Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-11
FOR CAtEANTRY ON FIELD OF BATTLE.
Capt. Church Was Surgeon in Span
iSh War and Exhibited Rare
Bravery and Courage.

, medal in a silence and manner that
| We're more eloquent than words would
have been.
Turning then to the members Of the
American Medical Association, the
President spoke to them with great
earnestness. He said in part:
Il want to say just a word OF greet
ing to you and to ask your influence
Oh behalf of the Medical Corps, not on
ly of the army but of the navy. There
is not a more exacting profession: there
is not profession which makes great
err demands upon those following /
and which more entities them to the
gratitude of mankind. than Is the pro-
fession which is yours. The army sur
geon has TO combine the work Of your
profession with the work Of the mill
tary men of the line. In saying that I
want to call Your attention to two spe.
cific things.
First, all the United States is the
debtor to the medical men who have
accomplished such remarkable work on
tne isthmuS of Panama. You hear very
loose talk about making the dirt fly in
Panama. Before making the dirt fly 1t
was necessary to get the microbes I'M
der it; it was necessary to grapple with
mosquitoes; necessary to eradicate dis
ease. That has beeen done to perfection.
Too much praise cannot be given to
those who have done this work in Pam
anna.
you recollect the complaint made
about hygenic conditions during the
war with Spain. Complaint was made
that the troops were not properly treat
eu, etc. The blame rested, not on any
man then in Office. but upon our people
as whole. who had declined, through
their representatives to make provision
long in advance for meeting such a
reed. III we had q war break out to,
morrow and had to raise any large
army there would be an immediate
breakdown in the medical department
simply because at present our Medical
Corps is numerically only fit to take
care of about 40 per cent. Of the regu-
l1r army as it is now. The Medical
O. ps is not numerically fit to grapple
with a campaign in which our whole
army, the little army as it is should be
employed. And CT course if we had to
mobilize an army of volunteers, we
would under present conditions have to
count upon widespread disaster
through the shortcomings In the medi-
cal and sanitary and hygenic arrange
ments rendered inevitable by our pres
ent lack Of preparation.
"The Japanese have given us a good
lesson in this as in many other partic-
ulars, by the way they handled their
army in the recent war. One Of the hea-
sons why their medical department did
well-the main reason-was the fact
that they had an ample supply OF doc
tors who had been practiced in time OF
peace in doing the duties they would
have % do in war. And until we have
provision for an ample corps Of doc
tors in the army so that they can be
practiced in time Of peace we will not
have prepared ourselves as we ought
to prepare for the possibilities Of war.
Until we thus prepare we can make up
our minds that we are ourselves re-
sponsible for any disaster that occurs
to any army that the United States
MAY raise in the future. not the man
who may be at the head Of the army
at the time.'
Later, Capt. Church was a guest of
the President at luncheon.