The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-16

tropical medicine that such diseases as
pellagara and hookWorm existed for
generations unrecognized in our w
country.
Another item that enters into the
special needs of the naval surgeon is
the fact of his isolation during a large
part of his professional life. The only
medical man on board q ship, with
perhaps 4 thousand men under his
charge, he is often so far away from
other medical that he must
be his own specialist without oppor-
tunity for consultation, he must rely
solely on his w knowledge and skill,
knowing full we'll that there are higher
powers to whom he must report, and
that the navy department carefully
sc~rutiniZes these reports. The work of
the naval medical school is designed
to give him a specialists training in
those matters which may arise on
shipboard where the work of a spe-
cialist is needed.
Germs are the causes of almost all
of the tropical diseases with which the
naval surgeon has to deal, so the naval
'StioDi iaSo tS tGtldl SlItSS
upon the. necessity of a practical
knowledge of parisitology n bacter-
iology. In this work both lectures IL
Illustrated with lantern slides and labo-
ratory work are given. and these are
supplemented with actual experience
in clipical work on cases furnished by
the naval hospitals. The urgeon is
taught to prove his work by cultivat-
ing different sorts of germs, shown
how to recognize blood changes in
malaria, and what changes of tissues
take place in certain diseases.
In the laboratory work the surgeons
get an unlimited supply of dogs and
cats Immediately after they are Killed
at the city pound, and this is sup
'plemented by q large supply of rats
caught in the city barns and markets.
A careful autopsy is made in every
case, all OF the parasites are examined
and samples of them are preserved,
and each tissue and organ examined
in seeking them. AS those parasites
Which find counterparts in the human
body are studied, every practical pur-
pose is served. Likewise, every mos
quito, tick, flea and other insect which
may convey human disease is studied
and dissected.
In the department of hygienic and
clinical chemistry the surgeons are
taught how to make volumetric analy-
ses, how to analyze air, water and
food. They are also given instruction
in the examination of gastric mate
rails, and how to determine the pres
pnfA M n0jCnnc CO That -. -, !
the constitution of drugs may be
averted. Great emphasis is laid upon
hygiene, for the navy depart
ment believes that the duty of the sur
e o is more to prevent sickness than
to cure it. And the results that are
by the medical statistics of the
navy tell how successful is the work.
While the men in the navy are a
picked lot of rugged, healthy young-
sters, yet life in close quarters on
s~hipboard, Where a thousand men must
frequently spend weeks at a time
without setting foot on dry land, would
offset that advantage were it not for
he rigid commands of the ships sur
that proper attention be given
o ventilation, water, food, clothing,
'AihS paAifo, tAtltlSS. recreation ana
tlsinfection. The results are reflected
n the absolute Punishment of typhoid
ever from shipboard, and whoever has
upon the ruddy faces of a thou
sand men in a ships company-faces
hat bespeak perfect physical trim
Knows that back of it all lies a story
II unrelaxed application of the prin-
ipleS of preventive medicine. And he
cells that sanitary science there proves
is wonderful observation-disclosures that
lthoug 1t has heightened the Ameri-
an span of life nearly five years in
ess than a generation, it might add
en- more i'll a single decade if we all
wed as the naval surgeon makes the
nen aboard ship live.