Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1908-01-03
DR.. RIXEY GOT
THERE FIRST
SURGEON GENERAL CLOSEST TO
THRONE.
JEALOUSY CAUSED TROUBLE
Serious Breach Between Navigation
and Medical Chiefs Proved Undo
ing of Rear Admiral--Wanted
Medical Man as Captain.

Medical Man as Captain.
Washington.-That a serious breach
exists between the bureau of naviga-
ton, and the bureau Of medicine OF
the navy, involving the question Of
the responsibility of the latter bureau
was made appai ent in a statement is
sued by Surgeon General Presley Nj.
Rixey, cf the navy, in which he touch
ed upon the circumstances leading up
to the probable selection by the pres
ident of a medical officer, to conf
mand the hospital ship Relief over the
protest of Rear Admira! William II.
Brownson, chief of the bureau of nav
igation, who sent his resignation To
the president. While disclaiming ex-
act knowledge as to the cause of poor
Rear Admiral Brownson's resignation
the surgeon generals statement leaves
little room for doubt that the con-
trorersy be reviews was potent fac
f6r. Surgeon General Rixie prefsc-
ed his statement by remarking:
II have been called up on the TEL
ephone many times IN regard to the
resignation Of Rear Admiral Brown
son. Rear Admiral Browason and I
have been friends for many years and
when on duty in Washington, as naval
attending surgeon, 1 was his family
physician.
'sHis resignation as chief of the bu-
reau of navigation has been assigned
to various causes, among others to a
difference of opinion as to the COM
mand of the hospital ship Relief.
While / do not know that this is a
cause, it may be interesting to know
the present status of this question. :"
Surgeon General Rixey then stated
that hospital ships as a rule, always
have been commanded by me 1ical Of
ficers with a sailing master, and civil
ian crew for purposes of navigation.
The Relief he says, formerly belong
ed to the army, and always was COM
manded by a medical officer when US
ed as hospital ship. In attempting
to unity the medical services of the
army and the navy board of medical
officers which was convened by ex-
eeutive order more than a year ago,
recommended by medical officers, and
that that recommendation was approx
ed by both the secretary of war and
the secretary Of the navy, in gener-
al orders.
Since the civil war, he says, all
hospital ships and medical transports
of the army had been placed under
the surgeon general of the army. He
says further that japanese naval hos
pital ships were commanded by med
zeal officers after having tried line
officers. These ships, he says, are
simply floating hospitals, properly un
der the control of the medical de-
partment and should be conducted in
peace, exactly as in time of war. This
Us especially so, he added, because
during war time and line officers
cannot be spared and no doubt should
desire the command of these ships.
He maintains that it always has
been a doubtful question if the Gene
va and The Hague agreements could
guarantee the neutrality of these
ships if line officers and crews were
aboard, and it was this doubt which |
prevented the japanese during the re-
cent war with Russia from using line
officers on hospital ships.
"The internal administration of |
the bureau of medicine and surgery"
he says, 'has been, in my opinion, too
much interferei with by tbs bureau
Of navigation. This interference has
at times caused grave concern as to
how i could meet the needs Of those
under our care
The hospital ship Relief, he says,
should now be with the battleship
fleet on its cruise, but he adds, "the
bereau of navigation thought other
wise, and the fleet of $1,000 men with
rs auxiliaries is without hospital
ship, and will be until it arrives at
Nagdalena Bay, more than three
months from now. He added that he
,anAot understand how Rear Admiral
Brownson should be especially inter-
,sted in the differing of hospital
hips when his duties lie in another
direction, and that he should not in
erfere in a matter pertaining entire
v to the bureau of medicine and sur
,ery and therefore to be decided by
he secretary of the navy.
Surgeon General Rixey's statement
vas shown to Admiral Brownson but
lie declined to make any comment
whatever in regard to it.