The Washington herald., 1917-06-08
Army and Navy News
Best Service Column I'm City.

The problem of furnishing the aug
mented military force with an ade-
| quate supply of surgical instruments
and drugs appears to have been
! solved by Gen. Gorgas and his as
sistants of the army medical depart
operation with the surgeon generals
once on the part of the manufac-
turers Of surgical instruments and
the producers of medicines.
The results have developed what Is
regarded as a satisfactory arrange
ment by which the necessary surgical
instruments may be obtained In a
way that overcomes the difficulties
that would naturally ensue from the
fact that hitherto 50 per cent of this
material has been derived from. Ger
many. Leading surgeons of the coun-
try recently assembled in Washing
ton and after consultation agreed on
list OF Instruments with which II
Is possible to perform surgical opera
tions. This required, under existing
conditions. the elimination Of q great
many Instruments that have been re-
garded with favor, although. 1t now
appears, they are not Indispensable.
BY this means Il was possible to COM
pile a revised catalog. which has
been communicated to the makers of
Instruments who have signihed their
willingness to so conduct their plants
as to furnish this simplifed list of
instruments to the limit of their IA
cilities. II Is quite evident that the
needs Of the service will be met In
this particular, ...,.....
When it comes TO the matter of
drugs, the War Department Is as
sured Of deliveries in the quantities
required and of the varieties that are
needed under q system that promises
to overcome such difficulties as may
be encountered in obtaining quinine
and opium. One Of the surgical
dressing houses Of the country has
erected a new plant, six stories in
height, to be devoted to the manufac-
ture OF surgical dressings.
There Is also a gratifying assurance
Of the provision of ambulances in the
number that will be necessary for
use at home and abroad. The makers
Of automobiles are in a position to
I'LL the orders as they. are placed, one
| firm having promised to produce
from 800 to 800 vehicles a month.
Henry Ford says that he can make
an unlimited quantity Of amouianees
keenest interest in this project.
| ssss
No change will be made in the once
Of chief OF the bureau of steam engi-
| neering until next December, IL at that
! time. Rear Admiral r. 8. Grimm was
appointed engineer-in-chief and chiet
! OF Ine bureau on May 10, lSlo, anu
| some question had prevailed in the
Navy Department whether that date
| in May Of this year should not have
4 been regarded as terminating the tour
of duty Of four years as chief of bu-
reau. But Rear Admiral Grimm was
not confirmed by the Senate and was
not commissioned until December OF
1913. Secretary Daniels has, therefore,
concluded that the term Of four years
will not expire until the later date.
This Is an announcement which is
entirely satisfactory to the service,
I since 1t retains in his important posi-
ten an officer who is exceptionally
useful at the head of naval engineer
| ing affairs in the Navy Department
1 Indeed. 1t is doubtful II any change
| in this ONCE is made until the present
war has terminated. The situation
might be regarded by Secretary Dan.
iels as constituting a legitimate occa'
| sion for the departure from the rule
which he adopted when he became
head of the Navy Department anc
which he has strictly observed, that
Of not reappointing a chief Of bureau
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