The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1908-01-04
|. RIXEY GOT
THERE FIRST
RGEoN GENERAL CLOSEST TO
THRONE, "a
EALOUSY CAUSED TROUBLE
erious Breach Between Navigation
and Medical Chiefs Proved Undo
f1ng Of Rear Admiral--Wa s5ea
Medical Man as Captain.

" ashington. That ! riosrs breach.
- ssse4 = We tie BIZ eau oi naviga
|1 ana the bureau of medicine o.
Ee navy. involving the ouestio !
llu .sponsl5i.4iy II Liz latter bureau
was made apparent in a statement Is
Eued by Surgeon General Presley M.
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 COM
ard the hospital ship Relief over the
Protest Of Rear Admira! William II.
b. wason, chief of the bureau of nav
.iga. "A, who sent his resignation to
tae president. While disclaiming ex-
kact knowledge as to the cause Of poor
Near Admiral Brownson's resignation
L y" surgeon general s statement leaves
= tiR room for doubt that the con-
~ toNrsy he reviews was potent fac
"a r. Surgeon General Rixie prefae-
Wi$ statement by remarking:
IA '1l1ave been called up on the tel
8 phs many times in regard to the
1esraation of Rear Admiral Brown
sont Rear Admiral Browason and i
nav been friends for many years and
Whf on duty in Washington, as naval
attA ding surgeon, I was his family
lph3 .sian.
resignation as chief Of the bu-
req navigation has been assigned
~ ious causes, among Others to a
ldi 9ence Of opinion as to the COM
mi PA Of the hospital ship Relief.
Rle | do not know that this is a
|c31e, it may be interesting to know
w 5present status of this question. y
Surgeon General Rixey then stated
that hospital ships as a rule, always
pave been commended by me lieal Of
Eicsrs with a sailing master, and civil
fan crew for purposes Of navigation.
phe Relief he says, formerly belong
Fd&to the armv, and always was copl@
ENauued w d medical officer when us
leS as d hospital ship. In attemptir.g
Htt linify tie medical services of IKE
|art.y and the navy board Of deal
|off feers which was convened by ex-
|ee,a i've order more than yeaf ago,
Recommended W medical officerR and
|shaAthat recommendation was abprov-
Ted both the secretary Of war and
|the kecretary Of the navy, in sener-
|al ohars.
Gi.e the civil war, he sav&,. all
EhospIa ships and medical tran> It's
|of tls army had been placed III
lthe fhrgeon general Of the ariny. He
says further that japanese naval hos
Epita ships were commanded bv med
peal Officers after having tried line
|cfficers. These ships, he SAYS, are
simply floating hospitals, properly IN
der the control of the medical de-
partment and should be conducted in
peace, exactly as in time of war. This
aS especially so, lac added because
during war time and lihe officers
cannot be spared md no doubt should
Elesire The command of these shins.
He maintains that il alwsys has
been doubtful 4uestionjif the & enc
va and The Hat . agree 9ncnts could
guarantee the n. NV nf the %
ships if line officers adj crews were
aboard, and it was thiA d6ubt which
prevented the 2Danesa during the re-
,ent war with hnssSs> Srom using line
'fficers on hospital SHIPS.
"The internal administration of
jhe bureau of medicine and surgarv.n
he says, "has been, III NV onin:on. too
nuch lnterferei with by the bureau
If navigation. ,Thi4 interference has
1t times caused gr3 3vo concern ss 70
pow | could meet irnr ID. thnse
hrder cur care.
I'lae, -lnoepFsa' 70 tps1i saws
Should now be II aho .a. t,ash;n
Fleet on its c Il }. a., : ushe
bereau of nat ,hour. other
Eise, and the i ~ had ION With
Fts auxiliarins f. ,tbou4 , hosn;taI
ship. and wa. &c ,pt,I Il arrives a
|Magoaieha > more than three
non'ns iro' - Vt He added that he
Falnot ili'F Eu'E't>.- Fear Admiral |
Brownson s. ~. ;nta"
|ested in f. r.. T ho.n;ta1 .,
ships wbeF " H.. .es lie in anoth sr