New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-02
THE MILITARY SURGEON.
HIS QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES AS
DESCRIBED BY LIEUTENANT
COLONEL Semi.


chief Of tho operating staff with the Army IN the
field entitled The Qualifications and Duties OF t"e
Military Surgeons" Lieutenant-Coione sem say
Nearly five months of ntnuous service WIN s sY
eeent OPPORTUNITY s to make pTaetieal study OF
the above subject, TINS te was spep{ Thom np
TSn9sT spTnssa ana dhae CUBAN
ms being r eo oar wesRs OccSp
camp Tanner where assisted IN the eagaf OF
sur s9n raops Of fRf see
closer contact with the National Guara oc OF and
sss hn at anY '%s !" Witch
brought out the shady as wei as ',1e oXnsrienca
S err the c66ynned mo- that the average national
Guard surgeon Is faithful dGG,9r with W" few excep
ss ~. nnTE n
pes hs is par hs Pas been
sadly neglected In the , pasr aPG Few States make
Provision for physical examination Of ne nsntnrad
e. service saV q as
active camGsg4, -om TT2 Of Na nf Of Iii
nols were rejected on this ground
oNEROIIs AND EXACTING DUTIES.
The exsctne and often onerous duties Of the mill
,orv surgeon In times of war require specia quan-
hcations 10 prepare and fit him for the WORK ne
f. not only expected to be we'll versed IN theortuLa
"a ' m" practice Of medicine and surgery but ne
must be endowed with qualities both OF niind a,r
bodv unon which he rely when engaged unu''
the most trying circumstances ,,o.,r.-,ont Of
The man who enters the MedlcaI ntPh M ~ opIv
expected 10 treat wounds. set broken cones anu
pIrrons mistake and viii be surely disappont-
ment both TO himself and to those ne Is expected 10
The phy steal condition Of the military surgeon
must be as nearly perfect as possible a phy so t.,
re Ease Of a private only decide upon the
necessary physical qualifications OF ranhiua, S ool
sons this rule Is followed In tho selection Of ned-
cal officers for the Regular army ana thafe Is io
ground WHY the same requirement shouid not ne
exsctcd in the National Guard ,a :, tho
During my service at Chickamausa a an volintenr
surgeon who ought TO have been excluded from the
service for physical disability DTr' nfcHr Gri ay
prove a great disaster.
HIS VALUE TO THE REGIMENT.
or al commissioned officers the surgeon is tAe
most Indispensable. The vacant place OF Hhe
officer be filed at moments notice without
any serious loss to the ser'ce; not so WIN the SIR
ing and one that cannot be nj ed without crippnhe
the medical service at some otter POM f0r s me n
in sound health and able TO cope successfully WIN
the hardshps of campaign In battle, ana ana. @ Hs
ease the medical officer ls the one above az otn'is
whoo IIs ~. erys are required by DAY
and by night He has no rest ana un reS,h IN sGe
him '' an ! he becomes II not A. sublec,, for the
hospital leas: physica! wreck; Who II ne per,
is srs IN h S0" eood "A number OF such instances
ca me to my personal notice during the cuban cam
pagr.
EDUCATION OFTEN INADEQUATE.
4 prope- and adequate preliminary education is
cvactod Of every surgeon in the Regular Army.
without Il he Is not permitted TO pass the medca'
examination. Statistics show that large percent
age OF the candidates are dropped AZ ms stage
OF the examination. This Is teiectQn on me ;. -
tom Of medical education which continues 10 pre-,
Vail in our country. About the only evidence OF
proficiency the National Guard surgeon ~ n.os' =.
our States IL required to show Is his diploma II
makes but little difference when the diploma was
obtained Evidences ~ satisfactory preliminary
education arr not required. In consequence OF such
easy entrance into ne ,men'ea serv.cG Oh o %n
nlsson. are illiterate BY hard postgraduate work
drS % make up for The carly defects II their
eimcation which seriously interfere with sue
,Sst whom such shortcomns, are discovered b
their collea CUES and officers Of the line, they do
mot ihe to" The ecvaton Il the standard Of
medical education by most o. the medical schools
this biemish. but it will take many years before all
q ne ssp be s ss en 10 %sn RFG2t
he medical department. OF the different States.
MILITARY SPIRIT NECESSARY
ANY one who enters the medca! service OF the
Army as He vocation Will be disappointed unless
he does so imbued with proper military spirit,
The military surgeon mus, 90 a mitary~hian. and
an integral part OF the Army. II he wants do
Justice 10 MS calling and TO the Department he
iary spirit In some Of the medical officers In
Tn:,lar Army that is responsible FOR "A well-rec-
m" line and held. II this is true in the Regular
Army it is only too obsl in the National Guard.
in military and social circles suffer when they
REGARDED and treated as ordinary, doe'orS The
iary man. md II this is not accorded 70 him yolun-
y he must TesSrt 10 SaS Sse mat WI r en-
Of the medical STAFF Is due largely 70 lack OF the
pae ana I, too great famiari.y between the
surgeons and the officers ara men .,,..
ready and on lme The medical oincers must be
made TO understand that due regard for punctu-
aniH,p an and IN mapping out and forwardng
reports "a one of the most essential features OF
To fhe credit OF the medical officers OF this and
other wars. It must he said they showed no fear.
worse. dseasr When yellow fever made It's APP
pearsnce among the troops around Santiago. every
Without r nnGhns Men from the Norm. ,who, had
never seen the disease. accepted the detail for
duty I'm the fever hospitals without word OF
complaint.
PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE.
The nr., md most important duty Of the MILL
,ary surgeon is TO prevent d1ease. This can often
be done effectively by example than by pre-
cept He must become n prominent object lessen
in intoxicating the Importance OF cleanliness in per
son and in dress. Ills tent should be clean and
the, most orderly in camp TEMPERANCE IN :atins
action than by Words military surgeon Ghder
couragng the vice Of ntempe:anre than can he
undone by weeks Of lecturng. Protan;y is preva-
lent In every camp. and. while II is not the duty
OF the surgeon to suppant the chaplain in sup
pressing 1t; II should receive no encouragement by
his example.
overwoft and aisordsrSd digestion are poor ex
ungentlemany manner The military surgeon must
be known In camp as gentleman; not only by the
officers. hut by every man under his charge. II he
expects 10 be respected and 10 do Justice to his
| high calling and responsible position.
DUTIES IN y CAMPAIGN.
The first and most important duty OF military
surgeons during active warfare il prevent dis
case and unnecessary suffering by giving early ad-
vice and rrsorting to timely precautions. The oca
ton OF camps. policing OF the game. the water sup