Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-10

exercises A record of this inspection
should be kept, .as commanding officers
OF brigades or regiments, and separate
organizations not brigaded, will be ex-
with certificate as to the result of the
inspection on arrival at camp"
In connection with the foregoing. the
ad5utant general OF q state made in
as to the nature and necessity Of the
order; second. as to the difficulty of
carrying out the order, due to the scat
tered disposition Of the troops: third. as
to whether medical officers Of other or
CARNATIONS than those ordered to the
camp could receive per capita payment
for making the physical examination re-
quired; and. fourth, whether civilian ply
sicians could be employed at the home
stations of the companies and a per
capita rate be paid them for making
the examinations.
In reply the chief. division Of military
affairs by direction of the acting Secre-
tary Of War, advised as follows:
'It was not intended that that portion OF
the memorandum issued by Gen. Wother-
spoon under date of May "a. 1910, quoted
within, should be considered In any way
| as an order. but simply as suggestion.
THE physical examination contem-
plated therein is thought to be an es-
.sential military sanitary. precaution that
SHOULD be taken always preliminary to
the mobilization of any body of troops,
ton IA of the militia law, in joint en-
campments under section Is of the militia
law. or in mobilization for war 1t is a
precaution that has been recommended
reason of epidemics of typhoid fever,
smallpox, diphtheria and other con-
tagiOus diseases that have developed in
encampmants from infection Of cases that
originated prior thereto.
LAS military precaution, bearing on
the health and physical fitness of the
troops for field service, 1t is thought that
the customary administrative scheme in
whether regulars or militia. should pro-
vide for such a preliminary examina}
ton.
II such an examination cannot be
made by the medical officers attached to
the regiment at their home stations before
they are grouped in the larger units, it
| is thought that it should be done as soon
as the units have been SO grouped as to
include the presence of medical officers
IF 1t is not possible practicable to
have medical officers of the regiment
make the physical examination of the
men of the several companies Of the
regiment at their home stations within
twenty-four hours prior to their depar-
ture. because Of the scattered dispo-
sition of the companies, it is thought that
1t would be legitimate expenditure of
federal funds allotted 20 the state under
section 1861. Revised Statutes. as amend
ed. to order medical officers other than
those that are attached to the regiment
to the performance of this duty, and that
these officers. while so engaged. could
receive the pay of their grade and the
cost of their transportation.
LAS military duty, bearing upon the
efficiency of the troops for field service,
1t would be proper to make assignments
from the medical officers of the National
Guard of the state at large to perform
this duty.
Apart from the fact that civilian ply
sicians do not have an adequate concep-
ton of the bearing of such examinations
on camp sanitation and the military
efficiency of large bodies of troops, and
the desirability of having such examina-
| tons made by medical officers, it Is
doubtful whether the auditor for the War
Department would pass vouchers for the
employment of civilian physicians. mas
much as 1t would probably be held that
such duty is a proper duty for the med
ical officers Of the state forces.
LAS it is considered by the department
to be proper military duty for the
medical officers of the state. it is not
thought that the Treasury Department
would approve. nor would the War De-
partment recommend approval of, a per
capita payment to medical officers of the
National Guard making such examina-
tons.
1T is hoped. therefore. that the military
authorities OF the state will be able to