The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-10
HON THE NAVY PREPARED.
SURGEON GENERALS BUREAU HAD
EVERYTHING IN READINESS.
Started work m soon as the Maine
Was BIcsyn Up. Getting Ready for
War, aud Consequently Was
Equipped to Meet Every Demand.

WASHINGTON. OFT. s-Pro5ahIy TO bet
ter Illustration caa 5e found Of ;A@ foce-
ssgnt sxaiolTed oy the navy n repairing for
the gar ttgaiu - AFFORDED ~ ne history o.
the rneG.cal corps during the sifGssis. THIS
= set C4t = the s-.s--~-- 4-Jt< - surgeon
General ". Is. q. 84s.s per. UbIC2 = the
first e the raTy bureau reports submitted
fCs publication. Surgaan General Van Rey-
pen begins with modest tribute 70 the
COED Judgment ana foresight u MS prgFte-
c1sssor- Gen. IIy0u, ah0, IN putting in
order and esz4ipp-ng the several udva. hos
pltals was - iacalCutaele service 10 Ire
bureau eGsa1i3sg IL 10 properly care for
tha Sex oT wounded Of the navy during me
war.
When the Maine was blown up Surgeon
General van Reype1 Vas a charge Cf
this bureau and began preparations uiigae-
dl8tely Tor any cont ng@a@y. TIE hospitals
were fully equipped; plans were - pared
for paF.Aon wards the naval laboratory
PREPARED 10 furnish medical ana surgical
supplies IL any ua1t!ty. No a3dsiioa1l ex-
ptnse was incurred until war seemed i'm
mlnent: taen every vessel likely 10 be en-
pies FOR var. In anticipation - a large
increase OF the navy pr0p-.r r'''7 " -
boxed for large number
OF SHIPS ready Ger call.
the war;" says the surgeon general. OF AIRY
vessel having rad "a wait f2r her medical
stores
II vas known that the medical corps was
VAS TO law authorizing the employing Of
volunteer medical Officers but Medical
boards were Sent ont n anticipation 20 the
principal cities 10 examine applicants for
appO ntuaent and as a consequence. when
the war broke cut. he mediCa} 81 pertinent
had al hand from which 10 make selections
81 volunteer surgeons j long list IF well
educated men and tairty-sev n II these
were appointed out Of 2.ppl applicants. Slr-
gecn General Van key2e1 says:
They nave rendered Efficient service and
10 }. p.
had unusual ard trying exparieuees. Ia:
they have accommodated themselves 10
their environments and have Justified their
appointments"
Only enc medical officer as Killed dur
ing the war. Assistant Surgeon Holm Flair
Gihos. who fell at Guantanamo. serving
wth the marine battalion.
The medical d~rdrt meat had long desired
10 esta biish a hospital service at sea on
specially selected vessel and the approach
OF war gave Z ar opp0r tuuity - demon
strate the wisdom ~ its propositions sni
the efficiency OF its ms: h0ds. The steamer
Creole Was purchased and with tie NaluI-
BE assistance az Naval Constructor Wood
ward was converted iatO IN ambulance ship
within sixteen DAYS, filling very appliance
Of modern surgery. dis nfecti1g apparatus
cod storage. laundry and elevator. She was
"a pioneer in her work. in3i' airing step n
advance that Il well became The United
states 10 take. The report gives 4 succinCt
report OF the services rendered by the
Creole Ia caring for the sick and wounded
Stores and supplies and also del cacies
ami comforts had been supplied IN a und-
ance for the sick and wounded ny generous
ami patriotic spHtN '- .e.t.S from
every part Of the United States. Says the
surgeon general:
In this war woman has done her perfect
work ard the medical department &c the
navy is profoundly grateful for the money
contributed and supple s furnished for the
aid Of the SEX and wounded II the navy.
Patriotic vsnen have ably supplemented
the efforts Of The government AMI their as
sistance has been Thoroughly Appreciated"
In tbs connection the report calls atten
ton 10 the fact that as soon as war WAS
declared the daughter Of Secretary Long
and three Of her associates al the Johns
Hopkins medical school volunteered tnel,
services as nurses and were assigned to
duty III the hospiJal.
In conclusion the surgeon general says:
"Icaunlt cI1se his portion II tie bureaus
report without bearing testimony - Tie
efficiency. ski and devotion TO duty Of the
personnel OF the medical department. Not j
word bat If praise has ihe bureau heard OF
any q tatm-rtguiare or volunteers.
when war WAS Imminent they WED with
one auofher if
inc ships Some have had greater oppor-
tunitifs than Others. hut all have 1ere veil
the work assigned them. Surgeon Edgar
saw his associate. Assistant Surgeon Cabs
shot av his side IN the Spanish attack AID
b. continued his work alone Doing II thor-
oughly ana wei! as il was known lie
''1rar medical officers on the SHIPS 4: he
hattie = Manila am in the battle Of tha
third OF July shared the dangers oe tNar
comrades asi shau'1 participate IL the
p,~tiss accorded them.
The medical officers Of the SoIace have
the honor of inausuratinE be first complete
system .. aatScept!c surgery aJ sea They
haV" Hdal5e3 tha ul ans to the euus have
impIoVistd apparatus have ues y Fertile In
expsdl.nf- ana have the eatisfact an If nav
ing dcmonstrate3 tht' with skin ard rteI-
Nge1cc tac percentage of mortality among
TIE patients M 2 Wei equipped ambulance
snip @iI he no greater than N the hospitals
On shore.
"Moafal Inspector Persons found h.rnzel.
suddenly confronted vv'th of Spanish 81 <
or Wounded DrSorerS .n 3 partly establish
81 hosu.-a} II was equal 20 the emergency
afei h. an1 his associates N-ra royNu,t-
wente5 Hr Admiral Ce-}esa whrn he visited
IL camp.
"Tar medical officers IF tse Other h7erl-
tails asve had sul jer large ac~-Ss.ere ot
patients They wrre always ready ana al
ways cared .9r Them Wi"