The times., 1899-10-23
NAVAL MEDICAL REPORT.
Surgeon General Van Reypen Re
views the Work of "a Year.

naval medical establishment. and other
matters OF interest pertaining TO the duties
OF the Bureau or Medicine and Surgery. (
A review of the past year OF the various
measures relating TO the management OF
the medical establishment. and OF all other
matters coming under the general and
immediate control of this bureau, shows
a satisfactory record in the administration
Of this department Of the naval service
and affords gratifying evidence Cf con
tinued professional and executi-e efficiency
in all work, the responsibility for which
in greater or less degree. devolyed upon
the medical officers Of the Navy.
As soon as peace mas declared the Medi-
cal Department Of the Navy commenced TO
reduce expenses and to place itself On
peace basis There had been no unneces-
sary accumulation Of stores or material,
and it had nothing to condemn, sell. or de-
stroy. Everything purchased for war has
since been utilized. OF the Si00. 900 apprO-
priatcd by Congress for this bureau. for
war purposes, S97, 900 has been returned
to the Treasury. The ambulance snip
SOlace, that rendered such effective service
during the war, is now used partly as a
transport but furnishes excellent accom-
mOdati0ns for the sick in their transfer
from the fleet at Manila to the naval hos
pital at Yokohama or Mare Island. Those
invalids requiring mainly change of climate
and rest for recuperatiOn are embarked at
Yokohama and soon returned to their prop
er station of duty, while the more severe
cases. and those unfit for service are
transferred 70 the naval hospital at Mare
Island for further treatment or discharge
from the service
The rehabilitation and renovation Of all
all naval hospitals, which was inaugurated
several years ago by the bureau. has been
steadily continued. The ward capacity in
many of them has been increased and in
several of the hospitals the number Of beds
has been more than doubled The neces-
sity for this large increase in hospital ac-
commodations for the care and treasne
Of the sick and wounded OF the Navy is
readily understood when we consider the
several enactmsnts made by Congress dur
ing the past few years. in which liberal
provision is made for the progressive in
crease in the personnel and material Of the
naval establishment.
To meet the extra demand made upon the
Navy by the acquisition and establishment
Of navy yards and naval stations in sew
eral OF the harbOrs Of our new possessions
and TO fl them out with suitable equip
ment, it became necessary for the med
ical department of the Navy, in order to
anticipate the requirements of the ser
vice, TO make preparations and provide
ample Accommodation for the treatment of
our officers and men who were detailed
for duty in our several foreign possess -Ons-
Such action. moreover was imperatiyely
necessary in the Philippine Islands, where
owing to the aSsemblage of large fleet of
vessels, and the further fact that these
islands are situated well within the trop-
that much sickness would prevail and that
the establishment Of a hospital al Manila
was Indispensable to the efficiency Of the
fleet and to the welfare Of the patients.
\ naval hospital with the necessary fur
niture instruments, etc. and a complete
administrative outfit. has been organized
anC placed in commission az Cayiye Phil
ipEine Islands and the building occupied
for this purpose is so arranged and con
structed that il can be enlarged and its
capacity doubled whenever the interests
of the service may require il.
The United States guUbCat Yosemite be-
fore leaving the United States, was fitted
out with medical supplies, instruments. and
furniture for the establishment of a small
hospital at Guam, LaGrOne Islands should
the requirements of the service make il
necessary. At the naval stations, Havana
Cuba. and San Juan. Porto Rico. small
buildings have been procured for hospital
purposes and have been properly fitted up
for the reception of naval patients whose
! illness may be of temporary character and
suitable condition TO be transferred north
to a naval hospital.
The steady increase in the enlisted force
of the Navy that has taken place during tbs
| past two years, and also the passage OF ths
personnel bill which has added more than
| 3CC0 officers and men TO the strength Of the
| Marine Corps, calls attention very forclbiy
to the necessity for Congressional action
/ in which suitable provision Should be made
for an enlargement in the number Of OH
| GERS in the Medical Corps OF the Navy.
! In this connection the Surgeon General
| says:
The reasouablaness for such proposed
/ action should appeal strongly 20 all who are
/ interested in the welfare Of the Navy, and
+ particularly to those entrusted with lsgis-
/ lative functions and upon whom the respOn-
/ sibility rests for maintaining the present
/ and future efficiency of this branch of the
naval establishment The number of medi-
/ cal officers, now allowed by law is far be-
| low the number required for the diversified
duties which they are ca}lad upon to per
/ form and il is earnestly hoped that proper
] provision viii be made by Congress dur
( ing its coming session. TO remedy a cOudi-
/ tiOn which is detrimental 10 the efficiency
/ of the corps. to the interest OF the service.
] and. indirectly, to the country at large
! It is impossible to meet the requirements
| of the service with the present number of
/ medical officers. Every one who is not sick
is on duty. and the bureau has been unable
| to supply officers for needed recruiting anu
other duty.
Il have the honor, therefore. to request
that your approval may be given to p-o-
/ posed legislation for a small increase in
the lower grades of the corps It is rec
commended that the corps be increased FIVE
| surgeons and twenty assistant surgeons.
and that the volunteer assistant surgeons.
who served during the war w.th Sra and
who are now in service be aHsfeJrsd to
the regular naval service and included in
the number of assistant surgeons allowed
and that in their cases the present legal
limit of age on admission be waived
There are now eighteen in the service
and many of them are desirous of entering
the regular service but are over thirty
years of age, which is the limiJ prescrite1
bv law for admission. The addition O. fv
surgeons viii give promotion, without,
however. any increase Of rank or pay, TO
five of the senior passed assistant sur
geons who have been over ten years in the
service Il is also earnestly requested that
provision be made in the same act fO-
pIacing assistant surgeons in the Navy OIL
an equality with assistant surgeons in tn
Army in regard to rank and pay. At pres
ent they are lower in rank and reeve les
nav. with the inevitable sequence. the
Army can get all the candidates they need
and the Navy can get scarce.y any Quail
I Is 8 q NV