Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-12
PILCHER READS HIS ESSAY
Winner of Emo Saunders Prize Presents
., Paper to Military Surgeons p
. > avs ~, q, .. -. ~ .f..,.sr q .c.st ~
TELLS or WORK NECESSARY TO SUCCESS
Major Gives His Ideas of How
to Best Train Medical Of
H hcers of the State p.
ia 49,
TELLS or WORK NECESSARY TO SUCCESS

BUFFALO, N. ". Sept. 1.-THE conven-
ton Of the Association of Military Surgeons
OF the United States convened here today.
Many distinguished foreign representatives
were present. .--' '.,a.v
The closing business session was the
reading of the, Emo Saunders prize essay
on "The Training of the Medical Officer of
the State Forces to. Best Qualify Him for
Local Service and for Mobilization with
National Troops" '-,.
Itswas announced that Major Pitcher was
the winner of the medal.
Prize Essay.
The subject of the training of the
medical officer Of the state forces TO best
iZation with national troops is topic
the Importance of which in nation like
the United states Of America cannot be
overestimated, At the opening OF the
nish-American war there were factors
involving both the regular service ana the
volunteer forces which rendered consoil-
dation and mobilization impossible with
out material changes in both. That they
ultimately came together after not m
considerably amount OF friction, Sy wmea h y
certain amount of dove-taifing was allow
able, is due to the high character of the
to the conditions existing in either brancn.
The lesson to be derived from this ex-
perience is that In order 70 aamtt
w
trained along lines uniformed with those
of the national service
Military medicine and surgery Is a spe-
military medicine and surgery the newly
Appointed medical off1cer must become
familiar-in addition TO the features OF
ordinary civilian practice-wlth speclal
professional knowledge, medieo-militar
administration and the evolution and
maintenance OF a medico-military esprit
Nature of work.
the medical work naturally falls into two
classes. therapeutic and prophylacue. "A
military dispensary must necessarily pc
preparations and confine itself to one of
Several agents, each of which may accom-
piish the same purpose;
2 Adaptability of the supply table.
To these may be added third feature,
represented IN the person Of the medical
! The ability to utilize the therapeutic
means afforded him.
In National Guard work, where an en-
campment is for but short period, 1t will
be possible well for medical officers 70
take with them any additional agents which
S Se. f.. HTo .O be sinSSS needed F6s pa S
Is to be discouraged, because II violates
the chief object OF the annual encampment,
which IL 10 afford TO the men, unoostructed
by their ordinary avocaions, the oppor-
tunities OF military experience In a condi-
ton as nearly approaching actual service
Even more important than therapeusis is
prophylaxis, a feature of medical work
which has but little vogue in civil life. but
which Is OF vital importance In army serv-
ice Here lies perhaps the most difhcult
duty of the National Guard surgeon. Ac-
customed in the work OF civil life to walt
for an Invitation before extending the heal
ing hand. wont 10 be bound down by the
ethical requirement Of not seeking or soil
citing practice. II goes vastly against the
grain OF the civilian practitioner recently
or Temporarily injected into military life 10
publicly foist his sanitary opinions upasked
or undesired upon his comrades or super
iors. But the conditions OF military sery-
Ice where large aggregations or men are
Accumulated with reciprocal action upon
one another, are fraught with possibilities
OF disease A single bit Of neglect will
open the door for thousand misfortunes.
III we'll behooves the medical man 10 be
constantly on guard and 70 continually
keep before the service the dangers which
he sees and possibly alone appreciates. The
most important study, then, OF the physl-
elan TO whom the duties OF military service
may come Is military hygiene and santa
tion.
The military portion of the work Of the
| medical ofncer Of the state forces is more
q . Aovsisg 70 ne newly commissioned