Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-28
Was Head of the Medical
Branch of United
States Army.
DID MUCH TO PROMOTE
EFFICIENCY OF SERVICE
Body May Be Buried at West Point,
Where He Was Idol of
Cadets.

Brig. Gen. George Henry Torney, sur
seon general of the United States Army
died at his apartment at Stoneleigf
Court at $50 o'clock last night. Gen
Torney mad been confined to his bed fol
three weeks with bronchial pneumonia
At the bedside when death came were
members of his family and his attending
physician, Maj. Deane c. Howard
Medical Corps, L. s. A. Gen. Torney il
survived by his wife, his daughter, Mrs
J. b. Ryan, the wife of Maj. j. b
Ryan, U. 5. A.; DIR. George II. Torney
jr.: Lieut. f. J. Torney. U. $. A.; E. j
Torney of San Francisco and H. w
Torney Of New York, sons.
Although funeral arrangements have
not been completed, it is understood
that Gen. Torney's body will be taken
to West Point for burial. He probably y
will have military escort to the
Union station. IL it is decided to take
the body to West Point
Work for the Army.
The death of Gen. Torney takes away
from the army one of its most efficient
medical officers, and one who has done
much toward building up the medical
branch of the service. Some of the most
important advances in military surgery
have been inaugurated in the United
States Army under his direction.
Many of the army hospitals about the
country were erected under his direction
He brought fame to himself during the
San Francisco earthquake, at which time
he was commandant of the Letterman
General Hospital in that city. When he
realized the seriousness of the disaster
he opened the hospital to the public upon
his own responsibility and took care OF
the refugees. He assumed immediate
charge of the sanitary work in that city
after the earthquake, and it was due to
it's efforts that such a remarkable health
record was maintained in the city immedi-
ately after the disaster.
Native of Baltimore.
Gen. Torney was born in Baltimore.
Nd. June 1, 1850. and had he lived,
would have been eligible to retirement
from the service June 1. 1914. His first
service was in the navy, he having been
appointed assistant surgeon November L,
1871, and passed assistant surgeon in
1874. Resigning from the navy June 80,
1875, he was Immediately appointed a
first lieutenant and assistant surgeon of
the army, being promoted rapidly until
he reached the rank of major surgeon
June q, 1885; lieutenant. colonel and
deputy surgeon general, August 3. 1903;
colonel in command of the Medical Corps,
April 23. 1905. and surgeon general of
the army, January ii, 19U9 succeeding
Brig Gen. Robert NJ. OReilly, retired.
Gen. Torney studied at Carroll College,
Md. and later entered the University of
Virginia. from which he graduated in
medicine in 1870. entering the navy soon
after his graduation.
Noted for his lovable disposition and
quiet manner. Gen. Torney was the idol
of many cadet at West Point. So well
did they like him that the Cadet Howit-
ger the Military Academy year book, was
dedicated to him by the class of 1895
This was the first time that such an
honor was accorded All officer, but the
practice of dedicating the book to some
officer has been followed each year since
the action of the class of 1885, His
popularity at West Point when he was
Continued on Second Page.)