to the failure of
Congress to place medical officers of the
navy on the same rank and footing as
their medical brethren in the army, and he
gives as another cause the failure of the
Navy Department to revise the regulations
so as to provide that the doctors, regard
less of rank, shall be messed with the
older officers Of the ship.
Albeit, the young naval surgeon has
about as easy time Of 1t on shipboard as
a marine officer, or a paymaster, and gets
more pay than an ensign of the line He Is
Invariably messed with the Junior officers
of the ship, and sometimes is compelled to
swing in hammocks, like the jackies, to the
great sacrifice of his dignity. The profess
sional pride Of the surgeon is wounded by
this apparent discrimination against them,
and it is a constant source of irritation
and complaint Otherwise, however, the
places are very desirable in the important
matters Of duty, pay and rapidity Of pro-
motion.