Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-17
DIR. c. 7. GRAYSON
TELLS VALUE OF
MEDICAL CORPS
Surgeon of United States
Navy and Presidents PhySi-
clan Speaks 10 Doctors on
Vital Phrase OF Preparedness

Vital Phrase OF Preparedness
Or. Cary T. Grayson, a surgeon of the
United States navy assigned TO tins
White House as the presidents pnysl-
cIan, spoke Tuesday nIgnt before the
Southern Medical convention meeting III
the auditorium on The Doctor worn
for Naval Preparedness HIS speech
while prepared especially for this meet
ing of meuical men. was one tnat wall
! interest every true American because
it dealt with an extremely Important
phase of preparedness.
DR.. GraysUn gave a brief history Oh
the medical department OF the navy,
fl ON the beginning when DOCTOR was
occasionally ass4gned to one OF the
ships to the present Wnen the Onlteu
states navy medical department mas III
its seBvice some of the ablest men oil
the time: Sutt, of international fame
tor his work in tropical medicine; Gate
wood a world authority on naval hysL-
enc; William c. Braistead, who was as
socIated with Surgeon General RIXey as
his assistant for six years and under
whose reg me there is promise OF great
er advancement Inan mas been accom-
lIished in the whole history of the
corps.
Dr. Grayson then pointed out that
the greatest frontier OF the United
States is the ocean and naturally her
first defense will be on the hign seas.
This means that the United States must
above all have a magnificent navy. large
in proportion to the size of our coast.
This In turn calls for more medical men
and DR.. Grayson stated that the medical
corps was increased by congress to to-
tai of eS3 medical officers distributed
from assistant surgeons, with the rank
of lieutenant, junior grade, to medical
director with the rank of rear admiral.
THE rank of rear admiral is new
one with u.s." he said. cit must be a
peculiar pleasure to know that the rep
resentatives of your profession have re-
ceived from congress this recognition
of merit and worth. The navies or
England, France and Japan have long
confer ed this dignity upon their medi-
cal officers"
WORKING OF CORPS.
The speaker then explained some oil
he workings of the medical department.
sferring to the system of medical re-
serves and the corps OF nurses. In
speaking of the hospitals, he said:
"A fleet may be likened to large
,ity of over $4,000 adult male inhab-
tants-all engaged about machinery,
tossed about by wind and weather,
landing high explosives. subject TO
nazard OF life and limb and the perils of
exposure. What could such a popula
ION ashore do without a hospital? 1
axe pride in telling you that In tho
splendid naval program, which became 4
little over two months ago, congress
crowded $3.50, 900 for the first hospita
snip to be constructed for this purpose
We have planned and studied for thi
ship for twenty years. The Unite
States is the first to take the initia-
I've in building such a ship.
Her design will include features
which are the result Of long study anG
experience-in our own feet, and also
n the fleets in the great war now rag
ng She will possess every modern
facility Of a large general hospital.
"She Will be an oil burner. free from
lust and dirt. equipped with gyroscopic
stabilizers to make her steady and wit;
4 large spacious operating room ex
ending to the height of two decks. The
N-ray rooms, laboratories, dental rooms,
eve. ear. nose and throat rooms WILL
contain the most modern appliances.
'In time of war we would probably
never have the immense number Of
wounded we hear of in connection with
he great battles of Europe. A battle
IN the sea is not a fight between mon.
is fight between ships"
In reference to the duties OF the medi-
cal officers, DR.. Grayson says:
"The duties of medical officers in the
navy are peculiar. They do not concern
the treatment of diseases alone, but the
broader field OF preventing diseases
which are in a measure occupatIonal.
THE shop as q habitation has not feat
ures comparable to conditions on land.
All the surroundings OF the life are the
unusual, rather than the usual, the artI-
fetal rather than the natural. Immense
furnaces In the interior OF our ships pro-
duce conditions OF great heat unusual to
an ordinary environment. The air for
ventilating must be drawn from the top
and distributed by artificial means. A
form Of mechanical respiration aeratins
the various constituent compartments"
DR.. Grayson then went on to describe
the new conditions that are brought up
by the difference in life on the sea and
he showed how they must be studied 50
as to keep the sailor At for his work.
He then gave his idea Of the medical
man in the naval service, OF the kind of
man he should be and of the character
that he should strive to develop. In
conclusion he said:
my friends. whether we are medical
men In the service OF the government. In
private practice, the responsibilities arc
heavy. the work most exactng, the situa-
tions nearly always trying. the remuner,.
alton not always large. But there 10
ever present with the man who Is true
to the highest ethics OF MS profession
and earnest desire and sincere effort TO
DE- the best that human knowledge and
human skill can do for every case that
comes to him. without counting the cost
either In energy, In work or in worry
Skill in surgery increases narvelously.
BETTER sanitation In the city and the
country is going on and the physicians
are leading the movement, But there Ia
a great work vet to he zone. We are
in the midst Of mighty eTorts In nedi-
cal way to make this country healthier
place in which to live"