The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-06
PRESIDENT TO SURGEONS
ADVICE TO MEN WHO HAVE La
BORED ON BATTLEFIELDs.
Opening of the Annual Convention of
the Military Surgeons OF
the United States.


semblage that crowded the National Thea
ter President Roosevelt TO day opened the
eleventh annual convention of the Asso-
citation of Military Surgeons of the United
States. On the stage with the President
sat Secretary of War Root Secretary CT
TIC Navy Moody, Secretary Of the Treasury
Shaw Secretary Cortelyou, Surgeon Cen
eral Sternberg, OF the army; Surgeon Gen.
eral Rixsy, of the navy: Surgeon General
Wyman, Of the Marine Hospital Service,
and others. Bishop Satterlee delivered the
invocation and Major Henderson then in
troduced The President, who said:
Mr.. President and Ladies and Gentle
men-I am glad to have the opportunity to
bid welcome to the members of this asso-
citation and their friends to-day. The men
of this association combine two professions,
each of which is rightfully held in high
honor by all capable of approaching the
real work of men-the profession of the
remedies and the profession of the doctor
Conditions in modern civilization tend more
and more to make the average life of the
community one of great softncss. Of great
ease compared to what has been the case
in the past. and. gentlemen, together with
this softening of life, thus rendering it more
easy, there are certain attendant disadvan-
tages also. 1t is very necessary thing
that there should be some profession, some
trades where the same demands are made
now as have been in the past upon the
heroic qualities in a man, and those de-
mands are made alike upon the soldier and
upon the doctor, and how much more upon
those who are both soldiers and doctors
upon the men who have continually to face
all the responsibilities and all the risk
faced by their brothers in the civilian
branch of the profession, and who also I'm
| time of war must face much the same risks,
often exactly the same risks that are faced
| by their brothers in arms whose training
| is to kill and not to cure. Laughter and
applause.1
1T has been my good fortune, gentlemen,
to see your BODY at work In the held, 10
see them carrying the wounded and dying
| from the firing line, themselves as much
! exposed to danger as those they were res
| cuing, and 10 see them working day and
night in the field hospitals afterward when
| even the intensity OF the strain could hard
| ly keep them awake, so tagged out were
| they by having each TO do the work OF
| II welcome YOU here. I am glad of hav-
| ing the chance of seeing you. and wish Ia
say a word of congratulation to you upon
| have found ii absolutely indispensable 70
| supplement the work of the individual by
| the work of individuals gathered into an as
! ISOLATION. Without this work of the asso-
| citation you cannot give the highest ex-
| preston TO the individual endeavor. and il
| would be n great misfortune If the military
| members of the surgical and medical profes-
sions did not take every advantage OF their
| opportunities in the same way that is taken
| by the members Of the medical and surgical
professions who are not in the army or the
| navy or the Marine Hospital Service, but
| who are in civil life outside.
~ am glad to see you gathered this
| occasion, and just one word of warning
| Pay all possible heed 10 the scientific side
| of your work: perfect yourselves as scien-
tifc men, able to work with the best and
| most delicate apparatus and never for one
| moment forget especially the higher of
| ficers among you, that in time of need you
! will have to do your work with the scantest
possible apparatus daughter and applausel
and that then your usefulness will be pro-
| portioned, nor upon the adequacy OF the
| complaint that you did not have apparatus
| enough but upon the way you have done
| with what you have. Loud applause
| Remember that, and remember also (thls
| applies especially 10 the higher officers
that you have got TO supplement in your
calling the work of the surgeon with the
| work of the administrators. Applause
You have to be doctors and military mer
| [Applause.l
turned to the White House with his party
the Marine Band playing the "Star-span
! gled Banner" as they left.
| One OF the principal features of the after
| noon session was the awarding of the Emo
| Sander prize consisting OF 500 in gold and
! a gold medal, 10 Lieut.. Col. Valery How
| ard, United States army, whose thesis or
! THE Most Practical Organization for the
| Medical Department Of the United State:
| Army in Active Service was decided by
| the board of award 10 be the best OF al
the papers submitted in the competition.
One Of the most interesting papers pre-
! scented at the convention to-day was from
! Col. j. Morris Brown, who has been II
| charge of the army medical supply depo
| at New York city during the past fiv,
| years 1t embraced the period covered b,
the war with Spain, and some instructive
! figures were given OF the operations OF th'
| depot between May and December, 1898
| supplies for the army are furnished from
| three general depots located at New York
| St. Louis and San Francisco Under tn,
| law supplies are purchased after advertise
| ment EXCEPT in cases Of emergency o
| when il is impossible 10 receive competi
| ton. Such an emergency arose In lS9S wheI
| war was declared between the United States
| and Spain. During the period covered b,
| the Spanish war there were issued 10 tn
| army in the West Indies $500. 900 Quinint
| pills l 500 900 cathartic pills. 1000 900 am
| monia chlorate troches 10000 first aid 4
the wounded packages. l25OOO towels, 5000
| sheets. $1,000 pillow cases. 5000 blankets
80 600 tins of beef extract, 80 900 shirts 30 90
| bottles OF whisky. $1,000 bottles OF Chord,
! of lime. 20 900 bottles OF brandy. 5000 bot
| ties of carbolic acid. 1900 mosquito bars
! 900 pyjamas, go 900 tins OF condensed milk
| 10000 meters OF unbleached muslin 1000
| bottles OF ginger ale and 1000 bottles .
| matted milk.
| From the commencement of the Spanish
| war TO the present time disbursements 70
| supplies purchased by the depot at New
York have Appropriated 100000 annu
ally"