The morning times., 1896-11-15
DOC CORPS OF J.. S. ARMY
Trained st. BernardS Search
Over BattlefieldS.
"ASSISTANT SURGEONS"
At the Word "Seek" They Go
to the Field-At water"
Offer Brandy or Water.
"ASSISTANT SURGEONS"
(CopyriCht., 1861

Once more the dog has come to play an
Important part in history. Along witistne
bicycle corps and the travelling crematory
there will be the dog corps. 1t will be
attached TO the ambulance department Of
lie army, and will do part of the work
Tor the sick.
The dog corps is thing accomplished
In Germany 1t will soon be part OF our
own army. The English are preparing for
II, and secretaries OF war the world over
will make appropriations for the dog
corps at every ambulance service.
The part which the dog will play on
the field Of battle is so stupendous in i'm
pcrtance that the wonder Of it is that no
one has thought of it before. He,
traine'i. iuIrniul fellow, probably n St
trained, faithful fellow, probably a st.
battle is in prugressto find out the wounded.
On field of battle a wounded man is a
wounded man. but all soldiers know that
wounded officer is missed more than
private, and that his life is worth more in
war than that of a simple man OF the
ranks.
The dogs OF the ambulance service will be
wonderfully trained for their service. They
Will be able 10 distinguish the officers, to
tell the colors of the uniforms, to know
localities on the field and TO tell the dead
from the living.
In the German army. where the dogs are
employed, every officer has upon his
jacket tie scent of anisc. This is very
penetrating. a few anise seeds sewed
in the lining OF a coat will scent it to a
dogs delicate sense Of smell once and for
ever. though ii will not be noticed by any
body else. The very passing of a handful
Of anise seed over his Shoulderstraps will
scent his uniform 50 that a dog trained for
anise will know it always.
AN OFFICERS SCENT.
A trained dog on the field of battle viii
know when an officer falls Running
through the dead and dying, the faint and
the fallen. he will pick out the officer un-
errinely, and haStening back with his cap,
or his glove, OF some little article taken
from the injured officer, will summon the
ambulance surgeon 10 his aid.
There will be dogs trained for the anise
scent, who will do nothing else except
ferret out those of high rank who are down
and who must be saved at any cost
But the general training of the dogs is
for all the wounded. a dog school, not
less strict than a military academy for
boys, Is The place where these dogs get
their training and from which they grad
uatc with rank.
At the word Seek these dogs rush
out from the ambulance wagons into
the battlefield and are gone. In minute
they come flying back with a helmet
tlUtching the cont of the ambulance. sur
geon they hurry him away TO the wounded
man, and he, after seeking the man, de-
cides whether the litter snail be brought
orhow the man can be assi sisted dtothe CONS,
or If ii is too late.
There is one Point that never has 10
be taught the dogs. And that is the
question of life or death. By very in
st:nct dog knows when a man is dead
In the dogs military academy no dog has
ever been known to makea mista Ike between
nliving man and a corpse When an aver
age person could not tell at sight IL n man
were dead or living, a dog will know by the
unfailing instinct of sniff A touch OF
the wet muZZle to the mans face and the
discriminating dog will turn away from
a lifeless body and refuse to go near il
again. With this one point so much in his
favor by nature. the dog becomes rnuch
more easily mans ally in battle
Instead of the great vocabulary which
the family dog learns the battle dog is
taught only a few words. one of these
Is water Around his neck is tied
q canteen of bra ndy and one of water. As
be reaches the man upon the ground he
pauses over him and shifts critically at
his clothing.
A CRY FOR WATER.
If the fallen soldier is only stunned AMI
faint from loss of blood, he says, water
and the dog ben.ls low for the soldier upon
the ground to help himself He knows the
dogs training, and knows what to say to
his ,four-fuoted friend Having refresh ID
himself with swallow, he struggles to his
feet, and, half carried by the big deg
reaches the rear, where he is cared for II
Goo wounded to walk, he says, Carry