Evening star., 1896-10-22
HEALTH OF THE NAVY
Facts From the Report Of Surgeon General
Tryon.
Ambulances or Hospital Ships AdvO-
cated-Injurics From Foot Ball
Local Institutions.


Navy today. In addition to an extensive
review of the questions affecting the health
of the navy, 1t contains several matters
of special interest to residents of this city.
No increase in annual appropriations has
beert asked for.
Estimates have been submitted for two
ambulances for use at the naval hospitals
at Portsmouth, N. H., and Mare Island,
CAL. where they are urgently needed.
The cemeteries of the several naval
hospitals have had very little done for
them since the war, and are in no way
creditable to government establishments"
says the surgeon general
Special appropriations will be required
for each one to place them in condition
that they can be cared for in the future by
the hospital force.
Attention is again called to the neces-
sity OF providing improved accommoda-
tions for the sick and wounded on board
vessels Of war, and to the assignment,
" hen practicable, of sufficient space on the
gun deck for hospital purposes"
The surgeon general says that the pas
sage OF the bill organizing the army hos
pital corps has already proved of great
benefit to the militia of the different states,
navy would also be advantageous to the
naval militia, now being rapidly organ
lied.
Ambulance or Hospital Ships.
A strong argument is made for ambu-
lance or hospital ships specially fitted up.
Considerable attention is now being paid
to the construction Of such vessels abroad,
and it is universally conceded that they
should be designed and blilt for this par
ticular duty, and considered an essential
part of the fleet Of war.
Ine health OF the navy is reported
good. The care and comfort of the sick
and wounded Of the navy nave been much
trr1n hut tI,a
cots for sick bays of all vessels, and the
establishment of an ambulance service at
the naval hospitals at Chelsea, New York,
Philadelphia and Norfolk.
Foot Ball at Annapolis.
In a short chapter about the Naval
Academy. the surgeon general says:
THE good health of the station has been
maintained throughout the past year.
There were nineteen admissions, involving
sixty-one sick days, for injuries received at
the game of foot ball, and ninety excuses
from drills from the same caCse. The in
juries consisted Of one luxation, two frac-
lures of bones, one inguinal hernia, two
cases of concussion of the brain, and a
number of minor sprains and contusions.
Attention Is called to the unsuitable
character of the academy buildings, many
OF them being badly ventilated, unsatisfac-
torily lighted and heated, and some of them
in condition almost beyond repair.
lS
defective and unsatisfactory, and proper
means should be adopted for carrying the
sewerage into deep water at some distance
from the academy grounds
Identification Of Recruits.
In regard to the identification of re-
cruits. tie surgeon general says:
I'm consideration of the effect upon the
discipline and general tone of the enlisted
force of the navy, the Importance OF pre-
venting deserters and dishonorably dis
chargd men from re-entering the service
has caused the question of the identifica
ton of such undesirable persons to be care
fully investigated.
THE anthropometric system of NJ. Ber-
tillon presents the advantages over other
methods of conformity to scientific require
ments and capability of indefinite expan-
sion.
THE system employed by the United
States army is modification Of the above,
In which personal marks or characteristics
take the place Of anatomical measurements,
and since its adoption in 1883 has been at
tended with excellent results, as shown
by the detection of large number of de-
serters and the progressive diminution in
the number of undesirable candidates pre-
senting themselves for enlistment.
Ihe bureau Is at present considering
some plan of combining, modifying and
selecting from these two systems a method
especially adapted to the requirements of
the naval service.
Vacancies In the Medical Corps.
The continued impossibility of filling va
cancies in the medical corps is reverted to
by Surgeon General Tryon in the following
words:
The record during the last fiscal year is
nearly repetition of the figures presented
in the last annual report. There were 341
applications made to the department for
appointment as assistant surgeons in the
navy. Out of the number only 80 applied
for permission to appear before the naval
medical examining boards.
OF the 36, q availed themselves of the
opportunity to appear before the boards
and Of this number there were rejected
physically and II rejected professionally,
leaving only out Of the 341 original appli-
cants, representing every section of the
country. who were found qualified for ap-
pointment as assistant surgeon.
This state of affairs has existed for years,
and viii undoubtedly continue until there
Is some favorable legislation for Junior
medical officers of the navy.
At this date there are 10 vacancies in the
grade OF assistant surgeon, and the bureau
Is embarrassed by not having a sufficient
number of medical officers to fill important
stations ashore and afioat.
Many ships and hospitals are kept with
out their legitimate quota of officers, and
unless this is In some way speedily RENE
died. by reason of increase of men in the
navy and number of new ships placed in
commission annually, serious consequences
must follow. On account of the great num-
Der OF vacancies existing and the probabil-
ity of the number increasing instead of
diminishing, 1t is strongly urged that the
recommendation contained in the bureaus
letter addressed to the department on the
subject, dated February 8, 1896, be approy-
ed, that "a special law be enacted authoriz-
ing the Secretary Of the Navy, during the
present exigency. to appoint acting assist
ant surgeons for temporary duty in the
navy until the number of vacancies in the
regular medical corps Of the navy are fill
ed When this is accomplished, their ser
vices can be dispensed with and no fur
ther appointments made, except in time of
war or until additional vacancies occur in
the assistant surgeons grade.
In regard to local institutions, Surgeon
General Tryon says:
Washington Navy Yard.
The sanitary condition of the yard dur
Ing the past year has not been satisfac-
tory. During the summer and autumn
months malarial fever of severe type
prevailed extensively. a large proportf IN
of the cases being of a remittent character
During the year there were 25O admissions
and 48 readmissions to the sick list Of
this number, PIG returned to duty and ~
were transferred to hospital
There was a loss of 1,O21 days from sick
ness, due principally to the larpe o,y,,tar