The Indianapolis journal., 1898-09-02
WAS STUPID
SAYS COL. SEM, U. s. v, CHIEF or
GRATING SURGEON.
Regular Army and Volunteer Sur
gcOns Compared from Data
Gathered in Cuba.

Colonel Sem says:
Nearly five months of continuous serv-
ICE with the army in the camp and field
mas AFFORDED me an excellent opportunity TO
make practical study OF this subject. This
9ne e was spent III Camp Tanner Spring
field, ILL.,, Camp George H Thomas t,hicS-
amauga, Ga, and in the Cuban campaign.
the time being about equally divided in the
dlHerent places. The first four weeks were
occupied In Camp Tanner, where | assisted
IA IN the capacity of surgeon general OF the
state IN the organization of the State
troops. ThlS service brought me into closer
contact With the National Guard of our
state than at any time before. A physical
ana professional examination in which |
look part brought out the shady as well as
the sunny side of their qualifications
The result of my experience here con-
vinced me that the average National Guard
surgeon is a faithful doctor with more
tnan average professional ability but, with
few exceptions. lacking the necessary mill
tary training IN performing satisfactorily
ms administrative duties. This is a part
or his education that has been sadly neg
lected in the past and should receive more
attention in The. future. Very few States
the medical officers, consequently some of
them have entered the service totally dis
qualified for participating in active CAM
paign.
The four weeks service at Camp Geor &c
II. Thomas as chief surgeon of the Sixth
Army Corps opened up a wide field for
extended observation in making comparisons
between the work done by the surgeons of
the regular army and of the National GuarI
are all men of superior education splendid
physical development, and those who have
oeen IN the service for several years are
Wen VerSed In the routine work of the medi-
cal department. However iE all matters
pertaining to medicine and surgery The av-
erage National Guard surgeon more than
holds his own.
NATIONAL GUARD SURGEONS.
"Ths superiority of the National Guard
surgeon over his colleague of the regular
army rs no reflection on the latter; it is the
natural outcome of circumstances, which
make such a difference inevitable The
young army surgeon has to spend many
years at small and often out-of-the-way
posts. where the opportunities for clinical
experience and intercourse with professional
colleagues are necessarily limited. He
naturally soon falls into the monotonous
ana routine work of the post life. with little
or no 1nducement to continue his post
graduate, scientific and medical studies
When the time comes to pass examina-
ton he wakes up from his lethargy suffi-
ciently to go through the different compends
70 prepare himself for the coming ordeal
He breathes easy after he has reached the
majors rank, as this promotion forever
closes the door of the much dreaded green
room. From now on he is in the line of
slow promotion, without any extra exertions
on his part. He receives his salary and
looks confidently for assignments to posts
where he can spend the rest of his life in
ease and luxury. He has reached a time
in life when he feels that he can avail him
self OF the work of his subordinates without
interfering with his emouments or his posi-
ton in social and military life. He is con-
scious of the fact that he has reached a
rank and station in life where it is proper
for him to look to his assistants to do the
drudgery which he had become accustomed
to in the past and begin to enjoy the life
before him.
1T is different with the military surgeon
taken from civil i:fe. He energies from the
turmoils OF family practice. From the day
nn hoe, fr1
fruit of active competition. The average
American practitioner is a hustler. He is
willing to work night and day to gain lu-
Crative practice and the social position
which goes with it. With few exceptions he
knows that what he has learned in college
is but the entering wedge to a comprehen-
sive knowledge of the practice of medicine
and surgery. He mingles freely with the
members Of his profession, always ready to
frequent pilgrimages to his alma mater or
Scme post graduate school to famliarize
himself with the most recent advances in
material cur National Guard surgeon is
made of. No wonder he outweighs the pro-
fessional military surgeon in practical
knowledge required in the treatment of in
5uries and disease.
ARMY LIFE IS NO PICNIC.
'"The exac+ing and often onerous duties
of the military surgeon in times of war re-
quire special qualifications to prepare and
fit him for his work. He is not only ex-
pected to be we'll versed in theoretical and
practical knowledge of everything pertain
ing to the practice of medicine and sur
gerry, but he must be endowed with Quali-
ties both of mind and body upon which he
can rely when engaged under the most try
ing circumstances. The man who enters
the medical department of the army under
the impression that he is only expected to
treat wounds, set broken bones and pre-
scribe for the ordinary camp ailments
makes a serious mistake, and will be surely
a disappointment both to himself and to
those he is expected to serve.
The physical condition of the military
surgeon must be as nearly perfect as pos
sible physical examination as thorough
and as painstaking as in the case of a pri-
vate can only decide upon the necessary
physical qualifications of candidates for
commission in the medical service For
good reasons this rule is followed in the
selection of medical officers for the regu-
lar army, and there is no reason why the
the National Guard. During my service at
Chickamauga and in the Cuban campaign
l saw more Than one volunteer surgeon VINO
ought TO have been excluded from the seFv-
ice for physical disability.
During campaign the loss of a single
medical oincer may prove a great disaster
OF all commissioned officers the surgeon
is the most indispensable. The vacant place
of line officer can be filled at moments
notice without any serious loss to the serv-
Ice; not so with the surgeon. His position
is one requiring special training and one
that cannot be filled without Gripping the
medical service at some other point. For
this, if for no other reason the medical Of
tlcer must be in sound health and able to
cope successfully with the hardships of a
campaign.
In battle and during the prevalence of an
endemic or epidemic disease, the medical
officer is the one above ali others whose
strength and endurance are taxed to their
utmost extent. his services are required by
day and by night. He has no rest ana un-
less in possession of an iron constitution his
strength fallS him and he becomes If not
physical wreck, who, if he persists in con-
tinulng his work, will often do more harm
than good A number of such instances
came 10 my personal notice during the Gu
ban campaign.
"A proper and adequate preliminary edu-
cation Is eXacted of every surgeon in the
regular army; without it he is not permitted
TO pass the medical examination Statistics
snow That large percentage of the candi-
dates re dropped at this stage of the ex-
animation. This is a reelection on the sys-
tenn OF medical education which continues
TO prevail IN our country. About the only
evidence of proficiency the National Guard
surgeon in most of our States is required
to show is his diploma. 1t makes but little
difference when the diploma was obtained
Evidences OF satisfactory preliminary
education are not required. In consequence
of such an easy entrance into the medical
service of our state troops many of the men
who receive commissions are llliterate BY
good physicians, but they seldom, if ever
make up for the early defects of their edu-
cation, which seriously interferes with a
successful military career. Is it to be won
dered at that when such shortcomings are
discovered by their colleagues and officers
of the line they do not command the respect
their commissions should entitle them to?
The elevation of the standard of medical