The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-03

surgeon of the present day. Have yen ever
heard of Surgeon Thomson, who, during
the Crimean war, when the army marched
OH after the battle of the Alma, Volun-
teered, with the servant John McGrath, 10
remain behind on the open teld with hve
hundred terribly wounded Russians, and
passed three awful days and nghts-these
TWO Engiishmen alone among foreign Toes,
some dead, some dying, ana none able TO
raise a hand to help themselves? have
you ever hard of Assistant Surgeon Wolse-
ley, of the Twentieth Regiment, who, at
the battle of Inkorman' had quietly estab-
llshed MS held hospital in that awful place.
the 3andbag Battery? When the $50 men,
who were all that remained of its defend
ers, were forced TO desert it, about one hun
dred of them fell back in one direction, and
in that they found at thirty PAGES from
them, Russian battalion blocking their
path. There was not a combatant officer
left the assistant surgeon took COM
mand. He had not even a sword with him,
but, laying hold OF a firelock with liked
bayonet on 1t, he spoke few words 70 the
men, saying the fight was not for victory,
but life. Tnen he gave the word of COM
mand; Fix bayonets. charge and keep up
the hill The soldiers answered MIN with
a burst of hurrans, sprang forward to the
charge. and the next instant We're tearing
through the thickest of the Russians. One
half OF these reached the other side alive.
There died the other day certain Sur
geon General Reade. G; B., " c. During
the siege of Delhi, while attending TO the
wounded at the end of one of the streets
of the city party of rebels advanced from
the direction of the bark, and, having esu
tablished themselves in the houses in the
street. commenced firing from the roofs.
The wounded were thus IN very great dam
ger and would have fallen into the hands
of the enemy had not Surgeon Reade drawn
his sword and calling upon a few soldiers
who We're near to follow, succeeded under
a very heavy fire in dislodging the rebels
from their position. Surgeon Reades party
consisted OF about ten in all, of whom two
were killed and five or six wounded. Sur
geon Reade was a Canadian, and the SON
of colonel in the Canadian militia. OF the
lis wearers of the Victoria Cross fourteen
.-l~~ > Of fhes
whole number. They stand in the proportion
of 9l5 per cent. of all the officers OF the
army, so at all events, they have con-
tributed not less than their fair snare or
the deeds of valor which alone can win
that glorious distinction.
II have diverged from the beaten track
common to the giVers of addresses such dis
this to tell you what splendid men have
been the military and naval surgeons OF
DID, who not merely did their duty nobly
and courageousy as such. but Who have
in their day enormously contributed to the
advance of the art of surgery nave done
it with a purpose. with the nope OF attract
ing more strongly than ever the sympathy
and help of this great association to their
military brethren in critical juncture Of
their history. To-day her Majesty's gov
eminent cannot induce candidates to come
forward for the medical service Of the
Queens army. And why? Because 1t has
persistenty treated the army medical de-
partment meanly and shabbily. To-day the
government of India can secure the services
of the pick of our newly-itedged doctors
for its army. And why? Because 1t has
always treated the Indian medical service
literally and generously. am not going
to enter into the reasons for this desire
merely to emphasize one point-namely.
that money is not at the bottom of this
difficulty
Prof Charles Richet, of Paris. delivered
in French at Laval University mastery
address on "Pasteurism. Bacteriology and
Serum Therapeutics" or. in other words,
protective vaccinations against disease. 1t
was, he said. his desire to bring about a
complete reconciliation between medicine
and science