The suburban citizen., 1900-02-17
DENTISTS FOR 0URARMY.
TEETH Of SOLDIERS IN THE PHILIP
PINES IN BAD SHAPE.

A mailreport received from General
Otis contains an alarming statement
regarding our troops in the Philip
pines, which will receive prompt at
tention from Congress, if the recon-
mendations of Ad,utant-General Cor
bin, approved by the secretary of war,
are followed out General Otis says
that the teeth of nearly every man in
the islands are in bad stages Of decay
and recommends that number of
dentists be sent to him from the
United States to look after the molars
and grinders of the fighting men in
the Philippines. He states that after
careful investigation, he finds that
n year of life in the tropics, living on
army rations, has almost completely
ruined nearly so per cent Of the
teeth, while those of the remaining
soldiers are in bad stages of decay.
Adiutant- General Corbin has dis
covered that there is no way by which
dentists can be sent to the Philip
pines to look after the teeth OF the
men unless Congress provides for such
appointments. They cannot be sent
as medical surgeons, with the rank of
captain or major, because the law ex-
pressly limits the number of surgeons
and there are not enough surgeons to
supply the medical demand in the
Philippines. Adjuant-GenerNl Cor.
bin therefore recommends that the
matter be submitted to Surgeon
General Wyman Of the United States
army, who has replied to Secretary
Root heartily endorsing the project to
appoint dentists to the army, one to
be attached to every regiment, and
perhaps more, if necessary.
Il am Of the opinion, " writes Sur
geon- General Wyman chat the APP
pointment of competent dentists to
the army is an absolute necessity.
have long been of the opinion that
there should be some systematic way
by which the teeth OF every enlisted
man could be inspected at least once
year. and, preferably, once in six
months. There are few civilians who
permit their teeth to be neglected for
so long q period as six month The
condition of the teeth is reflected in
the condition of the individual. If
the teeth are bad, ache much, or do
not perform their functions properly
in the mastication of food, the health
of the soldier is seriously impaired
strongly indorse the proposition and
suggest that one dental surgeon, with
the rank of major, be appointed for
each regiment"
A bill has, therefore, been drawn
mp by the direction of the secretary of
war; Ibe bill provides that the sur
geon-general of the army, with the
approval OF the secretary Of war, shall
employ and appoint dental surgeons
to serve the officers and enlisted mep
in the regular and volunteer army, in
the proportion Of one dental surgeon
to every 1000 men, in the said army.
These dental surgeons shall be EN-
ployed as contract dental surgeons,
under the terms and conditions ap.
plicable to army contract surgeons,
and shall be graduates of standard
medical or dental colleges, trained in
the several branches of dentistry, OF
good moral and professional charac-
ter, and shall pass q satisfactory pro
fessional examination. These exam.
nations will be held in Boston, New
York, Washington, Chicago, Denver
and San Francisco, and possibly else
where, as soon as the proposed bill
becomes law. 1t will then be posi-
bic to appoint the dental surgeons i'm
mediately and they will be sent to
the Philippines, where so much work
awaits them, on the earliest available
transports or passenger ships.
There has been some discussion as
TO what rank the dental surgeons
should have The accepted under
standing is that they will get the rank
corresponding to that Of the medical
surgeons-that is, for battalion snr-
geon, the rank of captain, and for
regimental surgeon, the rank of ma
ior. There are, however, surgeons
attached to battalions and regiments,
while it is proposed to designate den
tai surgeons on aschedule of one only
for each regiment, That would u..tLe
him rank with the medical :gi-
mental surgeon. and lie w.u'd,
therefore, get commission as major.
Tho salary of a major in the regular
army is approximately $200a month, OF
S2400 a year, with quarters and IA
tions. 1t will therefore be seen that
there will soon be nearly fou, score
fine army billets to be at the disposa,
OF the war department, for which only
competent dentists will be eligible.
This will be a good chance for some
of the struggling young dentists of
the United States. d-established
dentists, of course, make much more
than the probable income of an army
dentist, but there may be expected a
rush for these coveted appointments
! that will remind one of the rush to
secure appointments in the volunteer
army when the war first broke out
Some dentists will doubtless resent
the imputation Of being hired by the
government to keep 80 many teeth in
good order every month, but pro-
fessional ethics will doubtless be over